Shilmai

Shilmai
Shilmai
Guardian ofPiriawis
Other names	Shalmai
Abode	World of Light
Texts	The Book of Šilmai, Lord of the House(Right Ginza5.5)
Parents	Yathrun

InMandaeism,Shilmai(Šilmai;Classical Mandaic:ࡔࡉࡋࡌࡀࡉ) orShalmai(Šalmai) is anuthra(angel or guardian)^[1]^: 8who serves as one of the two guardian spirits ofPiriawis,the heavenlyyardna(river) in theWorld of Light.^[2]In theGinza RabbaandQolasta,he is usually mentioned together withNidbai.

Nhar and Kbar and mentioned as the "clouds" (Mandaic:anana) of Shilmai and Nidbai in Chapter 17.1 of theRight Ginza.^[3]

In theGinza Rabba[edit]

In Chapter 1.1 of theLeft Ginza,Shilmai plays the role ofAbaturas amatartaguardian duringShitil's ascent to theWorld of Light.Left Ginza1.1 describes Shilmai as such:^[3]

... the purgatory of Šilmai, the man, aganzibra,who holds the poles ofradiance(ḏ-sikia ḏ-ziua) in his hand, and the keys ofkušța(u-qlidia ḏ-kušța) upon his arms (ʿl trin draiia). And they opened the gate of the treasure-house for him [Shitil].

In Chapter 5.5 (Book 7 in the Drabsha edition^[4]) of theRight Ginza,The Book of Šilmai, Lord of the House,is named after Šilmai. In the same chapter and also in Book 6 of theRight Ginza,the uthra Yathrun is mentioned as the father of Shilmai.^[3]

In this part of theGinza Rabba,Shilmai is portrayed very differently from all other Mandaean texts. While most Mandaean texts portray Shilmai as a guardian uthra of the heavenly Jordan who is always paired withNidbai,theBook of Šilmaiportrays him as the "Master/Lord of the House" (i.e.,Tibil) who is part of the entourage ofRuha.Meanwhile, Yathrun is an uthra at the gate of the house of the Life (i.e., theWorld of Light) and is referred to as "the Good."^[3]

In the text, Ruha urges Shilmai to ascend to the World of Light to visit his father Yathrun. Shilmai then goes to visit Yathrun after washing his hands inkushtaand purifying his fingers in light. Upon reaching his father, Yathrun, who had never been angry before, is initially enraged at the sight of Shilmai but is calmed down by his 362 uthra disciples. Yathrun then proceeds to asks a series of questions to Shilmai, including questions on the creation and nature of the material universe and the human life cycle. Shilmai is able to answer all of them, except for the final question about the end of the universe. Unable to answer this question at first,Hibil Ziwathen provides the answer to Shilmai. Shilmai provides the answer about the impermanence of the material universe, that the earth, sky, sun, moon, stars, elements, Ruha and her entourage will all cease to exist at the end of times. Yathrun then asks Shilmai where he had obtained this information. When he admits that he had obtained the answer from the uthraHibil Ziwa,Shilmai is rejected by his father and is unable to enter the World of Light.^[3]

References[edit]

^Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.
^Aldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba(PhD). University College London.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eGelbert, Carlos (2011).Ginza Rba.Sydney: Living Water Books.ISBN 9780958034630.
^Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2019). "Glossary".Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book(2 ed.). Drabsha.

[Buckley_2002-1] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

[Aldihisi_2008-2] Aldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba(PhD). University College London.

[GR_Gelbert-3] Gelbert, Carlos (2011).Ginza Rba.Sydney: Living Water Books.ISBN 9780958034630.

[GR_Saadi-4] Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2019). "Glossary".Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book(2 ed.). Drabsha.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

In theGinza Rabba[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]