Dear Indologists,

Please excuse cross postings.

I would be grateful for references to any work done on the idea of EVIL in the Vedas and Upanishads. 

I appreciate that there may not be a one to one correlation between the English "evil" and corresponding words in Vedic literature.  "Evil" could range over ideas such as:  rākṣasa or darkness/ignorance (e.g. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28 --- tamaso mā jyotir gamaya).  In connection to this, anything about the demonification of asura-s (and the vindication of devas) would be welcome too.

In this connection I am also especially curious about blood offerings to evil spirits in animal sacrifices (e.g., Aitareya Brahmana II.1.7) and possible Vedic criticisms of the practice.

Thank you!
Shyam

Shyam Ranganathan
Department of Philosophy
York University, Toronto