| . |
Daevas, Daivas, Devas, Devs In ancient Persian mythology they are demons who cause plagues and diseases and who fight every form of religion. They are the male servants (or followers) of Angra Mainyu, also known as Ahriman. The female servants are called the Drugs. Together they fight Ahuru Mazda (Ormazd) and his Amesha Spentas. Originally, the Daevas, together with the Ahuras, were a classification of gods and spirits. In later Persian religion they were degraded to a lesser kind of beings, demons. The word 'devil' is derived from their name. The seven arch demons of the Daevas are: Aesma Daeva, Aka Manah, Indra, Nanghaithya, Saurva, Tawrich and Zarich. Dactyls, Dactyloi, Idaean Dactyls In Greek mythology, they are demons believed to live on Mount Ida in Phrygia (Asia Minor), or on the Isle of Crete. They were considered to be the first metallurgists: they discovered iron and the art of working metals by fire. They belonged to the retinue of the goddess Cybele. The Dactyls are sometimes identified with the Cabiri, Curetes and Corybantes; mostly because of the mystery cults that surrounded those groups. Their name is derived from daktylos ("finger") and is probably based either on their skill with metals or on their small size. Dahaka, Zohak An ancient Persian god of death and demon of deceit and mendacity. He loves destroying life. Dahaka is usually depicted with three heads, while scorpions and lizards crawl all over his body. [Ahriman] Dahhak An evil demon in Persian mythology Daimon The Greek derivative for the term demon. In this sense the term "demon" means "replete with knowledge." The ancient Greeks thought there were good and bad demons called 'eudemons' and 'cacodemons.' The term 'daimon' means, "divine power," "fate" or "god." Daimons, in Greek mythology, included deified heroes. They were considered intermediary spirits between men and the gods. Good daimons were considered to be guardian spirits, giving guidance and protection to the ones they watched over. Bad daimons led people astray. Socrates said he had a lifetime daimon that always warned him of danger and bad judgment, but never directed his actions. He said his daimon was more accurate than omens of either watching the flights or reading the entrails of birds, which were two respected forms of divination of the time. Dalhan A demon riding an ostrich in the desert. It devours travelers. Danjal One of the fallen angels named in Enoch I. He exercises authority over lawyers. Dasim One of the five sons of the Muslin fallen archangel Iblis or Eblis. He is a demon of discord. The other four sons are Awar, demon of lubricity; Sut, demon of lies; Tir, demon of fatal accidents; Zalambur, demon of mercantile dishonesty. Demoniarch A title for Satan. Dev In Persian mythology, a demon of enormous power, a ruthless and immoral god of war. Diabolus, Diabolos [Astaroth] In Bunyan’s Holy War he is the devil. His aides in the war against Shaddai (God) include Apollyon, Python, Cerberus, Legion, Lucifer and others. Dirachiel In The Magus II, he is an ”extra” among the Seven Electors of Hell. Drsmiel An evil angel, one of the nomina barbara, summoned in conjuration rites for separating a husband and wife. Drug Vedic class of demons Dubbiel, Dubiel, Dobiel ”bear-god” Guardian angel of Persia and one of the special accusers of Israel. It is rumored that Dubbiel once officiated in Heaven for 21 days as proxy for Gabriel when the latter (over whom Dubbiel won a victory) was in temporary disgrace. In the view of the legend that all 70 or 72 tutelary angels of nations (except Michael, protector of Israel) became corrupted through national bias, Dubbiel must be regarded as corrupt and an evil angel, a demon. Duma(h) or Douma Aramaic—”silence” The angel of silence and of the stillness of death. Duma is also the tutelary angel of Egypt, prince of Hell, and angel of vindication. The Zohar describes him as having ”tens of thousands of angels of destruction” under him, and as being ”chief of demons in Gehinnom (Hell) with 12,000 myriads of attendants, all charged with the punishment of the souls of sinners.” In the Babylonian legend of the descent of Istar into Hades, Duma shows up as the guardian of the 14th gate. Duma is a popular figure in Yiddish folklore. I. B. Singer mentions him as ”a thousand-eyed angel of death, armed with a fiery rod or flaming sword.” Demons Main Page
|