________________
CHAPTER IV, 81-99.
137
stimulating the body, are mingled with the soul(90) on account of unity of nature they are not dispersed-(91) and the soul is accountable (a mârhômand) for its own deeds. 92. Its treasurers ?, also, unto whom its good works and offences are intrusted, advance there for a contest. 93. When the treasurer of the good works is of greater strength, she preserves it, by her victory, from the hands of the accuser 2, and settles it for the great throne and the mutual delightfulness of the luminaries; (94) and it is assisted eternally in virtuous progress. 95. And when the treasurer of its offences is of greater strength, it is dragged, through her victory, away from the hands of the helper , (96) and is delivered up to the place of thirst and hunger and the agonizing abode of disease 4. 97. And, even there, those feeble good works, which were practised by it in the worldly existence, are not useless to it; (98) for, owing to this same reason, that hunger and thirst and 'punishment are inflicted on it proportionately to the sin, and not lawlessly, (99) because there is a watcher 6
? Nêr. divides the word gangô bar, treasurer,' into the three words gang u bar, 'treasure and produce.' These treasurers are the female spirits who meet the soul after death, with its stores of good works and sins (see Dd. XXIV, 5, XXV, 5), and symbolize its good and bad conscience, represented by a beautiful maiden and a frightful hag, respectively.
? The accuser is any person or thing of the good creation that has been injured by any sin, and who must be satisfied by atonement before the sin can be remitted. The question, therefore, to be settled, when the account of the soul is rendered, is whether its good works are sufficient to atone for its sins. In this case the treasurer of offences represents the accusers.
$ The treasurer of good works. • That is, to the torments of hell.
• Either the treasurer of its good works, or the good works themselves.
Digitized by Google