Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

COMB, MANY-TOOTHED 

A symbol of knowledge with its many ideas, wherewith to aid evolution.

“Izanagi went after Izanami into the land of Yomi. Izanami said to him, 'Why is thy coming so late? I have already eaten of the cooking-furnace of Yomi. But I am about to lie down to rest. Do not thou look at me.' Izanagi did not give ear to her, but secretly took his many-toothed comb, and breaking off its end-tooth made of it a torch and looked at her. Her body was already putrid, maggots swarmed over it, and the eight thunder gods had been generated in her various members. Izanagi, greatly shocked, exclaimed,—' What a hideous and polluted land I have come to un-awares!' So he speedily ran away." - The Kojiki.

To understand this, it is necessary to remember that the lower planes (Yomi) are a distorted, because incomplete, reflection of the higher, also that the astral plane is produced by, and in intimate relation with, the principle of buddhi (Izanami). Hence the symbol of the decomposed body of the higher nature is to signify the state of evil and ignorance which is to be found in nature. The soul had partaken of the lower nourishment of desire and sensation, and therefore was bound by karmic law to go through with the world-process. It objects to the spiritual urgings from within. Then the Self (Izanagi) made use of knowledge and experience, and brought the light of reason (end-tooth) to show the deficiencies of the lower nature and the many passions generated in it. The Spirit then, as it were, retires within, and is no longer perceived directly by the consciousness.  

See Also

DANIEL
DWARFS
EATING
EYE
IZANAGI
MEADOW
MEDUSA
PERSEPHONE
YOMI