| Abstrakt: |
One of the basic issues in Hinduism and ancient Iranian religions concerns the territory, power, and function of evil forces such as demons and asuras. They are often depicted in Iran and India as against the divine forces (gods) and their followers. But what are the differences and similarities between Indian asuras and Iranian demons against forces of daevas and ahura in terms of their power, territory, and function? By examining the major Indian and Iranian sources, it becomes clear that evil forces in Iran are always portrayed as destructive and in conflict with the function and interest of the Ahura forces. Consequently, due to the superior nature of gods over the demonic forces, victory ultimately belongs to the good (Ahura) forces. In India, however, despite the pervasive evil associated with asuras, which in some cases makes them resemble Iranian demons, they sometimes align with the forces of the good, and in many cases, asuras possess features and privileges similar to those of the gods. As a result, in Indian mythology, there is a more balanced power dynamic, with the gods and demons holding relatively equal power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
