A Guided Tour of Hell by Samuel Bercholz

A Guided Tour of Hell by Samuel Bercholz

Author:Samuel Bercholz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 2016-12-05T16:00:00+00:00


“Finally, after many years, the temple was completed, and the day for consecration was determined by the astrologers—the Summer Solstice. The astrologers suggested that to commemorate the day, it would be auspicious to name the building Surya Mandir, ‘Temple of the Sun.’ When the rising sun illuminated the temple, the awestruck spectators expressed deep gratitude to me for having created such a magnificent structure.

“The principal benefactor rose from the audience and gave a speech lauding my divine inspiration. He declared that I was no ordinary stonemason—in fact, I could be no other than the God of the Sun incarnate! The whole assembly began to sing the praises of Surya, deity of the Sun.

“My first impulse was to tell them, ‘No, no, I am only a stonemason.’ But seeing their joyous faces and hearing their sweet praises, I felt warmed and delighted by their adulation. Almost in spite of myself, I rose and declared, ‘Yes. I am Surya, God of the Sun, and you are my children. This is our place of worship.’ ”

From that day, he told me, a steady stream of beautiful young maidens of the region came to serve him the most delectable feasts and vied for the honor of satisfying his every sensory desire. His benefactors multiplied, offering mountains of gold and other precious metals to build more great temples in praise of the Sun God.

Within the next twenty-one years, six hundred and sixty-five temples were erected in his name. The worshippers at each temple rejoiced at their good fortune in being able to worship Surya, God of the Sun, in person. The fervor of their worship reached such heights that Surya was elevated into the realm of the gods. He was no longer subject to old age or death. Surya had transcended the human realm.

At least he thought he had.

By believing and accepting the deification thrust upon him, Surya managed to maintain the enjoyment of his divine status. However, he did it by lying to himself and then concealing his lies from those who adulated him. He made more and more preposterous promises to the people who adored him, declaring that if they truly worshipped him as the supreme deity, he would raise them, too, up to his level of godliness, bliss, and eternal life. They believed to their dying day that he would grant them the exaltation they desired.

But Surya didn’t really care about his following. All he cared about was to keep the hearts of the devotees aflame, so that the energy of their prayers, songs, and offerings would keep him forever young.

Surya’s extravagant sojourn in the realm of the gods continued for centuries. Eventually, through an act of extreme cunning and treachery, it began to wane.

Among the seductive young worshippers who flocked around Surya, the most beautiful and the shrewdest was named Chandra. Through keen observation she understood how he had become such a powerful god. Even more ambitious than Surya, Chandra had actually attained to the full state of divinity herself. But although



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