A History of Sanskrit Literature c7.143

c7.143

By far the most conspicuous of the individual aërial demons of the *Rigveda*, is Vṛitra, who has the form of a serpent, and whose name means "encompasser." Another demon mentioned with some frequency is Vala, the personification of the mythical cave in which the celestial cows are confined. In post-Vedic literature these two demons are frequently mentioned together and are regarded as brothers slain by Indra. The most often named among the remaining adversaries of Indra is Çushṇa, the "hisser" or "scorcher." A rarely-mentioned demon is Svarbhānu, who is described as eclipsing the sun with darkness. His successor in Sanskrit literature was Rāhu, regarded as causing eclipses by swallowing the sun or moon.