Questions tagged [asuras]
The asuras are a group of deities that often do battle with the [devas].
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Is Mayasura a Daitya or Danava? What is the important difference between these two groups?
In Mahabharata, Mayasura is said to be the architect of the Daityas. But, in Bhagavata Purana Mayasura is called the Danava King (Canto 5, Chapter 24, Verse 28).
Surely there must be some significance ...
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Why was the post of Lord Indra so much sought after by the Asuras instead of that of Lord Brahma?
Why were the asuras more interested in doing penance to obtain the throne of the Ruler of Heaven compared to that of Lord Brahma, when it can be understood that the post of Lord Brahma wielded more ...
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Scriptural references for Anagha Lakshmi killing Jambasura
I have heard that Anagha Lakshmi, the wife of Dattatreya, killed the demon Jambasura.
Even Lakshmi is called as 'Jambasura ni barhini' in her Sahasranama.
Is there any scriptural references of the ...
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Age difference between Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu
Varaha incarnation killed Hiranyakshya during beginning of current kalpa as per this section of Bhagavata.
Text 17: Brahmā thought: While I have been engaged in the process of
creation, the earth has ...
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Cursing asuras is a Devata's privilege?
Cursing Asuras is a special priviledge of Devata or we human can help the Gods in this?
If yes where and which passage represents a valid reference ?
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Who was the most powerful asura in history [closed]
I want to know if there is any asura who is touted to be the most powerful of all. Like top tier asura.
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Can asuras be born as humans like how devas are born as avadhutas
Do asuras have the power to manifest as humans like how hanuman is a manifestation of shiva.
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Family Tree of Asuras
The most comprehensive one I know of is my own chart of the genealogy of sapient/civilization building races and their deity Upendra form I made through trial and error till I got something that made ...
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Is it true that Durga had problems with a demon that only created clones? What is this story?
Someone said that in a YouTube Comments that Devi Durga had problems with a demon that only created clones. I don't know if this is true. What is the story related to it?
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Did devas, asuras and normal humans exist in the same world together during any time?
Also, I have read some versions stating that devas and asuras are not classified based upon races but classified based upon their behaviour. Why did asuras had to be perceived as evil people. I mean ...
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Are Asuras extinct? If so, since when?
Questions:
Are Asuras extinct? If yes,
Is it during the period of reign of Shree Ram or later?
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Are non-Hindus secretly assisted by asuras and rakshasas in their translations of the Vedas?
It is known that pitrs and devas assist brahmanas in their performance and dissemination of dharma, which includes interpretation of the vedas with the correct meaning.
It's also known that rakshasas ...
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Can a human become demon or viceversa?
Can a human of degraded character become demon or rakshasa? Or can a demon become human through his good character? Justify with refrence of scriptures.
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Is there any mention of asura's fighting God in vedas?
There are many asura's who fought God in purans but is there any mention of asura's fighting God in vedas.
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Are there any asura that asked for a boon/wish and they didn't became evil?
There are many asura's that asked for wishes and became evil. Example ravan.
So are there asura's that were good even after there wish were full filled. Any examples of those asura who's boon itself ...
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Why was Bali Raja considered a demon?
Why was Bali Raja considered a demon? Please explain in detail and provide a link to the scriptural reference if any.
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Durga Devi's Weapon that killed Mahishasura?
The Legend of Durga , slaying the demon Mahisha talks about that the gods combined their energies (shakti) into the female form of Durga, a fierce manifestation of the Goddess (Devi). She received all ...
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In Vedas, which Devas and Asuras are purely a Deva or an Asura but not both?
Which Devas in Vedas (mainly Rigveda) are never referred to as Asuras and similarly which Asuras in Vedas (mainly Rigveda) are never referred to as Devas? I need references only from Vedas and nothing ...
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Is Maya Dānava the first Dānava?
Maya is mentioned so often and without Dānava parents, it points to him being the first of the Dānava. Has anyone found scripture to say definitively?
