PARSI CREATION MYTH

This creation myth is taken from the Zoroastrian Book of Creation, the Bundahishn.

Before creation of this world, there was nothing in the world except Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, (who lived in the Endless Light) And the Evil Spirit, Ahriman, (who lived in the Absolute Darkness). Between them lay only emptiness. One day, Ahura Mazda decided to make different creations. First He shaped the sky made of metal, shinning and bright. Second, He made the pure water. Then the Earth, flat and round with no mountains and valleys. Fourth, He made the plants, moist and sweet. Fifth, he created the animals. Then he created the First Man, Gayomard, bright, tall, and handsome. And lastly, he created Fire and distributed it within the whole creation. The Wise Lord ordered Fire to serve the mankind in preparing food and overcoming cold.

It was interesting to observe that fire, one of the first discoveries attributed to the early man, is described as a creation of god himself in this myth. Even though man discovered fire, the inability to explain the phenomenon must’ve led to the mystification of it. Also, unlike the story of Adam and Eve, here there is no mention of a female being created in the beginning.

The Wise Lord called the evil spirit out of his dark world and said, "Evil Spirit! Aid my creatures and give them praise so that you will be immortal." The Evil Spirit snarled, "Why should I aid your creatures? Why should I praise them? I am more powerful! I will destroy you and your creatures forever." The Wise Lord knew the Evil Spirit was making demons to destroy his creations, so the he fashioned six Spirits-the Holy Immortals- to guard his creations against the Endless Dark.

Here begins the battle of egos. Even though the ‘evil spirit’ is envious of the wise lord’s creation, he feels the need of over power him in some way. This tale of good and evil, creator and destroyer runs through all cultures. Other than Shiva in the Hindu mythology, I haven’t come any destroyer that is not labeled as evil.

The different guardians protected the skies, the waters, nature etc, and he chose to become the protector of mankind. Ahriman saw the Wise Lord’s Holy Immortals and was enraged. He cried, "Ahura Mazda! I will destroy you and all your creations. You will never be victorious!" So, he and his demons attacked the God’s creations one by one. They tried to destroy the water but they could only bring bitterness to it. They tried to destroy the Earth but they could only put mountains and valleys. They tried to wither the plants but the plants only grew horns. The Evil Spirit and his demons brought sadness against happiness, pain against pleasure, pollution against purification and death against life. They attacked Gayomard, the First man, and gave him sickness and death.

This passage is particularly fascinating since its dividing all creation into the pure and the flawed. All the flaws, or things that are not suitable to mankind are classified as creations of the devil. In some devotional Hindu poetry (by Sant Rahim), god himself is blamed for creating great things but making them useless. Rahim mocks god for making the vast ocean salty and putting Kalpataru (the tree of wishes) in heaven.

The Evil Spirit thought he had destroyed the mankind and became victorious against the Light! But he was ignorant and foolish. When Gayomard, the First Man, died from his bones grew a rhubarb plant. After forty years, a man and a woman, Mashya and Mashyana, grew out of the rhubarb plant. Mashya and Mashyana promised the Wise Lord that their children would help Him in His battle with Ahriman. Mashyana then gave birth to fifteen twins and every pair scattered around the world and became a race.

Then each person followed the good thoughts, good deeds, and good words. Each became the follower of the Wise Lord in His battle with the Evil Spirit.­­­­

Thus, eventually this story too filters into most popular traditions of the creation of man and woman by god. The myth ends without any elements of evil pollution the races of mankind. Unlike some Hindu myths and even the story of Adam and Eve, this tale strictly compartmentalizes the characters into good and evil, black and white.