Chista () is the yazata most closely associated with wisdom, knowledge, and insight in Zoroastrianism. Her name is derived from the Avestan derivative of the verb Cit, 'to notice, to understand'. The sixteenth yasht (or "hymn") of the Avesta is dedicated to Chista and she is also mentioned in the tenth yasht (Yt. 10.126).
Zarathustra's youngest daughter was named "Pouro Chista" or "Pouručistā", meaning “the one who is noticed by many people, the charming one,"Jean Kellens, “ČISTĀ,” Encyclopædia Iranica, Fasc. V, Vol. 6, pp. 601-602; available online at https://www.iranicaonline.org. (accessed in print on 3 February 2023). or a very wise and knowledgeable person.Behnamfar, Zahra, Abbasali Maghsoodlou, and Kobra Nodehi. "Principles of Education in Ancient Iran with a Look at Yashts." Journal of Novel Applied Sciences (2013): 1085-1088.
The Iranian cultural magazine Tchissta, founded in 1981 by mathematician and activist Parviz Shahriari, was named after Chista.
Nomenclature and etymology Though a direct etymology is unknown, the name Chista is probably derived from the feminine form of the Avestan participle čista “noticed, noticeable.” The action noun čisti “intuition, idea” appears only within the special vocabulary of the Gathas and the Yasna haptaŋhāiti.
In scripture Together with Verethragna, Čistā is a principal companion of Mithra (Mihr Yasht 10.70).
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