Mitra, an ancient Hindu god, represented the sun and was also the god of oaths. He and Varuna were classified as asuras, not necessarily evil. Mitra gave rise to Mithras in Zoroastrianism and Greco-Roman period. Mitra-Varuna were sometimes combined into one being. Mithras is the god of friendship and invoked when signing a contract. The Rig Veda has an important prayer in gratitude to Mitra for the pursuit of perfection.
Mitra was an ancient Hindu god. He represented the sun and bore many similarities to other contemporary gods in nearby civilizations. Mitra was also notably the god of oaths, along with his associate, Varuna. Mitra, along with Varuna, was generally classified as an asura in early Hinduism. Asuras are often referred to as demons, but it’s important to note that asuras weren’t necessarily evil, they were simply formed in opposition to the gods known as devas. Perhaps the best comparison is found within the Greek pantheon, where gods like Zeus and Dionysus were placed in opposition to titans like Prometheus, not all of whom were necessarily evil.
There was an ancient deity, from Proto-Indo-Iranian cultures, also called Mitra, who was a god of oaths. This god gave rise to the god Mithras of Zoroastrianism, as well as Mithras of the Greco-Roman period. He also became the Hindu Mitra in early Hinduism.
Mithras is one of the oldest existing gods of Hinduism, and a record of him appears as far back as the 15th century BC, when he was invoked as guardian of a pact made between the Hittites and the Hurrians. Like Varuna, Mitra watched over the order of the entire universe, making things as they should be. Initially, Varuna and Mitra were presented as twins and would always appear together in defense of truth and honor. While Varuna watched over the movement of the spheres, Mitra was said to ensure that dawn occurred, maintaining the balance between light and dark.
In many cases, Mitra and Varuna are actually combined into one being, Mitra-Varuna. In other cases the differences between the two are highlighted. Varuna is sometimes said to be the monarchy, while Mitra is seen as the priesthood, two vessels of power that balance each other equally to ensure that the universe runs smoothly. As time went on, however, Mitra’s role diminished and Varuna became the more important god.
Mithras remained a popular god, however, and is sometimes invoked when signing a contract. Mithras is also the god of friendship, as it is the integrity of truth and oaths that keeps a friendship strong. In many myths Mithras is seen as a kind of link between man and the gods, helping to negotiate with them.
One of the most important prayers in the Rig Veda is written in gratitude to Mitra and in recognition of the pursuit of perfection. The prayer, the upasthaana, is addressed to the deity in praise of the sun. The upasthaana roughly says: Oh God! In search of you we leave behind the eternal physical realm, to meditate on an even greater entity, our soul. We reach for the most blissful and brightest light, illuminating all things, even the shining glory of the sun, which is the greatest of all. All things of this world act as signposts to lead us to divinity, the knower of all things, the possessor of all destructive and sustaining powers. Surely this is the correct path to understanding this universe.
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