Ahura Mazda, God of Zoroastrianism founded as one of the Oldest religions that still exist today was actually founded by King Darius who was not a legitimate King of the Persian Empire after he plotted to kill the real King, Bardiya (son of Cyrus the Great founder of the Persian Achaemenid empire) until he had introduced Ahura Mazda and that he was chosen by him to be King so that the people within the empire would not Rebel against him. It is also a fact that Ahura Mazda actually had been a off-shoot of the Ancient Assyrian god Ashur (Which is also where the name came from) who were a part of the Persian Empire.
Darius believed that Ahura Mazda had appointed him to rule the Achaemenid Empire. Darius had dualistic convictions and believed that each rebellion in his kingdom was the work of druj, the enemy of Asha. Darius believed that because he lived righteously by Asha, Ahura Mazda supported him. In many cuneiform inscriptions denoting his achievements, he presents himself as a devout believer, perhaps even convinced that he had a divine right to rule over the world.
Ahura Mazda first appeared in the Achaemenid period (c. 550 – 330 BCE) under Darius I's Behistun Inscription. Until Artaxerxes II (405-04 to 359-58 BCE), Ahura Mazda was worshiped and invoked alone. With Artaxerxes II, Ahura Mazda was invoked in a triad, with Mithra and Apam Napat.
Zoroaster > Gathas/ Yasna Haptanghaiti > Apām Napāt is the god of fresh water, Neptune was the Roman god of freshwater and the sea. ["grandson of waters" (see Ap (water)). Sanskrit and Avestan napāt ("grandson") are cognate to Latin nepōs and English nephew, but the name Apām Napāt has also been compared to Etruscan Nethuns and Celtic Nechtan and Roman Neptune.] >> Avesta>Mithra.
mitra, "contract" or "binder"
As a member of the ahuric triad, a feature that only Ahura Mazda and Ahura Berezaiti (Apam Napat) also have, Mithra is an exalted figure. As the divinity of contract, Mithra is undeceivable, infallible, eternally watchful, and never-resting. Mithra is additionally the protector of cattle, and his stock epithet is "of wide pastures." He is guardian of the waters and ensures that those pastures receive enough of it.
AHURIC TRIAD
The Ahuric Triad is formed by Ahura Mazda, Mithra and Anahita. They are the protectors of Asha, the order of the universe. In Zoroastrianism after the supreme God Ahura Mazda they form the second highest divine power.
The term Ahura ("Lord") in the Avestan Language is the title of gods, and the name for gods and spirits.
Anahita she venerated as the divinity of 'the Waters' (Aban) and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom. She is patroness of women, as well as a goddess of war. Her name means "the immaculate one". She is portrayed as a virgin, dressed in a golden cloak, and wearing a diamond tiara (sometimes also carrying a water pitcher). The dove and the peacock are her sacred animals.
Sometimes called Aredvi Sura Anahita, a goddess also known through the Achaemenid inscriptions, who corresponded to the Indian Sarasvati. She was very popular and is one of the forms of the 'Great Goddess' which appears in many ancient eastern religions. She is associated with rivers and lakes, as the waters of birth. Anahita is sometimes regarded as the consort of Mithra.
With the emerging of Zoroastrianism, she was reduced to the status of a Yazata. However, her importance was rising once again in later timers. Thus, she is a member of the Ahuric Triad.
When Persia conquered Babylonia (in the 6th century BCE), Anahita began to show some similarities with the goddess Ishtar. Since then her cult included also the practice of temple prostitution. During the reign of king Artaxerxes (436-358 BCE) many temples were erected in her honor; in Soesa, Ecbatana, and in Babylon.
Mithra is the god of light and the patron of honesty, friendship, contracts and meetings. He also maintains the cosmic order. Mithra is connected to the Vedic deity Mitra. Nevertheless, he also appears in the Achaemenid inscriptions.
Mithra together with Sraosha and Rashnu judge the soul after death. Also considered worthy of reverence are the fravashis, or spirits of the soul, whose worship was probably a surviving trace of an ancient cult of the spirits of the dead and of a concept of immortality typical of a warrior society.
With the emerging of Zoroastrianism, he was reduced to the status of a Yazata. However, his importance was rising once again in later timers. Sometimes he is even mentioned as the son of Ahura Mazda assisting him in his struggle against the forces of evil. He is a member of the Ahuric Triad. In the Avesta he was portrayed as having ten thousand ears and eyes, and he rides in a chariot pulled by white horses.
The first extant record of Mithra is in the inscribed peace treaty between Hittites and the Hurrian kingdom of the Mitanni in the area southeast of Lake Van, c. 1400 BCE.
In the late Roman Empire (1st to 4th centuries CE) the god Mithra appears as a personification of the sun in Mithraism, however, the connection may be by name only.
Mithra (Avestan: 𐬀𐬭𐬚𐬌𐬨 Miθra, Old Persian: 𐎷𐎰𐎼 Miça) is the Zoroastrian angelic divinity (yazata) of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters.
