Knowra Mithra Mithra Mithra is an ancient Iranian deity associated with covenants, light, and justice. In Zoroastrianism, he is revered as a yazata who watches over agreements and judges conduct.
Yazata : A Zoroastrian being worthy of worship, including divine figures associated with aspects of creation. Mithra is honored as a yazata in Zoroastrian worship.
Proto-Indo-Iranian religion : The reconstructed religious traditions of the ancestors of Indo-Iranian peoples. Mithra's name and covenant associations have roots in shared Indo-Iranian traditions.
Mithra's covenant guardianship : Mithra's divine responsibility for guarding agreements and punishing those who break them. Covenant guardianship is the defining practical expression of his justice.
Mithra Yasht : The tenth Yasht of the Avesta, a hymn praising Mithra and describing his powers and attributes. This hymn is the fullest surviving account of Mithra in the Iranian tradition.
Avesta : The collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in Avestan languages. Its hymns and liturgies preserve key evidence about Mithra.
Mitra (Vedic deity) : A Vedic deity associated with friendship, agreements, and social order, closely related by name to Iranian Mithra. The paired traditions show both shared origins and distinct later development.
Asha : The Zoroastrian principle of truth, right order, and proper conduct, opposed to deceit and disorder. Mithra's defense of truthful agreements enacts asha in human relations.
Mithraeum of Taq-e Bostan : A rock-cut sanctuary near Kermanshah, Iran, bearing an inscription dedicated to Mithra. Its inscription and setting attest to Mithra's worship in late antique Iran.
Avestan language : An ancient Iranian language in which the oldest Zoroastrian sacred texts are preserved. The name and earliest descriptions of Mithra survive in Avestan texts.
Mithra–Varuna : A pair of Vedic deities associated with agreements, sovereignty, and the maintenance of cosmic order. This Vedic pairing offers a comparison for Mithra's ancient Iranian associations.
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