List of Demons, Monsters & Malevolent Spirits from the Ancient Near East, the Middle East and Asia
#wakeup
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Many of what are considered “evil spirits” within Middle Eastern & Asian culture – and especially in Hinduism – are known as such because Christianity adapted their gods/goddesses as foes to their true God. This is a common thread throughout history – one culture adopts another’s deities as adversaries of their gods/goddesses. In this regard, “evil” is relative. That’s not to say that many of these supernatural beings don’t have destructive sides – but whether it is fair to classify them as “demons” is debatable.
Note: Hindu deities like Kali and Bhairava (for instance) are included because they were listed in a historical compilation of demons by Collin De Plancy. I tried to be fair and include descriptions from the Puranas to balance what de Plancy said, but I can’t change the fact that he included them in his list. If you’re still offended, you can read my response to angry emails I’ve received concerning this. Learn more about my philosophy behind the classifications.
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[ All Demons | Americas | Asia/East | Europe | Judeo-Christian | Modern Magick | What is Demonology? | What is Evil? ]
The name Abraxas was taken from abra-cadabra. He is presented on amulets with the head of a cock, dragon's feet and a whip in his hand.
In ancient Persian religion (Zoroastrianism), Ahriman (aka Arimanius or Angra Mainya) stood high in the ranks of the enemies who opposed Ahura Mazda.
In Sumerian myth, Anzu was a large bird (eagle or vulture) who lived in the realm of the gods.
Bhairava is the "terrible" aspect of Shiva. According to the Puranas, it was this aspect that severed Brahman's fifth head.
Kali is the destructive aspect of the Goddess, Devi, in Hinduism.
The chiang-shih is the Chinese version of the vampire. In Chinese belief, each person has 2 souls, a superior & an inferior soul.
The Daevas were a class of demons in Zoroastrianism that chose to follow Angra Mainya.
In Hindu mythology, the Daityas are giant evil spirits who are known for their opposition to sacrifice to the gods.
Deumus/Deumo is the goddess of the Calicut in Malabar.
Ereshkigal, the ruler of the underworld, is the sister of Ishtar/Inanna.
The river Ganges, referred to as Ganga, is a sacred river which according to legend, once only flowed across the heavens.
The bird, Garuda, usually serves as a mount for the God Vishnu.
In the Qur'an, the Devil has 2 names. Iblis, probably derived from the Greek diabolos and used always in the singular and as a personal name.
Ishtar/Inanna is the sister of Ereshkigal, who rules the dead.
Izanagi and Izanami were the two young gods chosen to bring order to the world of chaos in Japanese mythology.
The Jinn are spirits that were created by God out of fire.
The Kappas are water demons in Japanese mythology.
Mara is the evil spirit in Buddhism who tempted Siddharta during the time he sat beneath the Bo Tree and meditated.
In Hindu mythology, the Nagas/Nagis were a race of serpents whose purpose was to populate the underworld, Patalas.
In Hindu mythology, the Pretas are the spirits of dead people that inhabit Preta-Loka, the realm of tortured spirits.
The rakshasas are evil spirits in Hindu mythology with magical and shape-shifting abilities.
In Babylonian and Assyrian religions, Shedim was a generic name like the Hebrew and Christian word spirit.
These little red men like to feed on people who camp underneath fig trees.