In the Gathas, the oldest hymns of Zoroastrianism and thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself, the poet exhorts his followers to pay reverence to only the ahuras, and to rebuff the daevas and others who act "at Lie's command". This should not however be construed to reflect a view of a primordial opposition: Although the daevas would in later Zoroastrian tradition appear as malign creatures, in the Gathas the daevas are (collectively) gods that are to be rejected. (see daeva for details)
In the Gathas, the poet does not specify which of the divinities aside from Ahura Mazda he considers to be ahuras.
The Gathas of Zarathushtra are very clear that there is only ONE divinity, namely AHURA MAZDA; the immortal (Ahu), radiant (Raa)divinity ; that Great (Maz) entity who rules the universe and mankind strictly through Wisdom (Daa). Zarathushtra identifies himself as a "Manthran"; one who composes Mantras as opposed to the normal priest who is a Mantra reciter. Derived from the root word 'man' (pronounced as in bun), that unique capability 'to think, to reason' & “thraa” meaning crucible/concentration of; Mantra literally means 'instrument of thought'; that which, when intoned stimulates the mind to reason. Mantras are hymns, which through their intrinsic quality of stimulation of the intellect & reasoning faculties, benefit those who chant them with devotion & understanding. They form the original constituents of the Gathas composed in a language (Avesta), the sister language of Vedic Sanskrit.
According to NASA researcher, Rick Briggs, “Among the accomplishments of the grammarians can be reckoned a method for paraphrasing Vedic Sanskrit in a manner that is identical not only in essence but in form with current work in Artificial Intelligence.”
The word (Mantra ) so heard radiated powerful intellect & intuitive stimulation when properly recited by the devotee, through knowledge, understanding & faith. Little wonder therefore that our creator Ahura Mazda is addressed as Khwatr (later Khurshid), the stimulator of intellect. While outwardly based on the language of the masses (Avesta/Vedic Sanskrit), these “Manthric” compositions used single sound syllables based on root words placed in specific meter (sequence) . Thus we have the Ahuna-vaiti Gatha composed on the basis of 7 + 9 sound syllables. Mantras have a rhythmical meter, invoking the infinite, a sacred hymn, radiating an aura of light (color) & sound, uniquely aligned with the forces of nature, inducing & stimulating the mind to positive actions.
The term Day-va in the Vedas meant a mortal or mortals who had conquered [were victorious (van)] in gaining Light (of Knowledge). As Zarathushtra believed that Devas were deceiving people; he changed the structure of this term from Day-va to Dev-a. Here Dev means a gambler, a cheat who was good at deception. In a similar twist the Vedics changed the structure of Ahu-ra or Asu-ra (the divine immortal) to A-sura meaning the impure. Either way neither the Gathas nor the later Avesta suggest that Ahura Mazda was anything other than a single entity. It is totally incorrect & mischievous to equate a person Zorastrians consider their saviour and composer of their religious philosophy as a mere poet
Darius believed that Ahura Mazda had appointed him to rule the Achaemenid Empire. Darius had dualistic convictions and believed that each rebellion in his kingdom was the work of druj, the enemy of Asha. Darius believed that because he lived righteously by Asha, Ahura Mazda supported him. In many cuneiform inscriptions denoting his achievements, he presents himself as a devout believer, perhaps even convinced that he had a divine right to rule over the world.
Ahura Mazda first appeared in the Achaemenid period (c. 550 – 330 BCE) under Darius I's Behistun Inscription. Until Artaxerxes II (405-04 to 359-58 BCE), Ahura Mazda was worshiped and invoked alone. With Artaxerxes II, Ahura Mazda was invoked in a triad, with Mithra and Apam Napat.
Zoroaster > Gathas/ Yasna Haptanghaiti > Apām Napāt is the god of fresh water, Neptune was the Roman god of freshwater and the sea. ["grandson of waters" (see Ap (water)). Sanskrit and Avestan napāt ("grandson") are cognate to Latin nepōs and English nephew, but the name Apām Napāt has also been compared to Etruscan Nethuns and Celtic Nechtan and Roman Neptune.] >> Avesta>Mithra.
mitra, "contract" or "binder"
As a member of the ahuric triad, a feature that only Ahura Mazda and Ahura Berezaiti (Apam Napat) also have, Mithra is an exalted figure. As the divinity of contract, Mithra is undeceivable, infallible, eternally watchful, and never-resting. Mithra is additionally the protector of cattle, and his stock epithet is "of wide pastures." He is guardian of the waters and ensures that those pastures receive enough of it.
AHURIC TRIAD
The Ahuric Triad is formed by Ahura Mazda, Mithra and Anahita. They are the protectors of Asha, the order of the universe. In Zoroastrianism after the supreme God Ahura Mazda they form the second highest divine power.
The term Ahura ("Lord") in the Avestan Language is the title of gods, and the name for gods and spirits.
Anahita she venerated as the divinity of 'the Waters' (Aban) and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom. She is patroness of women, as well as a goddess of war. Her name means "the immaculate one". She is portrayed as a virgin, dressed in a golden cloak, and wearing a diamond tiara (sometimes also carrying a water pitcher). The dove and the peacock are her sacred animals.
