Mithra, commonly known as Mehr, is the Zoroastrian god (Yazata) of covenant, light, and vows. Mithra is not only the god of covenants, but also a judicial figure, a guardian of all truth, and a keeper of livestock, crops and bodies of water. Mithraist iconography is unknown during the Achaemenid era, but is referred to in some royal Achaemenid inscriptions. In the same trilingual inscription of Artaxerxes II of Susa, the emperor appeals to "Ahuramazda, Anahita, and Mithra protect me against all evil," and begs them to protect what he has built. Together with the Vedic common noun mitra, the Avestan common noun miθra derives from Proto-Indo-Iranian *mitrám, from the root *mi- "to bind", with the "tool suffix" -tra- "causing to". Thus, etymologically mitra/miθra means "that which causes binding", preserved in the Avestan word for "Covenant, Contract, Oath". In Middle Iranian languages, miθra became Mihr, from which New Persian Mehr and Armenian Mihr/Mehr ultimately derive. In the Zoroastrian script, Mithra is distinguished from the sun god Hvare-khshaeta (literally "Radiant Sun", from which the Middle Persian word Khorshed for the Sun). However, in the Zoroastrian tradition, Mithra evolved from an all-seeing person (hence vaguely associated with the sun) to a god who was equated with the sun itself, effectively acting as Hvare-khshaeta. This trait is part of Mithra's Indian heritage, as Rigveda in India has the same sun god as Mithra / Mitra, and Mitra is associated with the sunrise in Atharvaveda. Sun salutation is still a daily yoga activity around the world, before which "OM Mitraya Namaha", "Mitraya"
is one of the 108 names of Lord Surya / Sun God. (Info +Image Credit : Mithra, Wiki) [Image 1: Investiture of Sassanid emperor Ardashir II with Yazata Mithra with raised barsom, sanctifying the investiture 2. Coin of Artabanus II of Parthia with Apollo-like Mithraic God 3. Coinage of Kushan ruler Kanishka I with "Mithra" ]
Iranian Civilization
