The Gods of Pegāna · Chapter
Of the Game of the Gods explained
A million years pass as the gods play with worlds.
What happens
A million years pass as the gods play with worlds. Kib creates beasts and then men, breaking the silence of Pegāna by speaking with his mouth. The other gods fear for their secret and set a veil between man and ignorance, while Mung sends death among the beasts and men. The gods join Kib's game until Māna-Yood-Sushāī shall arise to rebuke them.
Themes in this chapter
Cosmic Cycles and Creation
The passage describes the passage of millions of years and the creation of beasts and men by Kib, set within the cosmic cycle of the gods' games.
The Absurdity of Divine Games
The gods play with worlds, suns, men, life, and death as a game, and will be shamed when Māna-Yood-Sushāī laughs at their playing.
Characters to notice
- Māna-Yood-Sushāī
Rests in the middle of Time; will arise to rebuke the gods for their playing.
- Kib
Creates beasts and men, breaks the silence of Pegāna by speaking with his mouth.
- Pegāna Mung
Jealous of Kib's work, sends death among beasts and men but cannot stamp them out.
Key passages
“And Kib said: 'This is Life.'”
Kib names the moving things he created as 'Life.'
Kib defines his creation to the other gods.
“And Mung was jealous of the work of Kib, and sent down Death among the beasts, but could not stamp them out.”
Mung, envious of Kib's creations, introduced death to the beasts but failed to eradicate them.
Mung's jealousy leads to the introduction of death.
“Then the gods feared greatly for the Secret of the gods, and set a veil between Man and his ignorance that he might not understand.”
The gods, fearing for their secret, placed a barrier between humans and their ignorance to prevent understanding.
The gods obscure knowledge from humans.