Chinvat Bridge

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The Chinvat Bridge (Avestan: 𐬗𐬌𐬥𐬬𐬀𐬙𐬋 𐬞𐬈𐬭𐬈𐬙𐬏𐬨 Cinvatô Peretûm, "bridge of judgement" or "beam-shaped bridge")[1] or the Bridge of the Requiter[2] in Zoroastrianism is the sifting bridge,[3] which separates the world of the living from the world of the dead. All souls must cross the bridge upon death. The bridge is guarded by two four-eyed dogs, described in the Videvdat (Vendidad) 13,9 as 'spâna pəšu.pâna' ("two bridge-guarding dogs").[4][5]

The Bridge's appearance varies depending on the observer's asha, or righteousness. As related in the text known as the Bundahishn, if a person has been wicked, the bridge will appear narrow and the demon Chinnaphapast will emerge[6] and drag their soul into the druj-demana (the House of Lies), a place of eternal punishment and suffering similar to the concept of Hell.[7] If a person's good thoughts, words and deeds in life are many, the bridge will be wide enough to cross, and the Daena, a spirit representing revelation, will appear and lead the soul into Garo Demana (the House of Song). Those souls that successfully cross the bridge are united with Ahura Mazda.

Often, the Chinvat Bridge is identified with the rainbow, or with the Milky Way galaxy, such as in Professor C.P. Tiele's "History of Religion ".[8] However, other scholars such as C.F. Keary and Ferdinand Justi disagree with this interpretation, citing descriptions of the Chinvat Bridge as straight upward, rather than curvilinear.[9][10]

Three divinities are thought to be guardians of the Chinvat Bridge: Sraosha (Conscience), Mithra (Covenant) and Rashnu (Justice).[7]

Alternate names for this bridge include Chinwad, Cinvat, Chinvar or Chinavat.[11]

The last gateway to Heaven and Hell; As-Sirāt in Islam is similar to concept of Chinvat.

  1. ^ "Paradise Found: Part Fourth: Chapter V. The Cradle of the Race in Iranian, or Old-Persian, Thought".
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster, Inc. (1999). Doniger, W. (ed.). Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Merriam-Webster. p. 421. ISBN 9780877790440.
  3. ^ Dawson, M. M. (2005). The Ethical Religion of Zoroaster. Kessinger Publishing. p. 237. ISBN 9780766191365.
  4. ^ Dirven, Lucinda. "My Lord with his Dogs. Continuity and Change in the Cult of Nergal in Parthian Mesopotamia". In: Edessa in hellenistisch-römischer Zeit: Religion, Kultur und Politik zwischen Ost und West. Beiträge des internationalen Edessa-Symposiums in Halle an der Saale, 14–17. Juli 2005, eds. Lutz Greisiger, Claudia Rammelt and Jürgen Tubach. Beiruter Texte und Studien 116. Beirut/Würzburg: Ergon Verlag. 2009. pp. 66-67 (also footnote nr. 95). ISBN 978-3-89913-681-4
  5. ^ Foltz, Richard. "Zoroastrian Attitudes toward Animals". In: Society and Animals 18 (2010). Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill. 2010. p. 371.
  6. ^ "The Bundahishn ("Creation"), or Knowledge from the Zand: chapters 24-28".
  7. ^ a b Eduljee, Ed. "Page 1. Zoroastrianism After Life. Zoroastrian Funeral Customs & Death Ceremonies".
  8. ^ Tiele, C.P. History of Religion. London and Boston, 1877: p. 177.
  9. ^ C. F. Keary, Primitive Belief. Lond., 1882: p. 292.
  10. ^ Rawlinson, The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World: Parthia and Sassania. Gorgias Press LLC, 2002. ISBN 1-931956-47-2
  11. ^ "Glossary of Zoroastrian terms".