Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 23.djvu/137

MIHIR YAST. 119 X. MIHIR YA6T. This Yajt, one of the longest of the Avesta and one of the most interesting in a literary point of view, is not very instructive for mythology. It consists of long descriptive pieces, sometimes rather spirited, and of fervent prayers and invocations for mercy or protection. Originally Mithra was the god of the heavenly light (§§ 12, 50, 67, 104, 124 seq., 136 seq., &c); and in that character he knows the truth, as he sees everything ; he is therefore taken as a witness of truth, he is the preserver of oaths and good faith (§§ 2, 44 seq., 79 seq., 81 seq., &c.) ; he chastises those who break their promises and lie to Mithra, destroys their houses and smites them in battle (§§ 17 seq., 28 seq., 35 seq., 47 seq., 99 seq., 105 seq., 112 seq., 128 seq., &c). Particularly interesting are §§ 11 5-1 18, as giving a sketch of moral hierarchy in Iran, and §§ 1 21-12 2, as being perhaps the source of the trials in the later Roman Mithriacism. Cf. Vend. Introd. IV, 8 and Ormazd et Ahriman, §§ 59-61. o. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced ! . . . . Ashem Vohu : Holiness is the best of all good .... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zara- thurtra, one who hates the Da6vas, and obeys the laws of Ahura ; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Hdvani], the holy and master of holiness .... Unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who has a thousand ears, ten thousand eyes, a Yazata invoked by his own name, and unto Rdma //z^stra 1 , Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha* ahu vairy6 : The will of the Lord is the law of holi- ness .... I. i. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying : ' Verily, when I created Mithra, the lord of 1 Str6zahl, 16. Digitized by Google