Sometimes called Aredvi Sura Anahita, a goddess also known through the Achaemenid inscriptions, who corresponded to the Indian Sarasvati. She was very popular and is one of the forms of the 'Great Goddess' which appears in many ancient eastern religions. She is associated with rivers and lakes, as the waters of birth. Anahita is sometimes regarded as the consort of Mithra.
With the emerging of Zoroastrianism, she was reduced to the status of a Yazata. However, her importance was rising once again in later timers. Thus, she is a member of the Ahuric Triad.
When Persia conquered Babylonia (in the 6th century BCE), Anahita began to show some similarities with the goddess Ishtar. Since then her cult included also the practice of temple prostitution. During the reign of king Artaxerxes (436-358 BCE) many temples were erected in her honor; in Soesa, Ecbatana, and in Babylon.
Mithra is the god of light and the patron of honesty, friendship, contracts and meetings. He also maintains the cosmic order. Mithra is connected to the Vedic deity Mitra. Nevertheless, he also appears in the Achaemenid inscriptions.
Mithra together with Sraosha and Rashnu judge the soul after death. Also considered worthy of reverence are the fravashis, or spirits of the soul, whose worship was probably a surviving trace of an ancient cult of the spirits of the dead and of a concept of immortality typical of a warrior society.
With the emerging of Zoroastrianism, he was reduced to the status of a Yazata. However, his importance was rising once again in later timers. Sometimes he is even mentioned as the son of Ahura Mazda assisting him in his struggle against the forces of evil. He is a member of the Ahuric Triad. In the Avesta he was portrayed as having ten thousand ears and eyes, and he rides in a chariot pulled by white horses.
The first extant record of Mithra is in the inscribed peace treaty between Hittites and the Hurrian kingdom of the Mitanni in the area southeast of Lake Van, c. 1400 BCE.
In the late Roman Empire (1st to 4th centuries CE) the god Mithra appears as a personification of the sun in Mithraism, however, the connection may be by name only.
Mithra (Avestan: 𐬀𐬭𐬚𐬌𐬨 Miθra, Old Persian: 𐎷𐎰𐎼 Miça) is the Zoroastrian angelic divinity (yazata) of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters.
In the Gathas, the oldest hymns of Zoroastrianism and thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself, the poet exhorts his followers to pay reverence to only the ahuras, and to rebuff the daevas and others who act "at Lie's command". This should not however be construed to reflect a view of a primordial opposition: Although the daevas would in later Zoroastrian tradition appear as malign creatures, in the Gathas the daevas are (collectively) gods that are to be rejected. (see daeva for details)
In the Gathas, the poet does not specify which of the divinities aside from Ahura Mazda he considers to be ahuras.
The Gathas of Zarathushtra are very clear that there is only ONE divinity, namely AHURA MAZDA; the immortal (Ahu), radiant (Raa)divinity ; that Great (Maz) entity who rules the universe and mankind strictly through Wisdom (Daa). Zarathushtra identifies himself as a "Manthran"; one who composes Mantras as opposed to the normal priest who is a Mantra reciter. Derived from the root word 'man' (pronounced as in bun), that unique capability 'to think, to reason' & “thraa” meaning crucible/concentration of; Mantra literally means 'instrument of thought'; that which, when intoned stimulates the mind to reason. Mantras are hymns, which through their intrinsic quality of stimulation of the intellect & reasoning faculties, benefit those who chant them with devotion & understanding. They form the original constituents of the Gathas composed in a language (Avesta), the sister language of Vedic Sanskrit.
According to NASA researcher, Rick Briggs, “Among the accomplishments of the grammarians can be reckoned a method for paraphrasing Vedic Sanskrit in a manner that is identical not only in essence but in form with current work in Artificial Intelligence.”
The word (Mantra ) so heard radiated powerful intellect & intuitive stimulation when properly recited by the devotee, through knowledge, understanding & faith. Little wonder therefore that our creator Ahura Mazda is addressed as Khwatr (later Khurshid), the stimulator of intellect. While outwardly based on the language of the masses (Avesta/Vedic Sanskrit), these “Manthric” compositions used single sound syllables based on root words placed in specific meter (sequence) . Thus we have the Ahuna-vaiti Gatha composed on the basis of 7 + 9 sound syllables. Mantras have a rhythmical meter, invoking the infinite, a sacred hymn, radiating an aura of light (color) & sound, uniquely aligned with the forces of nature, inducing & stimulating the mind to positive actions.
The term Day-va in the Vedas meant a mortal or mortals who had conquered [were victorious (van)] in gaining Light (of Knowledge). As Zarathushtra believed that Devas were deceiving people; he changed the structure of this term from Day-va to Dev-a. Here Dev means a gambler, a cheat who was good at deception. In a similar twist the Vedics changed the structure of Ahu-ra or Asu-ra (the divine immortal) to A-sura meaning the impure. Either way neither the Gathas nor the later Avesta suggest that Ahura Mazda was anything other than a single entity. It is totally incorrect & mischievous to equate a person Zorastrians consider their saviour and composer of their religious philosophy as a mere poet