Demons

The Hindu mythic universe has various
classes of supernatural beings, some of
which are perpetually at odds with one
another. The most prominent conflict is
between the suras (“gods”) and another
class of divine beings called asuras
(“not-gods”). Aside from the asuras,
there are other powerful beings such as
rakshasas, pisacas, and vetalas, which
have greater or lesser malevolence
toward the gods and human beings. The
English word most often used to denote
all these divine adversaries is the word
“demon.” Although this is a convenient
label and avoids the need for unfamiliar
Sanskrit terminology, it also carries
inappropriate and misleading associations. The word “demon” carries connotations of absolute and radical evil, as
well as willful opposition to a single
supreme divinity. Neither assumption is
appropriate in the Hindu mythic universe, which is polytheistic, or believing
in more than one god. This polytheistic
universe has a host of divine beings,
whose individual interests may well
conflict with those of the gods, and
whose mutual opposition may spill over
into open war. This does not make such
opponents, or “demons,” inherently evil,
but rather the opponents of the Hindu
gods, from whose perspective Hindu
mythology is clearly recounted. These
“demons” may also be ill-disposed
toward humans, but they are not necessarily or inherently so. Perhaps the
clearest recognition of their status is that
despite their occasional opposition to
the gods, they are never completely
destroyed, but simply demoted to a
more appropriate status. For example,
when the “demon” Hiranyakashipu is
destroyed by Vishnu’s Man-Lion avatar,
he is succeeded by his son Prahlada. In
the same way, after the god Rama kills
Ravana, the “demon” king of Lanka,
Rama appoints as successor Ravana’s
brother Vibhishana. Asuras and other
supernormal beings thus have a legitimate place in the Hindu mythic world,
and as long as they do not overreach
themselves and throw the world into
imbalance, they are allowed to remain.
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Demons