John Milton, Paradise Lost
Abdiel
The solitary seraph who refuses the rebellion and returns through hostile scorn.
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Names and descriptions of beings change across texts and traditions. Begin with a particular account, then follow the recorded relationships, images and stories that help explain its role.
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Explore angels in Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions, from divine messengers and heavenly hierarchies to guardian prayer, sacred art and later esoteric writing.
Messengers, heavenly orders and guardians in religious traditionsUnderstand devas across Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions, with Indra, celestial rebirth, liberation and the differences behind a shared religious vocabulary.
Divine and celestial beings in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditionsExplore jinn in Islamic teaching and folklore, their moral diversity, the debate about Iblis, Solomon’s legendary command and questions of religious authority.
Unseen beings in Islamic teaching, interpretation and folkloreTrace Satan through Jewish and Christian sources, from adversary and accuser to the rebellious devil, with rabbinic interpretation and a comparison with Iblis.
Adversary, accuser and enemy across different religious historiesUnderstand how Lucifer moved from a Latin word for the morning star into Christian interpretations of Satan, and why the same word can also refer to Christ.
A morning-star word and its Christian histories of interpretationExplore Michael as Israel’s advocate, a Christian heavenly commander and Mikail in Islamic teaching, with religious practice and a historical Spanish painting.
An angel of protection, heavenly service and spiritual conflictExplore Gabriel’s roles in Daniel, the Christian Annunciation and Islamic revelation, with Jewish interpretation, Orthodox worship and a historical drawing.
An angel of interpretation, announcement and revelationExplore Mara through Buddhist discourses, the challenge beneath the Bodhi tree, the nun Vajira’s reply and the meaning of the earth-touching gesture in sacred art.
Temptation, mortality and the obstacles to Buddhist awakeningExplore Yama through Vedic ancestors, the dialogue with Nachiketas, Savitri’s appeal, Buddhist moral judgment and different forms of sacred art.
The dead, moral judgment and the encounter with mortalityExplore Osiris through the story of Isis and Horus, funerary judgment, grain rituals and the relationship between the god and the deceased in Egyptian religion.
Kingship, restored life and the dead in ancient Egyptian religionExplore Isis through protection, sacred speech, the stories of Osiris and Horus, Egyptian ritual and the spread of her worship around the Mediterranean.
Protection, sacred speech and the renewal of life in Egyptian religionExplore Shiva through Shaiva teaching, the five divine acts, Nataraja’s dance, temple worship and historical accounts of Sati and Chidambaram.
Divine presence, transformation and the dance of creationExplore Vishnu through avatars, Lakshmi, devotion, divine preservation and historical sculpture, with primary texts and checked Library passages.
Divine preservation, avatars and the life of devotionExplore Devi as divine power and Mother through Shakta teaching, the Devi Mahatmya, Durga’s sacred imagery, darshan and living festival practice.
The Goddess, divine power and the forms of the MotherExplore Avalokiteshvara through compassion, the six-syllable mantra, Guanyin’s changing forms, Chenrezig’s symbolism and historical Water Moon sculpture.
The bodhisattva of compassion across Buddhist texts and culturesBegin with a central figure in the collection’s Egyptian sources.
Egyptian funerary religionFollow a divine figure into a particular telling of his story.
Indian traditions, Nivedita and CoomaraswamyRead how a Theosophical author describes spiritual guardians.
Theosophical astral cosmology204 entries · A–Z
John Milton, Paradise Lost
The solitary seraph who refuses the rebellion and returns through hostile scorn.
Celtic fairy traditions
The youthful god associated with the enchanted palace of the Boyne.
Japanese mythology, Davis retelling
The Sun Goddess whose presence illuminates the world in Davis's retelling of Japanese mythology.
Messengers, heavenly orders and guardians in religious traditions
Explore angels in Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions, from divine messengers and heavenly hierarchies to guardian prayer, sacred art and later esoteric writing.
Dante, Inferno
The unfettered giant who lowers Dante and Virgil toward Cocytus.
Egyptian funerary religion
Guardian of the mummy and guide into the judgment hall.
Welsh folklore, Wirt Sikes
The crowned king of Annwn whose white hounds meet Pwyll in the forest.
The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
The king of Annwvyn who exchanges kingdoms and appearances with Pwyll.
Indian traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
The twin divine physicians whose gift of youth earns a place in the gods’ offerings.
Egyptian funerary religion
The self-emerging creator called Tum by Tirard, rising from primordial water in the Heliopolitan creation account.
The bodhisattva of compassion across Buddhist texts and cultures
Explore Avalokiteshvara through compassion, the six-syllable mantra, Guanyin’s changing forms, Chenrezig’s symbolism and historical Water Moon sculpture.
Indian tale tradition, Burton adaptation
The corpse-animating, storytelling spirit who tests King Vikram in Burton's adaptation of the Baital tales.
Japanese legends, Davis retelling
The composite creature called upon to consume an evil dream.
Indian traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
Krishna’s brother, associated in the collection with the serpent Shesha.
Celtic fairy traditions
A warning woman associated with family, mourning, and the dead.
Dante, Inferno
The captain who restrains his own violent company long enough for questioning.
John Milton, Paradise Lost
The senior fallen counsellor who presents the scheme against the human world.
John Milton, Paradise Lost
The persuasive speaker whose graceful counsel disguises indolence.
The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
The giant king who becomes a bridge for his army and leaves a protective head behind.
Egyptian funerary religion
Solar heron whose identification with the Greek phoenix is questioned.
Japanese legends, Davis retelling
A figure associated with love, beauty, eloquence and island shrines in Davis.
Historical talisman traditions
Egyptian protective figure associated with merriment, children, and renewed youth.
Welsh folklore, Wirt Sikes
Three birds whose song holds the surviving companions of Branwen’s story in an enchanted interval.
The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
The woman made from flowers who becomes an owl after conspiring against Llew.