Editing Mitra (section)

==Iranian Mithra==
[[File:Taq-e Bostan - High-relief of Ardeshir II investiture.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Mithra]] (left) in a 4th-century investiture sculpture at [[Taq-e Bostan]] in western Iran.]]
{{Main|Mithra}}

In [[Zoroastrianism]], Mithra is a member of the trinity of ''[[ahura]]s'', protectors of ''[[asha]]/arta'', "truth" or "[that which is] right". Mithra's standard appellation is "of wide pastures" suggesting omnipresence. Mithra is "truth-speaking, ... with a thousand ears, ... with ten thousand eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless, and ever awake." (''Yasht'' 10.7). As preserver of [[Covenant (religion)|covenants]], Mithra is also protector and keeper of all aspects of interpersonal relationships, such as friendship and love.

Related to his position as protector of truth, Mithra is a judge (''ratu''), ensuring that individuals who break promises or are not righteous (''artavan'') are not admitted to [[paradise]]. As also in Indo-Iranian tradition, Mithra is associated with (the divinity of) the sun but [[Hvare-khshaeta|originally distinct from it]]. Mithra is closely associated with the feminine [[yazata]] [[Aredvi Sura Anahita]], the hypostasis of knowledge.