Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

variety of images and notions: in the

Veda INDRArepresents ‘good’, VØTRA

‘evil’; the DEVAS are opposed by the

ASURAS; the Äryas fight the DAITYAS. In

the Puräæas Vi•æu appears in a series of

AVATÄRASto combat evil: NÄRASIMH.A

kills HIRAŒYAKAŸIPUto save PRAHLÄDA;

Kø•æa kills KAߟAto save his people in

Vraja; Räma kills RAVAŒA. Ÿiva drinks

the poison HALÄHALÄto save human-

kind. Durgä kills the buffalo demon to

save the three worlds from demon rule.

On the level of ethics the opposition

between good and evil is manifested in

following/not following the duties

imposed by one’s VARŒA, and in the sets

of virtues/vices developed especially by

the Nyayaikas (seeNYÄYA). True to the

holistic bent of Hindu thought, howev-

er, the opposition between good and

evil is not seen as a metaphysical split in

reality: the categories good/evil are

within the realm of dvandvas, pairs of

opposites in the finite sphere, ultimately

to be overcome. Hinduism does not

acknowledge an eternal hell or eternal

damnation as punishment for evil

actions. Even the demons are eventually

saved from their evil nature, after hav-

ing served a cosmic purpose.

experience

Hindus have always endeavoured to

experience the ultimate rather than con-

ceptualize it. Upani•adic techniques aim

at an experience of the oneness of

ÄTMAN, and BRAHMAN and Vedäntic

teachers amplify and refine these meth-

ods. ŸA¢KARA(2) insists that anubhava

(experience), rather than intellectual

understanding, can bring about LIBERA-

TION. Theistic Hindu traditions aim at

SÄKÆÄTKÄRA(a direct visual experience

of God), which many Hindus claim to

have had.

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