It is a remarkable fact that the evil spirits in the Avesta bear the name of Daevas. The Arians of India called their good gods, the gods of light, Devas; from the same root has sprung the general name of the gods among the Greeks, Italians, and the Celts. Hence among the Arians of Iran also it must once have been in use for the spirits of light. Why the names Bagha and Yazata became used in the Avesta for the good gods, while the evil spirits received the name of Daevas we cannot discover; nor can we decide whether this change of name came in with the reform. We can only discover that an analogous change has taken place in India also. In the Rigveda the good gods are comprised under the name Asura (old Bactrian Ahura), i. e. the lord; at a later time the evil spirits among the Indians were always called Asuras, while in Iran the name is allotted to the highest among the good spirits.
FOOTNOTES:
[197] "Yaçna," 29; Roth; "Z. D. M. G." 25, 6 ff. Geus urva means soul of the bull; the priests identified the soul of the first created bull with the protectress of the flocks, the Drvaçpa, i. e. having mighty horses. Spiegel, "Avesta," 3, 74.
[198] "Aban Yasht," 17-19.
[199] "Afrin Zartusht," 4.
[200] "Yaçna," 9, 42.
[201] "Farvardin Yasht," 93, 94.
[202] "Ashi Yasht," 17 ff.
[203] "Bahram Yasht," 28-33.
[204] "Yaçna," 13, 18; 64, 38; 69, 65.