According to ancient scriptures, the daityas (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
: दैत्य) are a race of
asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
s, descending from
Kashyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, ...
and his wife,
Diti
Diti ( sa, दिति) is a daughter of the ''Prajapati'' Daksha in Hinduism. She is a wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the demonic race Daityas and the divine group of Marutas.
Legend
According to the ''Puranic'' scriptures,
...
. Prominent members of this race include
Hiranyaksha
__NOTOC__
Hiranyaksha ( sa, हिरण्याक्ष, "golden-eyed"), also known as Hiranyanetra ( sa, हिरण्यनेत्र) was an oppressive Asura who attacked the heavens and thereafter kidnapped and attempted to destroy th ...
,
Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu (; also known as Hiranyakashyap) was an Asura king of the ''daityas'' from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. His name literally translates to "clothed in gold" (''hiranya'' "gold" ''kashipu'' "soft cushion"), and is often int ...
, and
Mahabali, all of whom overran the
earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...
, and required three of
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
's
avataras to be vanquished.
Literature
The
Manusmṛiti classifies the daityas as good, while placing them at a lower level than the
devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
:
The origin and noteworthy members of this race are specified in the
Harivamsha Purana:
List of daityas
Some of the notable daityas mentioned in
Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology is the body of myths and literature attributed to, and espoused by, the adherents of the Hindu religion, found in Hindu texts such as the Vedic literature, epics like ''Mahabharata'' and ''Ramayana'', the Puranas, and ...
include:
*
Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu (; also known as Hiranyakashyap) was an Asura king of the ''daityas'' from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. His name literally translates to "clothed in gold" (''hiranya'' "gold" ''kashipu'' "soft cushion"), and is often int ...
- First son of
Kashyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, ...
and
Diti
Diti ( sa, दिति) is a daughter of the ''Prajapati'' Daksha in Hinduism. She is a wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the demonic race Daityas and the divine group of Marutas.
Legend
According to the ''Puranic'' scriptures,
...
*
Hiraṇyakṣa - Second son of Kashyapa and Diti
*
Holika - First daughter of Kashyapa and Diti
*
Andhakasura - Son of Hiranyaksha (Born from the sweat of Shiva)
*
Prahlada
Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
- Son of Hiranyakashipu
*
Simhika - Daughter of Hiranyakashipu
*
Virocana
Virochana () is an asura king in Hinduism. He is the grandson of Hiranyakashipu, the son of Prahlada (according to the Atharvaveda (VIII.10.22), and the father of Bali.
Legend
Being the son of Prahlada, a staunch devotee of Vishnu, Virochana ...
- Son of Prahlada, father of Mahabali
* Devamba - Mother of Mahabali
*
Mahabali - Son of Virochana
*
Baṇasura - Son of Mahabali
*
Rahu
Rāhu ( Sanskrit: राहु, 16px, ☊) is one of the nine major celestial bodies (navagraha) in Hindu texts and the king of meteors. It represents the ascension of the moon in its precessional orbit around the earth, also referred as th ...
*
Tarakasura
*
Tripurasura - Son of Tarakasura
*Shambasura
See also
*
Danavas
*
Kalakeyas
*
Nivatakavacha
The nivatakavachas ( sa, निवातकवच, lit=the impenetrable armoured ones, translit=Nivātakavaca) are a sect of daityas, the children of Kashyapa and Diti, classified under the race of asuras in Hindu mythology. They are best known ...
*
Asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
*
List of Asuras
Asuras ( sa, असुर) are a class of beings or power-seeking clans, related to the more benevolent devas (also known as ''suras'') in Hinduism.
Clans
The two major clans of the asuras are the daityas and the danavas.
* Daitya - a clan of ...
*
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
References
Notes
External links
*
Giants
Characters in Hindu mythology
{{Hindu-myth-stub