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114 Hinduism A distinctive fresco depicting Shiva-Gajantaka, the story of the Hindu god Shiva killing the elephant demon. (Bridgeman Art Gallery) demons play an essential role in the overall harmony of the cosmos, providing an important counterpoint to the gods. Thus, for example, in the story of Krishna’s defeat of the serpent demon Kaliya, Krishna is in the process of killing the giant snake when Kaliya begs him for mercy: I am not capable of honoring nor of praising you, overlord of the gods, but please take pity on me, O god whose sole thought is compassion! The race of snakes into which I was born is a cruel one; this is its proper nature. But I am not at fault in this matter... for it is you who pour forth and absorb the whole world; classes, forms and natures have all been assigned by you, the creator. (Dimmitt and van Buitenen 1978, 115) Krishna responds by exiling Kaliya from the Yamuna River to the ocean, thereby implicitly acknowledging that even evil beings have a place in the world. According to the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna, as the Supreme Lord himself, embraces all of life’s contraries within himself—including universal destructiveness. This destructiveness is vividly expressed in two lines from the Bhagavad Gita that flashed through the mind of Robert Oppenheimer, director of the Los Alamos project, when the first atomic bomb was tested in Los Alamos, New Mexico on July 16, 1945: I am become death, the shatterer of worlds; Waiting the hour that ripens to their doom. (11:32–33) The corpus of Hindu scriptures of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part constitutes a complex, multilayered body of literature that is difficult to describe or characterize in a short space. The oldest layers of this tradition go back thousands of years before the Christian era. The Bhagavad Gita (the Lord’s Song), one of the more significant and popular Hindu texts, is a short work that Western scholars speculate was inserted into the Mahabharata, the world’s longest epic, sometime
Hinduism 115 between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E.The Bhagavad Gita contains a number of evocative passages on the subject of the destructive, apocalyptic side of the divine nature. The central narrative of the Mahabharata is about a civil war and the events surrounding the culminating battle in an ancient Indian kingdom. Before the great battle begins, Arjuna, the chief protagonist, asks his chariot driver, Krishna, to drive his chariot out between the two armies. Krishna is a complex figure, who many Hindus regard as the supreme deity himself. The text of the Bhagavad Gita contains a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna that took place on this battlefield before the fighting broke out. From his vantage point on the field between the two armies, Arjuna sees all of his closest friends and relatives in both armies, and loses the willingness to fight. He realizes that many of the people dearest to him are about to lay down their lives. After unburdening his heart to Krishna about these matters, Arjuna firmly asserts, “I will not fight.” Krishna smiles, and then responds to his friend with an extended discourse on the nature of life, death, and ultimate reality. With respect to the soul and death, Krishna reminds Arjuna of certain truths of classical Hinduism: The real human being, as opposed to our false sense of self, is the soul, not the body. The soul, which reincarnates in different, successive bodies, is eternal and basically changeless. Because we are all eternal souls, who can ever really die And for that matter, who can ever really kill Krishna further asserts that, as the supreme deity of the universe, he is about to take the lives of Arjuna’s enemies anyway. Thus if Arjuna takes up the fight, he will merely be the instrument of God’s will. It is in the context of this conversation that, at Arjuna’s request, Krishna reveals his divine form— a form that includes the frightening aspect of the divinity that destroys the world at the end of time: When I see thy vast form, reaching the sky, burning with many colors, with wide open mouths, with vast flaming eyes, my heart shakes in terror: my power is gone and gone is my peace, O Vishnu! Like the fire at the end of Time which burns all in the last day, I see thy vast mouths and thy terrible teeth....The flames of thy mouths devour all the worlds. Thy glory fills the whole universe. But how terrible thy splendors burn!...Who art thou in this form of terror (11:25–25, 30–31) Krishna replies that he is all-powerful time, which consumes all things, and that he is about to manifest this aspect of his nature in the midst of the upcoming battle. After these and many other philosophical points have been made, Arjuna agrees to engage in battle. Perhaps more than in any other tradition, evil is muted and relativized in Hinduism. This is partially because, in sharp contrast with Western religions, time is viewed as a never-ending cycle in which good and evil rise and fall within a cosmos that is forever being destroyed and recreated. These macrocosmic cycles are reflected in the microcosmic life of the individual in the form of the reincarnation process. A complex tradition with ancient roots, Hinduism has many myths of the demonic. This is partially the result of Hinduism’s diversity. One characteristic contributing to Hinduism’s diversity is that earlier strands of spiritual expression tend to be retained rather than discarded as new religious forms emerge. Thus in the wake of a devotional reform movement, for example, certain segments of the population might be persuaded to abandon older practices and ideas in favor of something new, but other members of the community will continue in the old ways. As a result of this trait, ideas and practices that are very ancient—sometimes thousands of years old—are still practiced by at least some contemporary Hindus. The reader may recall from her or his early education the notion that humanity made the transition from tribal lifestyles to the more complex forms of social organization we call civilization along four great river basins—in China, India, Egypt, and what is today Iraq. A civilization that thousands of years ago existed along the Indus River in Western India left ruins of sophisticated cities. One of the bodies of ruins was uncovered near Harappa; hence this civilization is sometimes referred to as the Harappan civilization.