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What is the story of Svarbhanu, the asura responsible for eclipse?
There is an existing question that has reference to mention of Svarbhanu in Rig Veda. But I am more interested in related stories - be it from brahmanas, ithasas or puranas. Specifically, what was his ...
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Were Asuras once good Devas?
Western Indologists say that Asuras were once good Devas that later rebelled against the Devas and became evil gods or anti-gods.
For example, Michael Witzel in his paper Autochthonous Aryans says:
...
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Which Mleccha languages were revealed by the Asuras?
According to the Shatapatha Brahmana, the Mlecchas speak the languages of the Asuras of Patala.
The gods then cut her off from the Asuras; and having gained possession of her and enveloped her ...
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Marriage between Rakhsasas/Asuras and Devas
What are well known instances from Hindu Mythology of marriages between groups of mythical times described as Rakhsasas/Asuras (common guru Shukracharya) versus Devas ?
Have natural change of ...
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Who is the Asura in this Vedic verse?
I came across this book - The Civilized Demons - which basically makes the Harrappans to be the Asuras reviled in Vedas and even the original gods who were replaced by Devas. The writer cited the ...
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"Tvaṣṭṛ" and "Tvaṣṭā"
If I am correct, "Tvaṣṭṛ" seems to be synonymous with Viśvakarman, while "Tvaṣṭā" is the name of an Asura. It seems that both are identified as Prajāpatis, and this has me wondering: Are these two ...
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Is anti-Brahminism a quality of Asuras and Rakshasas?
Is anti-Brahminism a characteristic of Asuras and Rakshasas?
Which group of created beings is the most anti-Brahmin (hatred and opposition to Brahminism and Brahminical way of life)?
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Is it a sin for Rakshasas, Pisachas, and Asuras to kill humans?
The armies of the Asuras (Daityas and Danavas), Rakshasas, and Pisachas frequently come to Earth and kill humans.
It is even said in scriptures that the food for Pisachas is human flesh.
Do these ...
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Asura’s interaction with Maya
According to Hindu literature, how Asuras (demons) are interacting with Maya? What are relevant passages where someone can start studying about this?
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Do demons (Asuras, Rakshasas, Pisachas, Nagas, etc) reveal false religions to humans according to Hindu scriptures?
According to the Puranas, Vishnu as Buddha revealed a false religion, which we know today as Buddhism, to deceive the Daityas who were using the Vedas to acquire power.
Similarly, do Hindu scriptures ...
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Tripurasur was actually Mohammad [duplicate]
According to Shiv Puran here is as it goes:
Tripura
Tarakasura had three sons named Vidyunmali, Tarakaksha and Viryavana. These three began to perform tapasya. For a hundred years they meditated ...
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Do the armies of the Asuras and Rakshasas ally with the Mleccha kingdoms in their attacks on the Vedic civilization?
The Asuras and Rakshasas have a knack for destroying the Earth, the Vedic civilization, and the members of the 4 castes.
Do the armies of the Asuras and Rakshasas form alliances with the Mleccha ...
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What are all the incidents mentioned in the scriptures where Asuras have tried to destroy the Earth?
What are all the incidents mentioned in the scriptures where Asuras have tried to destroy the Earth?
I know of three: Bali's sister's attempt to annihilate the Earth, Hiranyaksha's submersion of ...
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Discrepancy in the Manusmriti regarding Devas being fond of alcohol just like the Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Pisachas?
This answer says, from the Vyasa Smriti:
Milk, wine, honey, and clarified butter are the articles which the gods are fond of.
The word wine is used for Sanskrit "sura."
Then there is this verse ...
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Do the demons ever try to conquer Brahma loka or Shiva loka?
When Daitya Hiranyakashipu conquered the universe, he conquered up till Swarga.
Text 13: O my dear King, Hiraṇyakaśipu was always drunk on strong-smelling wines and liquors, and therefore his ...
