Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
good authority, that the Indo-Iranian Asura was always regarded as sevenfold. This fact, combined with the name
Mazdha, as above, which makes of the the sevenfold Asura the "Lord", or "Lords" collectively "who bestow
Intelligence," connects the Amshapends with the Asuras and with our incarnating Dhyan Chohans, as well as with
the Elohim, and the seven informing gods of Egypt, Chaldeam and every other country."
Isis Unveiled
by H. P. Blavatsky
Theosophical University Press Online Edition
CHAPTER VII. Vol. 2, Page 299 IAO, THE TRILATERAL NAME.
"IAO, in such a case, would — etymologically considered — mean the "Breath of Life," generated or springing forth
between an upright male and an egg-shaped female principle of nature; for, in Sanscrit, as means "to be," "to live or
exist"; and originally it meant "to breathe." "From it," says Max Muller, "in its original sense of breathing, the Hindus
formed 'asu,' breath, and 'asura,' the name of God, whether it meant the breathing one or the giver of breath."*** It
certainly meant the latter."
Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic,
by W.J. Wilkins, [1900],
438-441
"CHAPTER VI.
"THE ASURAS.
"IN the Purānas and other of the later writings of the Hindus, and also in the popular mind, the asuras are powerful
evil beings; in translations the word is represented by such terms as demons, giants, etc. As the suras * were the
gods, the asuras were not-gods, and therefore the enemies or opponents of the gods. In the Vedas the name asura
is applied more frequently to the gods themselves than to their enemies, whilst it is also used very much in the
same manner as in the later writings. In the Rig-Veda, Varuna is accosted as follows: "King Varuna has made a
highway for the sun to go over. O thou wise asura and king, loosen our sins!" Again: "The all-knowing asura
established the heavens, and fixed the limits of the earth. He sat as the supreme ruler of all worlds. These are the
works of Varuna." "Asura stands for the Supreme Spirit," in another verse, and "also as an appellative for Prajāpati
or creation's lord." † Again and again Varuna alone, and also in conjunction with Mitra, is called an asura. "All the
Vedic gods have shared the same title, not excepting even goddesses." "Varuna was the all-knowing asura,
Prajāpati the Supreme Being; Indra, the Maruts, Tvastri, Mitra, Rudra, Agni, Vāyu, Pushan, Savitri, Parjanya, the
sacrificial priests, were all asuras. In fine, Deva (god) and asura were synonymous expressions in a multitude of
texts." *
On the other hand, in the Rig-Veda, Indra is the destroyer of asuras. "The same Veda which speaks of the asuras
as celestial beings supplies its readers also with the Mantras, by means of which devas overcame asuras. The
texts which are condemnatory of the suras as impure and ungodly are far less in number than those which
recognize the term as applicable to gods and priests." Dr. Banerjea, in the most interesting and ingenious article
from which the above extracts are made, suggests a means of reconciling these contradictory uses of the word
"asura." Before the Indo-Aryans arrived in India, they had lived in close proximity to the Persians, the original
worshippers of fire. "What could be more natural," he asks, "than that the Asura-Pracheta, or Asura-Viswaveda of
the one branch, was but the translation of the Ahura-Mazda (the Wise Lord, according to the 'Zend-Avesta') of the
other branch; and that the word 'Ahura,' which the one used in a divine sense, would become a household word in
the other branch, in the same sense?" the word "Ahura" being changed into "Asura," in a way common to many
other words. He then goes on to say, that as "Assur" was the term used in Assyria for the Supreme Lord, and the
Assyrians were for some time the rulers of the Persians, it was natural that this word should find its way into Persia;
the only change being this, that the Persians added Mazda (wise or good) to the term "Assur," and the Indo-Aryans
received it from them. So much for the good use of the term "Asura."
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