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SATANISM TODAY AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF R
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Copyright 2001 by James R. Lewis Al
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vi Contents Black Roses, 29 Blake,
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viii Contents N Near-Death Experien
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INTRODUCTION Even though times have
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Introduction xiii imagery was also
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Introduction xv however, following
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2 Abraxas as conceived by Crowley i
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4 Ahriman chip cookies. He then ope
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6 Angel Heart symbols are widely us
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8 The Anticult Movement stages, opp
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10 Apparition Edward Kelly summons
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12 Aquinas, Thomas ing through into
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14 Aquino, Michael A. demons who, t
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16 Ascendancy Book of Ephesians:
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18 Azazel light of glory. The syste
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20 Baphomet (Sigil of Baphomet) out
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22 Bardo Thödol (The Tibetan Book
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24 Beast of the Yellow Night about
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26 Belphegor directing the tolling
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28 Black Mass Holy Bible, and audib
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30 Bless the Child own designs for
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32 Bosch, Hieronymus Bosch’s Gard
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34 Buddhism acknowledged to exist,
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36 Builders of the Adytum BOTA is v
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38 Cathars Anton LaVey lists candle
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40 Cattle Mutilations working out o
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42 Cerberus theorists in the 1980s,
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44 Charleroi Case from the thinking
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46 Chick Publications that multitud
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48 China force their beliefs on the
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50 Church of Satan Church of Satan
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52 Church of Satanic Liberation Cen
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54 The Craft Jungian perspective. T
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56 Curse of the Demon and is the pr
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58 Curses destruction; drawings, pa
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D Damn Yankees This 1955 Broadway m
Page 79 and 80: Dee, John 63 Alighieri’s fourteen
Page 81 and 82: Demons 65 contact with the dualist
Page 83 and 84: Demons 67 nature and clearly under
Page 85 and 86: Devil’s Advocate 69 Jabez Stone,
Page 87 and 88: Devil’s Triangle 71 Bermuda trian
Page 89 and 90: Dragons 73 Dogma Two modern-day fal
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Page 94 and 95: 78 Egypt an animal or part-human/pa
Page 96 and 97: 80 End of Days I did not murder. I
Page 98 and 99: 82 Ereshkigal Some letters from the
Page 100 and 101: 84 Evocation and Invocation This th
Page 102 and 103: 86 Expressions bound, reacting with
Page 104 and 105: 88 Familiars the Fallen Angels. 196
Page 106 and 107: 90 Fire (Hellfire) horror is the
Page 108 and 109: 92 Fraternitas Rosae Crucis proclai
Page 110 and 111: 94 Fraternity (Society) of the Inne
Page 112 and 113: 96 The Gnostic Order and Temple of
Page 114 and 115: 98 Goth Subculture Siouxie Sioux, l
Page 116 and 117: 100 Gris-gris Gris-gris Gris-gris r
Page 118 and 119: 102 Hades An 18th century print of
Page 120 and 121: 104 Harrowing of Hell See also Chic
Page 122 and 123: 106 Heavy Metal Music Iron Maiden,
Page 124 and 125: 108 Hell and Heaven Moynihan, Micha
Page 126 and 127: 110 Hellhole History. 1988. New Yor
Page 128 and 129: 112 Hermetic Order of the Golden Da
Page 132 and 133: 116 Hinduism Because their written
Page 134 and 135: 118 Humor stopped, and threatened t
Page 137 and 138: I Iblis (Eblis) All of the religion
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Page 145 and 146: Islam 129 sort of interworld (barza
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Page 149 and 150: Johnson, Robert 133 finally to the
Page 151 and 152: Judaism and Hebrew Scriptures 135 (
Page 153 and 154: Judaism and Hebrew Scriptures 137 a
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Page 157 and 158: K Kerk van Satan The Kerk van Satan
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Page 163 and 164: Laws and Ritual Abuse 147 profile m
Page 165 and 166: Leviathan 149 Church, he became a p
Page 167 and 168: Limbo 151 and whom he will have thr
Page 169 and 170: Lucifer 153 when he began his minis
Page 171: Lucifers Den 155 being catapulted i
Page 174 and 175: 158 Magic and Magical Groups patter
Page 176 and 177: 160 Manson, Charles Its central tea
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164 Mastema time of this writing, t
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166 Matamoros Murders especially cl
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168 Mather, Cotton series of crises
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170 McMartin Ritual Abuse Case and
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172 McMartin Ritual Abuse Case The
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174 Mesoamerica called “high” c
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176 Mind Control, Satanic are spiri
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178 Moloch image of Satan—which i
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180 Mr. Bubbles Case embodies the M
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N Near-Death Experiences The expres
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Neopagan Witchcraft 185 Witches Kev
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Nergal 187 veneer, Wicca’s core v
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Night Stalker 189 The Night Stalker
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Nightmares 191 Demon in a drawing c