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Why are Daityas Sattvic according to the Manusmriti?
NOTE: This question is NOT a duplicate of this question.
The Manusmriti has this verse about the types of bodies one can enter due to different Gunas. Here are the bodies can can be born in due to ...
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Balance of strength between Asuras and Devas
Here is an extract from a Buddhist scripture (the Caturdevarājasūtra) that directly connects the balance of strength between the Asuras and the Devas with Humanities morality:
During the monthly ...
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Who was the asura Bala?
I want to know who was the asura Bala, and the reason why he was killed by an avatar of Vishnu
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Who was Parâvasu the former Hotri for Asuras?
Shatapatha Brahmana 1.5.1 mentions an interesting thing about the priests of the Devas and Asuras:
He steps beside the Hotri's seat, takes one stalk of (reed) grass from the Hotri's seat and casts it ...
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Who is the 'messenger' of Asuras and what is his story?
Shatapatha Brahmana 1.4.1 mentions how Agni was chosen by the gods as their messenger:
He recites [the eighth sâmidhenî]: 'Agni we choose as messenger!' Now the gods and the Asuras, both of them ...
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Have Devas like Indra, Agni, Varun ever done tapasya in order to counter attack Asuras?
We all know that asuras like Mahisasura, Hiranyakashipu, Tarakasur and many others did severe tapasya to impress either Brahma, Vishnu or Mahesh in order to seek various powers/boon so that they could ...
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Who was the wife of Manu who was sacrificed by the priests of the Asuras?
I came across an interesting story while reading the Shatapatha brahmana regarding Manu's encounters with the priests of Asuras about whose identity I had asked a separate question. These two had ...
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Who were the two priests of Asuras (not Shukracharya)?
I came across an interesting story while reading the Shatapatha brahmana regarding Manu's encounters with the priests of Asuras:
Manu was in possession of a bull. Into him had entered an Asura-...
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How was Vishwarupa, the son of Tvashtar related to Asuras?
Srimad Bhagvatam tells us the story about Vritra's elder brother Vishwarupa who was killed by Indra because he used to give some portion of the Yagya oblations to the Asuras to whom he was related ...
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The 100 Kauravs were incarnations of Asuras but what about their sister?
The Sambhava Parva of Mahabharat gives the details of the who's who in Mahabharat and who were they the incarnations of. It has been covered at many places but my question is specific to Dhritrashtra'...
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What is the story of Kalanemi who was reborn as Kamsa?
The Sambhava Parva of Mahabharat mentions that Kamsa was a rebirth of the demon Kalanemi:
"There was also born on earth a mighty Asura known amongst the Danavas by the name of Kalanemi, endued with ...
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Did saraswati/savitri slay vritra or vetra according to rigveda?
According to wikipedia article of Vritra -
In one verse of a Rig-Vedic hymn eulogising Sarasvati, she is portrayed as the one who slayed Vritra. Mention of this occurs nowhere else.
The verse the ...
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Does yajur Veda samhita also use asura in positive context?
Asura word is used in positive context in rig vedic samhita, but do other Vedas like yajur, atharva use them in same context i.e. positively ?
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Who is Gajasura whose head is attached to Lord Ganesha?
There is a popular story on how Ganesha got an elephant head. There was an ardent devotee called Gajasura. He does severe penance Lord Shiva beheads Lord Ganesha who was guarding the entrance of ...
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What is the military count of the army mentioned in devI mahaAtmayam?
In devi mahaAtmayam we find details of battles between demons and goddesses.
Some of the famous ones are
Mahishasura
Shumbha nishumbha
ChanDa-munDa
I think these armies were higher in number than ...
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Danu is the predecessor of the race of Danavas (demons)
In Brahmanda Purana,
http://www.gloriousindia.com/scriptures/puranas/brahmananda_purana/preaching_of_bruhaspati.html
Bruhaspati replied "In the distant past, Diti, the second wife of Kashyapa gave ...
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