Daitya
Encyclopedia
In Hinduism
, the Daityas (दैत्य) are a clan or race or Asura
as are the Danavas
. Daityas were the children of Diti
and the sage Kashyapa. They were a race of giants
who fought against the Devas
because they were jealous of their Deva
half-brothers. The female Daityas are described as wearing jewelry the size of boulders.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, the Daityas (दैत्य) are a clan or race or Asura
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
as are the Danavas
Danava (Hinduism)
In Vedic mythology the Danavas were a race of the Asuras.The Danavas were the sons of Danu, who in turn was a daughter of Daksha. Danu is connected with the waters of heavens and she is probably associated with the formless, primordial waters that existed prior to the creation. The name is...
. Daityas were the children of Diti
Diti
In Hinduism, Diti is an earth goddess and mother of the Maruts with Rudra. She is also the mother of the Daityas with the sage Kashyapa. She wanted to have a son who would be more powerful than Indra and so she practiced magic and kept herself pregnant for one year. Indra used a thunderbolt to...
and the sage Kashyapa. They were a race of giants
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
who fought against the Devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
because they were jealous of their Deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
half-brothers. The female Daityas are described as wearing jewelry the size of boulders.
List of some known Daitya
- HiranyakashipuHiranyakashipuHiranyakashipu [golden-haired] is an Asura from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. The Puranas describe Hiranyakashipu as an Asura. His younger brother, Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha, one of the Avatars of Vishnu and angered by this, Hiranyakashipu decided to gain magical powers by performing...
- son of Diti and Kashyapa - HiranyakshaHiranyakshaIn Hinduism, Hiranyaksha [golden-eyed] was an Asura of pre-ancient India and the son of Diti and Kashyapa. He was slain by the god Vishnu after he took the Earth to the bottom of what has been described as the "Cosmic Ocean". His name in Sanskrit literally means "Goldeneye"...
- younger brother of Hiranyakashipu - HolikaHolikaHolika was a demoness in Hindu mythology who was burnt to death with help of God Brahma by Prahlad. She was the sister of King Hiranyakashipu.The story of Holika's conflict signifies the triumph of good over evil, and death of Holika is celebrated as Holi....
or Sinhika - sister of Hiranyakashipu - PrahladaPrahladaPrahlada is a character from the Puranic texts of Hinduism, wherein he is famed for his exclusive devotion to Vishnu, despite attempts in the story by his father, Hiranyakashipu, to turn him to the contrary...
- son of Hiranyakashipu - VirochanaVirochanaVirochana , in Hindu mythology, was an asura, son of Prahlada and father of Bali. In the Atharvaveda he was mentioned as the son of Prahlada. According to the Chandogya Upanishad , he and Indra went to Prajapati to learn about the atman and lived there, practising brahmacharya for thirty-two...
- son of Prahlada, father of Bali - Victore - mother of Bali
- Bali - son of Virochana
- BanasuraBanasuraBana , in Hindu mythology, was a thousand-armed asura and son of Bali. Banasura was a powerful and terrible asura. All people, even the king of earth and Devas of heaven, were afraid of him. Bana was a follower of Siva. Banasura ruled in present-day central Assam with his capital at Sonitpur ,...
- son of Bali
See also
- DanavasDanava (Hinduism)In Vedic mythology the Danavas were a race of the Asuras.The Danavas were the sons of Danu, who in turn was a daughter of Daksha. Danu is connected with the waters of heavens and she is probably associated with the formless, primordial waters that existed prior to the creation. The name is...
- KalakeyasKalakeyasIn Hinduism the Kalakeyas or Kalakanjas were a powerful, ferocious and cruel clan of Danavas.-Kalaka and Puloma:The Kalakeyas were the descendants of Kalaka, daughter of Vaiswanara . Vaiswanara had three other beautiful daughters...
- Nivatakavacha
- AsuraAsura-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
- List of Asuras
- Exotic tribes of ancient IndiaExotic tribes of ancient IndiaThe classic Indian epics such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas refer to many exotic tribes, describing them as superhuman or subhuman. Narrations about these tribes are often mixed with mythology and fiction...