“Surúsh said: ‘This was a tale-bearer, who by his lies caused dissension and strife among mankind.’ After this I saw a man, every ligature and joint of whose body they were tearing asunder. Surúsh said: ‘This person has slain many four-footed animals.’ I next beheld a man exposed to body-rending torture, concerning whom Surúsh said: ‘This was a wealthy, avaricious man, who employed not his riches for the useful purposes of either world.’ I then saw a person to whom were offered all sorts of noxious creatures, whilst one foot was free from all kind of suffering. Surúsh said concerning him: ‘This is the spirit of a negligent person, who did not in the least attend to the concerns of the world or the world to come. As he once passed along the road, he observed a goat tied up in such a manner that it was unable to get at its food: with that foot he tossed the forage towards the animal, in recompense of which good act that foot is exempt from suffering.’ I next beheld a person whose tongue was laid on a stone, and demons kept beating it with another. Concerning him Surúsh observed: ‘This person was an habitual slanderer and liar, through whose words people fell into mischief.’ I then saw a woman whose breasts the demons were grinding under a millstone. About her Surúsh observed: ‘This woman produced abortion by means of drugs.’ I next beheld a man in whose seven members worms had fixed themselves. Concerning him Surúsh said: ‘This person gave false witness for money, and derived his support from that resource.’ After this I saw a man devouring the flesh of a corpse and drinking human gore. Surúsh observed: ‘This is the spirit of one who amassed wealth by unlawful means.’ I afterwards beheld a great multitude with pallid faces, fetid bodies, and limbs covered with worms. About these Surúsh Ashú observed: ‘These are hypocrites of satanic qualities, whose hearts were not in accordance with their words, and who led astray the professors of the excellent faith, divesting themselves of all respect for religion and morality.’ I next saw a man the members of whose body hell-hounds were rending asunder. Concerning him Surúsh said: ‘This man was in the habit of slaughtering water and land dogs.’ I next beheld a woman hurled into snow and smitten by the guardians of fire. About her Surúsh said: ‘When this woman combed herself, her hairs fell into the fire.’ After this I beheld another woman tearing off with a poniard the flesh of her own body and devouring it. Surush said: ‘This is an enchantress who used to fascinate men.’ Next her I saw a man whom the demons forced by blows to swallow blood, corrupted matter, and human flesh. Concerning him Surúsh said: ‘This man was in the habit of casting dead bodies, corrupted matter, nails, and hair into fire and water.’ I afterwards beheld a person devouring the flesh and skin of a dead body. Surúsh said: ‘This person defrauded the labourers of their hire.’ I next beheld a man with a mountain on his back, whom with his load they forced through terror into the midst of snows and ice. Surúsh observed: ‘This was an adulterer, who took the wife from her husband.’ I afterwards saw a number of ill-fated persons up to their necks in ice and snow, before each of whom was a cup filled with gore, and hair, and impurities, which, through terror of blows and clubs, they were obliged to swallow. Surúsh observed: ‘These are persons who used warm bathing along with the Batardeen (or the enemies of the faith) washing their bodies and heads in such unclean and polluted baths.’ I then beheld a person groaning under the weight of a mountain. Concerning him Surúsh said: ‘This man laid heavy taxes on the people, established evil ordinances, and oppressed mankind.’ Next him I beheld one digging up a mountain with his fingers and nails, whilst the superintendent kept smiting him with a viper. Surúsh said: ‘This is a man who by violence seized on the lands of others:’
“As long as this earth and place continue to exist,
So long, by way of retribution, shall this spirit be thus employed.
I afterwards saw a man the flesh of whose shoulders and body they were scraping off with a comb of iron. Concerning him Surúsh said: ‘This man was an egregious violator of promises and breaker of engagements.’ I then beheld a great multitude whose hands and feet they were smiting with bludgeons, iron maces, and such like. Concerning these Surúsh observed: ‘This class is composed of promise-breakers and the violators of covenants, who maintained friendship with Darwands,[453] or those hostile to the faith.’ Surúsh, Ashú, and Ardibehest then led me from that abode of misery to Girutuman, ‘the seat of supreme bliss,’ or ‘paradise on high,’ which is called ‘the heaven of heavens.’ On beholding the light and splendor of the righteous Lord, I became entranced, and this spirit-reviving voice reached my ears: ‘Through thy virtuous words and actions, which have been conformable to the excellent faith, joined to the co-operation and energy of intellect, though hast resisted all the demons which infest the body, and hast therefore attained to this rank.’ Surúsh then taking me by the hand, said: ‘Communicate to mankind all thou hast heard.’ He next took me down to paradise, where several spirits received me and said: ‘Reveal these mysteries to our relations, that they may beware of sin.’ I next came to the lunar mansion, where they addressed me in the same manner. I afterwards reached the starry mansion with the same two companions, and here also the spirits advanced to receive me, saying: ‘Counsel our relations to make Yasht and Yazisht (to pray in a low murmuring tone at meal-time) and to cleave firmly to the festival of the Naú Roz, and the girding of the cincture; had we observed these rites, we should not have remained in this mansion, but gone on to Paradise.’ It appears to follow from what has been stated, that the starry mansion or zodiacal sphere is below that of the moon; the Yezdanians however say, that the starry mansion signifies the mansion of the spirits who below the lunar sphere are not exempted from sufferings, but are attached to the bodies of the virtuous by means of the zodiacal signs.[454]
“I next came to Chínawad Pul (the bridge of judgment) where many spirits thus addressed me: ‘Tell men to leave sons behind them in the world, or otherwise they must, like us, remain here.’
“We behold paradise in distant perspective,
But are far removed from its enjoyment.”
“Another company of spirits said: ‘Let not men look at the wife or mate of another; and let them hold up none to suspicion: otherwise they must remain here like us, until our injured enemy comes hither from the world: if he be propitiated, we may be delivered.’
“Surúsh and Ardibehest then brought me to the lower world and bade me adieu.”[455]
When the scribe had written down all the words of Ardi Viraf, he read them over to the great king, who thereupon duly promulgated the excellent faith, and sent Mobeds to all the borders of Iran.