Rashnu (Avestan Rashnu, Middle Persian Rashn) is the Zoroastrian yazata, or divinity worthy of worship, who personifies justice. Called "the most upright," he presides over truthful judgment in this world and, with Mithra and Sraosha, judges the souls of the dead at the Chinvat Bridge, where later tradition pictures him weighing their good and evil deeds on golden scales.
Rashnu at a glance
| Meaning | "Judge" or "the just one" |
|---|---|
| Other forms | Rashn, Rashne, Rasn |
| Type of being | Yazata (divinity worthy of worship) |
| Epithet | Razishta, "the most upright" |
| Hymn | Rashn Yasht (Yasht 12) |
| Calendar | 18th day of each month |
| Associated with | Mithra, Sraosha, Arshtat (Justice); the Chinvat Bridge |
Name and Character
The name Rashnu is usually understood as "judge" or "the just one," and he is regularly called razishta, "the most upright" or "straightest." He belongs to the large class of yazatas, beings worthy of worship who serve Ahura Mazda and assist the Amesha Spentas. Rashnu embodies impartial justice: he cannot be bribed and does not favor rich over poor. In the Avesta he is often mentioned with Arshtat, the female divinity of justice and truthfulness.
Rashnu is closely allied with Mithra, guardian of contracts and oaths, and with Sraosha, the divinity of obedience and hearing. The three together form a kind of heavenly court.
The Rashn Yasht
The twelfth hymn of the Yashts, the Rashn Yasht, is devoted to him. It invokes Rashnu wherever he may be, in each of the regions of the earth, at the peaks of mountains, among the stars and in the highest heavens, emphasizing that no place lies beyond the reach of justice. The hymn connects him with truthful speech and with Asha, the cosmic order of truth, and against Druj, the Lie.
In ancient Iran, disputes that could not be settled by evidence might be resolved by ordeals (var), such as tests involving fire or molten metal. Rashnu was regarded as the divine witness and guarantor of these ordeals, ensuring that truth would be revealed.
Judge of the Dead
Zoroastrian tradition teaches that on the dawn of the fourth day after death the soul arrives at the Chinvat Bridge, the "bridge of the separator" or "bridge of the accountant." There Mithra, Sraosha and Rashnu stand in judgment. In Middle Persian texts such as the Menog-i Khrad, Rashnu holds a spiritual balance and weighs the soul's good and bad deeds with complete impartiality, tipping neither way for friend or foe.
If good deeds prevail, the bridge becomes broad and the soul is met by its daena, its own conscience in the form of a beautiful maiden, who leads it to paradise, the House of Song. If evil deeds prevail, the bridge narrows like a blade and the soul falls into the place of punishment. Where good and evil are equal, the soul goes to an intermediate state. These judgments are provisional, since all souls await the final renovation brought by the Saoshyant.
Place in Worship and the Calendar
In the Zoroastrian calendar, the eighteenth day of every month is dedicated to Rashnu (Rashn). A Middle Persian text on the days of the month describes this day as auspicious. Rashnu is also invoked in prayers for the dead during the first three days after death, when Sraosha protects the soul, and in the ceremonies of the fourth-day dawn, when the soul faces judgment. Some Pahlavi texts describe Rashnu as a helper of the Amesha Spenta Ameretat, or place him within the group assisting others in the divine hierarchy.
Comparisons
The image of a divine judge weighing deeds recalls the Egyptian weighing of the heart before Osiris and the scales of judgment in later Christian and Islamic art, where the archangel Michael or the scales of the Last Day appear. Historians of religion discuss possible contacts among these traditions but generally avoid claiming direct borrowing without firm evidence. For Zoroastrians Rashnu remains a reminder that every thought, word and deed will be accounted for with perfect fairness.
Rashnu and Truthfulness
For Zoroastrians, Rashnu is not only a judge of the dead but also a model of ethical conduct in daily life. Because the religion treats falsehood as an expression of the Lie, honesty in speech, fairness in trade and faithfulness to agreements are religious duties. Rashnu, together with Mithra as guardian of contracts, stands behind these obligations.
Traditional Zoroastrian teaching also emphasizes personal responsibility. Each person's destiny after death depends on their own choices, weighed exactly, rather than on privilege or ancestry. Rashnu's impartial scales therefore express a central moral idea of the faith: that every human being is free and accountable, and that justice will finally prevail throughout creation.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Rashnu in Zoroastrianism?
Rashnu is the yazata, or divine being, of justice. Called "the most upright," he guarantees truthful judgment in this life and, with Mithra and Sraosha, judges souls after death at the Chinvat Bridge. Later texts describe him weighing deeds on a spiritual balance without partiality.
What happens at the Chinvat Bridge?
According to Zoroastrian belief, on the fourth dawn after death the soul reaches the Chinvat Bridge and is judged. If good deeds outweigh bad, the bridge widens and the soul crosses to paradise, guided by its daena. If evil prevails, the bridge narrows and the soul falls into a place of suffering.
Which day is dedicated to Rashnu?
In the Zoroastrian calendar, each day of the thirty-day month is dedicated to a divinity. The eighteenth day, Rashn, belongs to Rashnu. Zoroastrians also remember him in funeral prayers, especially at the dawn of the fourth day after death, when the soul is judged.
Sources and further reading
This entry replaces an article from the original Mystica encyclopedia (online since 2001). It was rewritten from the sources above by The Mystica Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: September 30, 2026.