Jumal Mihr(yazd) manihheismis ja tema seosed jumal Mithraga Iraani usundis
The God Mihr(yazd) in Manichaeism and its Links with the God Mithra in the Iranian Religion

Summary/Abstract: In Manichaean literature, written in the Middle Persian, Parthian, and Sogdian languages and being discovered in Central Asia (then Chinese Turkestan) at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century, a mythological figure called Mihryazd (“god Mihr” (=Mithra)”) is found. He is identified with two different figures from Manichaean mythology: in texts written in the Middle Persian language (including Man’s work Šābuhragān) with “Living Spirit” (Latin spiritus vivens), while in texts written in Parthian and Sogdian with “The Third Messenger” (Latin tertius legatus). The article explores how the figure of Mihryazd influenced pre-Manichaean Iranian religious traditions and concludes that although Mihryazd is not borrowed from Zoroastrianism, being instead a new creation of Manichaeism, the creation of his figure has still been influenced by the figure of Mithra (Mihr in the Middle Persian language) in Zoroastrianism. From the latter he has taken over both the link with order in the universe as well as with the sun and light, military characteristics, and his role as a fighter against evil (demons). However, in Manichaeism, the different functions of the god Mithra have been divided between two different gods, following the language-region principle.

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