InMandaean cosmology, amaṭarta (Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ; plural form:maṭarataࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ) is a "station" or "toll house" that is located between theWorld of Light (alma ḏ-nhūra) fromTibil (Earth). It has variously been translated as "watch-station",[1] "toll-station",[2] "way-station", or "purgatory". Maṭartas are guarded by variousuthras (celestial beings from the World of Light) and demons.Ruha, the queen of theunderworld, is the ruler or guardian of one of the maṭartas.[1]
To reach theWorld of Light (alma ḏ-nhūra) fromTibil (Earth), souls must pass through the various maṭartas that are situated in between. Rituals such as themasiqta can help guide souls past the various maṭarta so that they could reach the World of Light.[2]
In theGinza Rabba,Chapter 3 in Book 5 of theRight Ginza,Book 6 of theRight Ginza (also known as the "Book ofDinanukht"), andChapter 4 in Book 1 of theLeft Ginza give detailed descriptions of the maṭartas.[3]
Some of the matarta guards are:[4]
Order of matarta guards inRight Ginza5.3:
Order of matarta guards inRight Ginza6:
Order of matarta guards inLeft Ginza1.4:
Left Ginza 3.51 is about the soul passing through seven matarta stations. The names of the matarta guards are simply the "First," "Second," "Third," "Fourth," "Fifth," "Sixth," and "Seventh," respectively.[4]
In theNag Hammadi library, theCoptic Apocalypse of Paul describes an ascent through the seven lower heavens, which are guarded by various angels inflicting punishments on sinners. Heavenly "toll collectors" are mentioned in theFirst Apocalypse of James (33,2-27), which mentions "three detainers who carry off souls by theft," as well as angels torturing the soul in theBook of Thomas the Contender (141,36-39) andPistis Sophia.[5]
InZostrianos, aSethian text in theNag Hammadi library, the Aeonic Copies form a lower realm orpurgatory containing the orbiting planets and probably also the fixed stars.[5]
Matartas in Mandaeism are also similar toaerial toll houses (Bulgarian:митарство;Russian:мытарства) inEastern Orthodox Christianity. (The aforementioned Slavic words arenot cognate with the Mandaic word.)
TheSecond Book of Enoch, aJewish apocryphal text written in the first century CE, describes themystical ascent of thepatriarchEnoch through ahierarchy of Ten Heavens. Enoch passes through theGarden of Eden in theThird Heaven on his way to meet theLord face-to-face in the Tenth (chapter 22). Along the way he encounters vividly described populations ofangels who torment wrongdoers; he sees homes,olive oil, and flowers.[6]
