Monday 5 November 2012

Good and Evil Duke It out


Christian texts describe a battle between angles and demons that won't end until Judgment Day, when God finally puts the Devil down for once and for all. Hinduism also frequently refers to the continual struggle between the devas (divine beings) and asuras (demons) but the significance is very different.

There are stories of devas like Indra behaving badly and the occasional asura like Prahlada who behaves like an angle. Devas and asuras represent different grades of consciousness. Devas are selfless and serviceful-most of the time, anyway. Asuras are selfish and materialistic-though some of them manage to get their act together. The battle between the forces of egotism and selfless love goes on forever, in all world systems where free will- the ability to choose between right and wrong -is a factor. But Hindus do not believe in evil as something that exists as a living malevolent force embodied in a Satan.

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