A Comparative Study of the Characteristics, Actions, and Mythological Symbols of the God Mithra in Religious and Mythological Narratives and Ancient Iranian Stories, and its Manifestation in the Sasanian Relief of Taq-e Bostan, Kermanshah

Abstract

The god Mithra and Jamshid Pishdadi are among the oldest mythological and religious figures of the Aryan people, playing a role in the beliefs of the Aryans before their migration and before the emergence of Zoroaster. With the appearance of Zoroaster, and the development of his thoughts in the Gathas, there is a pronounced opposition to Jamshid’s teachings, which prominently feature the sacrifice of the bull and the consumption of the intoxicating Haoma. These two practices are the main characteristics of Mithraic religion within Aryan mythology. The similarity between Jamshid and Mithra is so significant that it prompts the researcher to question whether Mithra and Jamshid can be seen as one symbolic figure within Aryan mythological and religious narratives. How have Mithraic symbols, as represented in ancient Iranian myths and narratives, been reflected in the motifs and symbols of Taq-e Bostan? This article seeks to prove the unity of Mithra and Jamshid as one figure and to uncover the relationship between the Mithraic and Zoroastrian discourses in shaping these two myths and their impact on the formation of the Aryan creation myth. Using an analytical and descriptive approach, it examines the god Mithra and Jamshid Pishdadi within the framework of religious and mythological beliefs, comparing and analyzing them. Based on this approach, Mithra manifests in Jamshid’s character in three forms, each illustrating a unique function in the Aryan mythological world. The first manifestation of Mithra is as the deity who sacrifices the bull, marking the beginning of Ahuric creation. The second is represented in Jamshid’s luminous, radiant form, protecting the Ahuric world from Ahriman’s harm. The third phase, during the Ahuric resurrection, presents the god Mithra as Saoshyant, bringing immortality with Jamshid’s primary teaching, which is the sacrificial act of the bull.