Bundahishn
[On the evil-doing of Aharman and the demons it says in revelation, that the evil which the evil spirit has produced for the creation of Aûharmazd it is possible to tell by this winter; and his body is that of a lizard (vazagh) whose place is filth (kalk).
He does not think, nor speak, nor act for the welfare (nadûkih) of the creatures of Aûharmazd; and his business is unmercifulness and the destruction of this welfare, so that the creatures which Aûharmazd shall increase he will destroy; and his eyesight (kashm mikisn) does not refrain from doing the creatures harm.
As it says that, 'ever since a creature was created by us, I, who am Aûharmazd, have not rested at ease, on account of providing protection for my own creatures; and likewise not even he, the evil spirit, on account of contriving evil for the creatures.'
And by their devotion to witchcraft (yâtûk-dinôth) he seduces mankind into affection for himself and disaffection to Aûharmazd, so that they forsake the religion of Aûharmazd, and practise that of Aharman. 5. He casts this into the thoughts of men, that this religion of Aûharmazd is nought, and it is not necessary to be steadfast in it. 6. Whoever gives that man anything, in whose law (dâd) this saying is established, then the evil spirit is propitiated by him, that is, he has acted by his pleasure.
The business of Akôman is this, that he gave vile thoughts and discord to the creatures.
The business of the demon Andar is this, that he constrains the thoughts of the creatures from deeds of virtue, just like a leader who has well-constrained (sardâr-i khup afsârdo); and he casts this into the thoughts of men, that it is not necessary to have the sacred shirt and thread-girdle.
The business of the demon Sâvar, that is a leader of the demons, is this, that is, misgovernment, oppressive anarchy, and drunkenness.
The business of the demon Nâîkîyas is this, that he gives discontent to the creatures; as it says, that should this one give anything to those men whose opinion (dâd) is this, that it is not necessary to have the sacred shirt and thread-girdle, then Andar, Sâvar, and Nâîkîyas are propitiated by him.
The demon Taprêv is he who mingles poison with plants and creatures; as it says thus: 'Taprêv the frustrater, and Zâîrîk the maker of poison.'
All those six, it is said, are arch-fiends of the demons; the rest are co-operating and confederate with them.
This, too, it says, that] 3 should one give [anything to] a man who says [that it is proper to have one boot], and in his law walking with one boot [is established, then] the fiend Taprêv is propitiated [by him].
The demon Tarômat 5 [is he who] produces disobedience; the demon Mitôkht is the liar (drôgan) of the evil spirit'; the demon Arask ('malice') is the spiteful fiend of the evil eye.
Theirs are the same appliances as the demon Aeshm's, as it says that seven powers are given to Aeshm, that he may utterly destroy the creatures therewith; with those seven powers he will destroy seven of the Kayân heroes in his own time, but one will remain.
There where Mitôkht ('falsehood') arrives, Arask ('malice') becomes welcome, [and there where Arask is welcome] 3 Aeshm lays a foundation, and there where Aeshm has a foundation many creatures perish, and he causes much non-Iranianism.
Aeshm mostly contrives all evil for the creatures of Aûharmazd, and the evil deeds of those Kayân heroes have been more complete through Aeshm, as it says, that Aeshm, the impetuous assailant, causes them most'. b
The demon Vizarêsh is he who struggles with the souls of men which have departed, those days and nights' when they remain in the world; he carries them on, terror-stricken, and sits at the gate of hell.
The demon Uda is he who, when a man sits in a private place, or when he eats at meals, strikes his knee spiritually on his back, so that he bawls out [and looks out, that chattering he may eat, chattering] he may evacuate (riêd), and chattering he may make water (mêzêd), so that he may not attain [unto the] best existence.
[The demon Akâtâsh is the fiend of perversion (nikirâyih), who makes the creatures averse (nikirât) from proper things; as it says, that whoever has given anything to that person (tanû) whose opinion (dâd) is this, that it is not necessary to have a high-priest (dastôbar), then the demon Aeshm is propitiated by him.
Whoever has given anything to that person whose opinion is this, and who says, that it is not necessary to have a snake-killer (mâr-van), then Aharman, with the foregoing demons, is propitiated by him; this is said of him who, when he sees a noxious creature, does not kill it.
A snake-killer (mârô-gnô) is a stick on the end of which a leathern thong is provided; and it is declared that every one of the good religion must possess one, that they may strike and kill noxious creatures and sinners more meritoriously with it.
