| Quoting Frank Cumont we read: “Following the cataclysm, we attend the birth of Mithra. As usual, the young θεὸς πετρογενής, already wearing his Phrygian cap, issues forth from the rocky mass. As yet only his bare torso is visible. In each hand he raises aloft a lighted torch and, as an unusual detail, red flames shoot out all around him from the petra genetrix.” (35) Where Mithra stabs the bull, in the Borghesi Monument at the Louvre in Paris, and the Mithraeum in South Rome, the dog is licking the blood of the sacrificed bull (26c, g). Anahita was the Avestan goddess of fertility and water. She was the personification of the life-giving river, similar to Sarasvati and was described in the Yashts …”in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race’ (36) and “the Great Goddess whose name is Lady,” the “all-powerful immaculate one,” purifying “the seed of males and the womb and the milk of females.” (37) She was the Iranian counterpart of the Syrian Anat, the Babylonian Inanna-Ishtar, the Hittite goddess of Comana (Hebat), and the Greek Aphrodite. (38) According to E.O. James, in The Cult of the Mother Goddess: “As a member of the triad, Ahura Mazda-Mithra-Anahita in the Mazdaean pantheon, she appears in Achaemenian cuneiform inscriptions in association with Mithra as a Young God and victorious hero liberating life by the sacrifice of the primeval bull.” At Ecbatana, the summer royal residence, it is stated that “they sacrifice always to her”; at Arsak, where Tiridates I was crowned, she had another shrine; and at Kengavar she was worshiped as the “Persian Artemis,” the “Mistress of the Beasts.” (39) In Northern Iran in the district of Shiz, Azarbaijan, the traditional home of Zarathustra, the chief fire-temple was dedicated to her (Anahita). (40) Verethraghna is the Iranian counterpart of the Vedic Vrtrahan (‘Slayer of Vrtra’), a common epithet of Indra, which is shared with Agni and Soma as well. (41) First he came in the form of wind… (2) Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him first, running in the shape of a strong, beautiful wind, made by Mazda; he bore the good Glory, made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda, that is both health and strength.” (Yasht 14, I:II) Then he came in the form of a bull… (6) “We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.” Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda: “Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?” Ahura Mazda answered: “It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathushtra!” (7) Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the second time, running in the shape of a beautiful bull, with yellow ears and golden horns; upon whose horns floated the well-shapen Strength, and Victory, beautiful of form, made by Ahura: thus did he come, bearing the good Glory, made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda, that is both health and strength.” (Yasht 14, II: 6-7) |
In an upcoming chapter on the Hebrews we will revisit some of the teachings of Zoroaster to show some of the comparisons between the Zoroastrian and the Hebrew faiths. Now, instead of moving on to Sumer and Akkad, which is where the mythology went from India and Persia, it seems, I am going to take the reader to Nepal, the Himalayas and Buddhism, which would spring up much later in time. Then, we will return to an earlier time of Sumer and Akkad. The reason for this is because of the proximity to India and how the beliefs spread to Asia first, but did not take roots which we can trace until a much later time period. Also, please keep in mind, I have developed my own theories regarding the travels of myth and culture worldwide. I see things going back further to India than to Sumer. Sumer may have had a small group of people living there and thriving at the time that the culture of India had developed their myths, however, the myths India developed, appear to go back further than the ones from Sumer. This is my reasoning for following this order in this book. It’s not very important which came first, but I feel like it’s easier to understand history by following the evolution of the mythology than tracing the development of so-called “civilization.” (35) Franz Cumont, "The Dura Mithraeum", in Mithraic Studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies. Manchester U. Press, 1975, p. 173 (36) Sacred Books of the East, xxiii, pp. 52ff; Yasht, v (37) Yasht, v. 5; Vendidad, vii. 16 (38) Clement of Alexandria, Protrept, 5; Herodotus, i, 131; iv, 52; Pliny, Hist. Nat., vi, 27, 135; Plutarch, Vit. Artax., 27; Polybius, x, 27, 12 (39) Cult of the Mother Goddess, p. 93-95; Weissbach-Bang, Die altpersischen Keilinschriften, 1893, 44, 46 (40) ibid, p. 96 (41) Healing Gods, p. 195-6; Spiegal, Die Arische Periode, pp 194-197; Oldenberg, Die Religion des Veda, p. 134; Macdonell, in GIPA, 1897, pp. 60, 66, 109, 114, 158. Cf. also Dhalla, M.N. Zoroastrian Theology, pp. 112-114; Carnoy, Iranian Mythology, pp 271-273 |