Shahrat

In Mandaeism, Shahrat (Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡀࡄࡓࡀࡕ, romanized: Šahrat, lit. 'she kept watch') is a ship or boat mentioned in the Scroll of Abatur. Shahrat ferries souls from Tibil across the river Hitpun and into the house of Abatur.^[1] According to the Mandaean priest Brikha Nasoraia (2021), it is basically a "space-ship" traveling "faster than the speed of light" through ayar (ether) to higher realms.^[2]^: 71

In Mandaean Book of John 55:60–61, the ship ferrying souls to the house of Abatur is described as follows.^[3]

I (Hibil Ziwa) made a ship for the good,

a ferry of souls carrying them,

over to Abatur's house,

who gives them strength and truth from head to toe.

References

^ Drower, Ethel S. (1950). Diwan Abatur or Progress through the Purgatories. Studi e Testi. Vol. 151. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
^ Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
^ Haberl, Charles and McGrath, James (2020). The Mandaean Book of John: critical edition, translation, and commentary. Berlin: De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-048651-3. OCLC 1129155601.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)