Imagining the End: Visions of
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appear to have the meaning it was to acquire later. Both concepts are found together, however, in Yasht [Yt] , which contains references to many of the features of Zoroastrian eschatology as described in the later tradition. In Yt
, the Saviour is called ‘the living indestructible one’, i.e. one to whom Ahrimanic evil cannot attain. In Yt this figure is also referred to as ‘the victorious one among the Saoshyants’, suggesting a semantic develop- ment whereby the once unspecific term saoshyant 76
gradually became closely associated with the concept of a single savior-figure, around whom legends developed. The relevant passages run as follows: 77 : Ahura Mazda created many and good creatures … ( ) in order that they shall make the world perfect … in order that the dead shall rise up, that the Living One, the Indestructible, shall come, the world be made perfect at his wish …
78 and also his other compan- ions, so that he may make the world perfect, unchanging, undying, uncorrupted, undecaying, ever-living, ever-growing … –
: When Astvat-ereta 79 comes out from Lake Kansaoya, the messenger of Ahura Mazda, son of Vispa-taurvairi 80 … then he will there drive Evil out from the world of Righteousness. 81 : He will gaze with the eyes of wisdom, he will behold all creation of … 82 He will gaze with the eyes of sacrifice 83 on the whole material world and, watching, will make it indestructible. 95: His, victorious Astvat-ereta’s, companions advance, thinking well, speaking well, acting well, of good religion; and indeed not speaking a false word with their tongues. Before them will flee the ill-fated (demon) Aeshma, with the bloody club. Righteousness will conquer the wicked (demon of) Evil, hideous, dark.
: (The demon) Evil Thought will be overcome, (the Amesha Spenta) Good Thought will overcome him … Ahriman, of evil works will flee, bereft of power. In view of the way oral texts generally develop, the fact that the passages in question occur at the beginning and at the end of the main section of this hymn
84 suggests that they are later in origin than other parts of the text. The complexity of the text shows, however, that they originated at a time when it was still possible to compose freely in Avestan. This is confirmed by another text, Yt . , which refers to Astvat-ereta, 85 explaining his name and des- cribing the effects of his appearance in some detail: 86 … who will be the Saoshyant, ‘Victorious’ by name, Astvat-ereta by name. (He 47 Millennialism in the Zoroastrian Tradition is called) Saoshyant because he will further 87 all material life; (he is called) Astvat-ereta because he will bring about material 88 safety (among) those who possess bodies (and) also life … The Last Things as portrayed by the Young Avesta While, as was shown earlier, Zarathustra’s own Gathas refer to an End of Time, preceded by a final battle between the forces of evil and a cleansing by fire and molten metal, the so-called Young Avesta – consisting of texts which were transmitted relatively freely in the living language and could thus develop, perhaps until some time in the Achaemenian period – already shows many of the chief elements of the myth as we find it in the Pahlavi Books: there is the fully developed concept of a Saviour, whose appearance will lead to the Resur- rection of the dead, whose activities have some connection with ritual sacrifice (cf. Yt
. , ‘gazing with the eyes of sacrifice’), and who will induce a final battle between the forces of good and evil, thus playing a crucial role in the process of making the world ‘perfect’. The Last Things and the First: ‘mirroring’ It is interesting to note that in Zoroastrian eschatology as it developed since the time of the Prophet, the Last Things have come to mirror the First almost completely, although in a compressed form. 89 According to the Pahlavi books, the sequence of the Cosmogony and early history of mankind is as follows (see also above): . Creation (in stages) . Ritual acts: Ohrmazd pronounces the holiest prayer, and later performs a sacrifice (
) . Ahriman enters the world and actualizes conflict . Fire brings movement . Death and sin come into the world . Zarathustra appears. At the End of Time, the sequence is reversed: . The Saoshyant appears, representing Zarathustra . Death is vanquished by the Resurrection; the Final Judgment neutralizes sin
further dynamism . The final battle takes place between Good and Evil . Ritual acts ( yasna) are performed, first by the Saoshyant and then by Orhmazd . The Renovation mirrors Creation. 48 Origins
Of these elements of the eschatology, only the cleansing flow of molten metal has no obvious counterpart in the cosmogony. As it plays an important role in the
, it seems likely that its presence in Zoroastrian eschatology goes back directly to Zarathustra’s teaching. The reappearance of early figures That the First Things were expected to mirror the Last is confirmed by a number of passages showing that prominent figures of Zarathustra’s time were expected to return, or to be reborn, at the end of time. An Avestan passage (Yt . ) connects the name of Astvat-ereta, here called ‘the latter-born’ (
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