Zarmân is the demon who makes decrepit (duspad), whom they call old age (pîrth). Kishmak is he who makes disastrous (vazandak), and also causes the whirlwind which passes over for disturbance. 25. The demon Varenô is he who causes illicit intercourse, as it says thus: 'Varenô the defiling (âlâf).' 26. The demon Bûshâsp is she who causes slothfulness; Sêg is the fiend (drug) who causes annihilation; and the demon Niyâz is he who causes distress.
The demon Âz ('greediness') is he who swallows everything, and when, through destitution, nothing has come he eats himself; he is that fiendishness which, although the whole wealth of the world be given up to it, does not fill up and is not satisfied; as it says, that the eye of the covetous is a noose (gamand), and in it the world is nought.
Pûs is the demon who makes a hoard, and does not consume it, and does not give to any one; as it says, that the power of the demon Âz is owing to that person who, not content with his own wife, snatches away even those of others.
The demon Nas' is he who causes the pollution and contamination (nisrůstih), which they call nasât (dead matter').
The demon Friftâr (‘deceiver') is he who seduces mankind.
The demon Spazg 2 ('slander') is he who brings and conveys discourse (milayâ), and it is nothing in appearance such as he says; and he shows that mankind fights and apologizes (avakhshined), individual with individual.
The demon Arâst ('untrue') is he who speaks falsehood.
The demon Aighâsh is the malignant-eyed fiend who smites mankind with his eye.
The demon Bût is he whom they worship among the Hindûs, and his growth is lodged in idols, as one worships the horse as an idol.
Astô-vidad is the evil flyer (vâê-i saritar) who seizes the life; as it says that, when his hand strokes a man it is lethargy, when he casts it on the sick one it is fever, when he looks in his eyes he drives away the life, and they call it death.
The demon of the malignant eye (sûr-kashmih) is he who will spoil anything which men see, when they do not say 'in the name of God' (yazdân).
With every one of them are many demons and fiends co-operating, to specify whom a second time would be tedious; demons, too, who are furies (khashmakân), are in great multitude it is said.
They are demons of ruin, pain, and growing old (zvârân), producers of vexation and bile, revivers of grief (nivagih), the progeny of gloom, and bringers of stench, decay, and vileness, who are many, very numerous, and very notorious; and a portion of all of them is mingled in the bodies of men, and their characteristics are glaring in mankind.
The demon Apâôsh' and the demon Aspengargâk are those who remain in contest with the rain.
Of the evil spirit are the law of vileness, the religion of sorcery, the weapons of fiendishness, and the perversion (khâmih) of God's works; and his wish is this, that is: 'Do not ask about me, and do not understand me! for if ye ask about and understand me, ye will not come after me.' 41. This, too, it says, that the evil spirit remains at the distance of a cry, even at the cry of a three-year-old cock (kûlêng), even at the cry of an ass, even at the cry of a righteous man when one strikes him involuntarily and he utters a cry
The demon Kundak is he who is the steed (bârak) of wizards.
Various new demons arise from the various new sins the creatures may commit, and are produced for such purposes; who make even those planets rush on which are in the celestial sphere, and they stand very numerously in the conflict. 44. Their ringleaders (kamârîkân) are those seven planets, the head and tail of Gôkihar, and Mûspar provided with a tail, which are ten. 45. And by them these ten worldly creations, that is, the sky, water, earth, vegetation, animals, metals, wind, light, fire, and mankind, are corrupted with all this vileness; and from them calamity, captivity, disease, death, and other evils and corruptions ever come to water, vegetation, and the other creations which exist in the world, owing to the fiendishness of those ten. 46. They whom I have enumerated are furnished with the assistance and crafty (afzârhômand) nature of Aharman.
Regarding the cold, dry, stony, and dark interior of mysterious (târik den afrâg-pêdâk) hell it says, that the darkness is fit to grasp with the hand, and the stench is fit to cut with a knife; and if they inflict the punishment of a thousand men within a single span, they (the men) think in this way, that they are alone; and the loneliness is worse than its punishment.
And its connection (band) is with the seven planets, be it through much cold like Saturn (Kêvân), be it through much heat like Aharman; and their food is brimstone (gandak), and of succulents the lizard (vazagh), and other evil and wretchedness (patyân).]