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Satan represents responsibility to
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O The Omen, Damien: Omen 2, and The
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Ordo Templi Astarte 197 4. To imple
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Ordo Templi Orientis 199 A young ar
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Oxford Golden Dawn Occult Society 2
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204 Pact with the Devil certain ung
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206 Pembroke Ritual Abuse Case me
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208 Peretti, Frank E. The climax of
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210 Possession and Exorcism Sri Lan
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212 Possession and Exorcism narrati
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214 Possession and Exorcism is requ
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216 Procter and Gamble were perform
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218 Prometheus Society also likely
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220 The Pyx, a.k.a. The Hooker Cult
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The cover of one of Rael’s books
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224 Rivera, Geraldo or her own pers
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226 Robin Hood Hills Murders recall
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228 Rochdale Ritual Abuse Case HBO
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230 Runes idea of a secret infernal
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232 Sabbat Illustration from Collin
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234 Sacrifice the altar. The victim
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236 Salem Witchcraft An afflicted g
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238 Sammael the slaying and dismemb
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240 The Satanic Rites of Dracula Ta
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242 Satanic Ritual Abuse murders in
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244 Satanic Ritual Abuse Rivera’s
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246 Season of the Witch Flash photo
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248 Shakespeare Thus it is possible
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250 The Shawnee hunt as best they c
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252 Sheol Almost immediately, howev
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254 Stay Tuned unusual shows have r
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256 The Temple of Lylyth The Temple
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258 Thee Satanic Church Other LHP g
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260 Torment of the Damned jokes and
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U UFOs and Demons Unidentified flyi
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UFOs and Demons 265 epidemic, gener
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The United Kingdom, Ritual Abuse in
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The United Kingdom, Ritual Abuse in
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V Virgil Virgil’s Aeneid was the
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Vodoun (also Voodoo; Vodun) 273 the
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Vodoun (also Voodoo; Vodun) 275 liv
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278 Warlock; Warlock: The Armageddo
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280 Wicca Letters century. It was l
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282 Wormwood Witches of Eastwick (1
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284 Zoroastrianism greet him on the
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286 Chronology constitutes the othe
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288 Chronology being forced to eat
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290 Chronology updated exorcism rit
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292 Appendix I: Sample Documents in
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294 Appendix I: Sample Documents ed
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296 Appendix I: Sample Documents ev
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298 Appendix I: Sample Documents di
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300 Appendix II: 1992 FBI Study of
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326 Appendix III: Satanist Survey t
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328 Appendix III: Satanist Survey T
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330 Appendix III: Satanist Survey c
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332 Appendix III: Satanist Survey L
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334 Appendix III: Satanist Survey m
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336 Appendix III: Satanist Survey i
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338 Resources Bierlein, J. F. Paral
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340 Resources Goldenberg, Robert.
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342 Resources Masello, Robert. Fall
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344 Resources Segraves, Kelly L. So
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346 Resources Tezrian’s Vault htt
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348 Index and Indo-Europeans, 124-1
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350 Index Cain, Reverend, 52 Califo
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352 Index and Role-Playing Games, 7
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354 Index and mythology, 77-80 See
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356 Index Gris-gris, 100. See also
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358 Index JET report. See Nottingha
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360 Index Magic Circle and LaVey, A
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362 Index Obsessive-compulsive diso
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364 Index and Zoroastrianism, 284 R
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366 Index Semyaza, 247. See also Fa
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368 Index and Newcastle ritual abus
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About the Author James R. Lewis tea
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