Blog, Demons, Working With Demons
Dregvant: The Spirit of Luxury and Vices
Jun
In Persian folklore and Zoroastrianism, Dregvant is described as a wicked, unholy or unrighteous demon of luxury and vice. Dregvant is also a title for anyone who is unholy and unrighteous by nature. This was a name given to the residents of the city of Gilan south of the Caspian Sea, who were considered to be fiends incarnate.
Description:
Other names: Darvand
Abilities:
•Being evil spirits by nature, Dregvants have the ability to lead souls astray through lies and deceit.
•They are also agents and instruments of wickedness causing several forms of evil to mankind as a whole.
Ahriman as a Dregvant:
A Dregvant is a Yatu or initiate of the Daeva-Yasna. Some forms of Zoroastrian and Persian lore states that Angra Mainyu or Ahriman the evil spirit is a dregvant while others state that Ahriman commands an army of evil spirits otherwise known as dregvants.
Angra Mainyu as a dregvant is the personification of that which is evil and wicked. His name can be further divided into different meanings to form one word; Angra which means destructive, disorderly,or chaotic and Mainyu which means spirit or mind. His direct opposite is Ahura Mazda who he battles with constantly.
In the Zurvanite Zoroastrianism, Ahriman is seen as evil by choice, being born as part of a twin by Zurvan together with Ohrmuzd. The lore states that Ahriman displaced his twin brother by ripping the womb open to emerge first before his brother. He is aware that Ohrmuzd is greater than him that is why he created several forms of devs (demons) and dregvants (evil spirits like himself) who will directly affect mankind. But it is said that he will be destroyed at the end of time.
“Thou Ahura Mazda, dost recognize only two classes among mankind, the ‘ashavan’ or righteous and the ‘dregvant,’ ‘darvand’ or wicked to whatever religion they may belong. Those among Zoroastrians, who think good thoughts, speak good words and do good deeds are ‘ashavan’ or righteous in thy sight. Those who don Sudrah and Kusti, the sacred shirt and girdle, and call themselves the Mazda worshipping Zoroastrians yet think evil thoughts and speak evil words and do evil deeds, are ‘darvands’ or wicked. Those that profess to be good Mazdayasnians, but whose conduct gives the lie to their profession, are themselves ‘darvands,’ wicked indeed.”
Even the ideology of right and wrong has a great influence on the lore surrounding the dregvants.
The main theme of Persian mythology was the battle between good and evil. Ahura Mazda and Ahriman were not the only ones involved. Hosts of Yazatas and other good spirits (also called the ashavans) fought on Ahura Mazda’s side.
Citations
1.https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/persian-mythology
2.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darvand
3.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahriman
4.The Encyclopedia of demons and demonology
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