The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (598 page)

see
BHINDR
NAW
LE, J. S.

 
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Damaru
.

The drum of the Hindu god,
iva
. It accompanies him as Na
ar
ja, the Lord of the
Dance
. It is shaped like an hour-glass, with each half representing the
li
ga
and the
yoni
. From the symmetry between the two, the cosmos is created.

 
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Damascus
or Dimashq
.

Capital of Syria, claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Saul was converted to Christianity on the way to Damascus (hence ‘a Damascus road experience’ for any life-changing event); and ‘the street called Straight’ (i.e. Via Recta, Acts 9. 11) still runs for about a mile E.–W., with Roman gates at each end. When the
Umayyads
came to power in 661 (AH 41), Damascus became their capital. The greatest monument is the Umayyad mosque, now restored after fire in 1893.

 
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Damascus Document
.

Manuscript of a Jewish sect which left
Judah
to settle in ‘Damascus’. It reflects opposition to the
Hasmonean
high priesthood
.

 
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