them.[1] If he were invoked by men, he says, as other angels are, he would come at the appointed time for help to the righteous.[2] He looks, therefore, for votaries who will sacrifice unto him, so that in his might he may shower gifts upon them. Happy indeed is the man who thus gains the good-will of Mithra, for this divine angel henceforth bestows upon him radiance and glory, soundness of body, riches and weal, offspring and sovereignty.[3] But woe is to him that is sparing in Mithra's invocation. For such a wight calamity is in store, as Mithra is terrible to deal with when his righteous wrath is kindled. Mithra, when angered or disregarded in worship, inflicts poverty and wretchedness, sickness and death upon the offender, depriving him also of his offspring and power,[4] The house, clan, town, and country in which an insult is offered to Mithra are levelled to the ground.[5] He deprives the evil countries of their greatness and glory and victory, and renders them helpless.[6] The wise therefore pray that they may never come across Mithra's wrath,[7] and invocation is the best means of appeasing the vengeful angel.[8]
Sacrifices to Mithra. Varuna sits on the strewn grass at the sacrifice.[9] Similarly, the faithful devoutly invoke Mithra by his name with libations, and implore him to come and sit at the sacrifice, to listen to the invocation, to be pleased with it, to accept it, and to place it with love to their credit in paradise.[10] Ahura Mazda himself offered a sacrifice unto him in the shining Garonmana.[11] Zarathushtra is asked to offer sacrifices unto Mithra and so are the Mazdayasnians asked to sacrifice unto him with cattle and birds, along with Haoma and libations.[12] The faithful who desires to drink the holy libations consecrated in honour of Mithra is required to undergo certain penances. He has to wash his body for three days and three nights and undergo thirty stripes, or he might wash his body for two days and two nights and undergo twenty stripes, as the occasion requires. Any one who has no knowledge of the ritual is prohibited from partaking of the sacred libation.[13] In these observances we can
