Encyclopedia of Zoroastrianism. The resurrection of the righteous.

The Frashokereti, or “making wonderful,” is the climactic era in Zoroastrian eschatology, marking the final renovation of the world and the triumph of Ahura Mazda over Angra Mainyu. This transformative period, detailed in texts like the Bundahishn and Avesta, culminates in the resurrection of the righteous in their perfected physical bodies. Led by the Saoshyant, the ultimate savior, the Frashokereti begins with the defeat of evil forces, followed by a universal judgment where souls are reunited with their bodies, restored to an incorruptible state.

A key event is the ordeal of molten metal, a purifying flood that cleanses the earth and tests humanity. For the righteous, it feels like warm milk, symbolizing divine mercy, while the wicked are consumed, eradicating sin forever. Death and decay are abolished, and the resurrected live in a renewed cosmos free of suffering, disease, and falsehood (druj). The earth is leveled, mountains melt away, and a paradise of eternal light and harmony emerges, fulfilling the principle of asha (truth and order). The Frashokereti reflects Zoroastrianism’s dualistic vision and its emphasis on free will, as human choices in life contribute to this ultimate redemption, uniting the divine and material realms in everlasting perfection.