dev- / Devil

[Gunthard Mueller]

"Devil" is not related to dev-. Devil is ultimately a derivative of Ancient Greek diábolos,
an agent noun of diabállein (different ablaut) "to throw around, mislead, confuse".
The original meaning is the "misleader, confuser". (diá "through/around", bállein "to
throw", related to English/German ball/Ball).
Diábolos is used as a synonym of Satan in the Greek Christian tradition, from where
it reached Latin (as diabolus), with the same meaning. Legalese and proverbial advocatus
diaboli "devil's advocate". The Latin form -- and concept... -- entered most European
languages, e.g. Ital. diabolo, Engl. devil, German Teufel, etc.

Regards,
Gunthard

gm at e-ternals.com


"Aditya, the Cheerful Hindu Skeptic" wrote:

> "Narayan R.Joshi" <giravani at JUNO.COM> has written as follows:
>
> >To the best of my knowledge, the verse 8 of Chapter16 of GItA describes the
> >view of people of AasurI category. The words Daiva and Aasura are
> >adjectives to the various people. Aasura people think that this world is
> >created without any reason and it is without the God, the creator and hence
> >only use of this world is enjoyment. This is the view of Aasura people
> >only , not of DaivI people. Among people all are included, such as Sura,
> >Asura, Deva, Daitya, DAnava,Manu.sya,Gandharva, Kinnara,Yaksha, RAkshasa,
> >NAga, Sarpa,VAnara, SuparNa etc. Devotee PralhAda belonged to Asura people
> >but he was of DaivI category because he was devotee of NArAyaNA. The same
> >is true of Rakshasa Bibhi.saNa, brother of RAvaNa.Thanks.
> Gita is not unique in labeling nonbelievers  with the most obnoxious
> adjectives and epithets and therefore betrays its own human origin.
>
> It is easy to see that Deva and Asurs were two different sects who hated the
> guts of each other just like communists and capitalists of this day. To the
> followers of Asur or Ahur , the word Dev or Devil is as repugnant as Asur is
> to the followers of the Dev.
>
> You cannot take the label  given by one to its enemy to define the true
> nature of the enemy.
>
> Have a peaceful and joyous day.
> Aditya Mishra
> Primary email: a018967t at bc.seflin.org
> Primary homepage: http://www.pompano.net/~aditya
> ICQ # 1131674 Phone #: (954)746-0442  Fax # (209)315-8571
> Random thought of the day:
>         Happiness isn't something you experience; it's something you remember. ... Oscar Levant