Chinvat Bridge

Chinvat Bridge
The Chinvat Bridge (Avestan Cinvat Peretm, "bridge of judgement" or "beam-shaped bridge"[1]) in Zoroastrianism is the bridge which separates the world of the living from the world of the dead. All souls must cross the bridge upon death. The Bridge's appearance varied depending on the observer's asha, or righteousness. As related in the text known as the Bundahishn, if a person had been wicked, the bridge would appear narrow and the demon Vizaresh would emerge[2] 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.[3] However, if a person's good thoughts, words and deeds in life were many, the bridge would be wide enough to cross, and the Daena, a spirit representing revelation, would appear and lead the soul into 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 ".[4] 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.[5][6] Three divinities were thought to be guardians of the Chinvat Bridge: Sraosha (Obedience), Mithra (Covenant) and Rashnu (Justice).[7] Alternate names for this bridge include Chinwad, Cinvat, Chinvar or Chinavat.[8] The concept of the Chinvat bridge is similar to that of the As-Sirt in Islam.

In Scripture
In the 71st chapter of the Avestan text, the Yasna, there is a description of the Chinvat Bridge.
atha vashi ashum idha angh ashava frapraynghe urvnem tar cinvat peretm vahishtahe anghush ashava jas ushtavaitm gthm srvay ushtattem nimraomn, (zt u rsp,) usht ahmi ... gam manangh! - [9] As thou dost desire, O holy (one)! so shalt thou be, holy shalt thou-cause [thy] soul to pass over the Chinvat Bridge; holy shalt thou come into Heaven. Thou shalt intone the Gatha Ushtavaiti, [9] reciting the salvation hail. - Avesta.org translation

The Vendidad also describes the Chinvat Bridge in fargard 19.

27. dtare ... dva t dthra bavaiti dva t dthra prayeiti dva t dthra pairi-bavaiti dva t dthra paiti hajaseti mashy astvaiti anghv havi urune para-daidhyt. 28. at mraot ahur mazd, pasca para-iristahe mashyehe pasca frasaxtahe mashyehe pasca pairithnem dereniti dava drvat duzhdngh, thrity xshap vusaiti ushi raocaiti bmya gairinm ashahvthranm senaoiti mithrem huzanem hvarexshatem uzyraiti, 29. vzaresh dav nma spitama zarathushtra urvnem bastem vdhayeiti drvatm davayasnanm merezujtm mashynm, pathm zrv-dtanm jasaiti asca drvaite asca ashaone cinvat-peretm mazdadhtm baodhasca urvnemca tem gathanm paiti-jaidhyeiti dtem astvaiti anghv. 30. hu srra kereta taxma huraodha jasaiti spnavaiti nivavaiti pasvaiti aoxshtavaiti hunaravaiti, h drvatm akhem urvn tem-hva nizarshaite, h ashunm urvn tarasca harm berezaitm senaoiti tar cinvat peretm vdhrayeiti hat mainyavanm azatanm.[10] 27. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Where are the rewards given? Where does the rewarding take place? Where is the rewarding fulfilled? Whereto do men come to take the reward that, during their life in the material world, they have won for their souls? 28. Ahura Mazda answered: 'When the man is dead, when his time is over, then the wicked, evil-doing Daevas cut off his eyesight. On the third night, when the dawn appears and brightens up, when Mithra, the god with beautiful weapons, reaches the all-happy mountains, and the sun is rising 29. 'Then the fiend, named Vizaresha, O Spitama Zarathushtra, carries off in bonds the souls of the wicked Daeva-worshippers who live in sin. The soul enters the way made by Time, and open both to the wicked and to the righteous. At the head of the Chinwad bridge, the holy bridge made by Mazda, they ask for their spirits and souls the reward for the worldly goods which they gave away here below.

Chinvat Bridge

30. 'Then comes the beautiful, well-shapen, strong and well-formed maid, with the dogs at her sides, one who can distinguish, who has many children, happy, and of high understanding. 'She makes the soul of the righteous one go up above the Hara-berezaiti Chinwad bridge she places it in the presence of the heavenly gods themselves. - [11]

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] http:/ / www. sacred-texts. com/ earth/ pf/ pf21. htm http:/ / www. avesta. org/ pahlavi/ bund24. html#chap28 http:/ / www. heritageinstitute. com/ zoroastrianism/ death/ index. htm#chinvat Tiele, C.P. History of Religion. London and Boston, 1877: p. 177. C. F. Keary, Primitive Belief. Lond., 1882: p. 292. Rawlinson, The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World: Parthia and Sassania. Gorgias Press LLC, 2002. ISBN 1-931956-47-2 [7] http:/ / www. heritageinstitute. com/ zoroastrianism/ death/ index. htm#chinvat [8] http:/ / www. avesta. org/ zglos. html#Glos_C [9] http:/ / www. avesta. org/ yasna/ y54to72s. htm [10] http:/ / www. avesta. org/ vendidad/ vd19. htm [11] http:/ / www. avesta. org/ vendidad/ vd19sbe. htm#section5

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Chinvat Bridge Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=497699723 Contributors: AnonMoos, BD2412, Excirial, Flutterman, Fullstop, Koavf, Kuralyov, PigFlu Oink, Sae1962, Snowgrouse, Vssun, Warrior4321, 3 ,anonymous edits

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