The devil?

[Guest guest]

Does Hinduism believe there is a devil like many other religions do?

[barney]

Yes, we do not call it the devil but lost souls. These souls that did not adhere to the scriptures behaved in a manner that was against the religious obligations while alive and due to their bad karma could not find thier way to moksha after death and so they have to wait their time until they are relieved of their misery as wondering souls. Until than they will will wonder in bodyless sprit. But the real devil is the living beings who are the cause of this troubled world. There are racketeers such as dealing in manufacturing of probhibited drugs to destroy the growing populations, Hoarders who make money in the black market and deprive people of decent food and clothings, politicians who deprive people of basic ammenities and sound living by robbing the countries wealth, fanatical religious goons killing innocent people in the name of their religion and many other faces of the devil. These Devils will be severely punished by God as their sin is much much more greater than us who believe in God but have different way of approach and I don not think that is a sin.

[maadhav]

There is no devil per hindu scriptures.

 

there are ghosts, the souls that are with acute desires but without a body to fulfil the desires.

 

they possess weaker souls with bodies sometimes for short periods. saints are able to free a person who is possessed by a ghost. they can free a place occupied by ghost.

the association/presence of a saint mostly frees the soul from ghost condition.

 

some ghosts are of good nature. they help others.

legend is that a ghost helped tulasidas identify hanuman

who helped him identify/meet rama at the chitrakoota ghata.