Epic Mythology c4.s2.1

Language: English

c4.s2.1.1

— To the epic poets the Asuras were in general the a-suras, the "ungodly". They included accordingly all the sinful demons, both the sons of Diti (called Ditija, Daitya, or Daiteya) and of Danu (called Dānava or Dānaveya), who are the chief opponents of the A-daiteyas or gods (cf. a-sura), and various special groups, such as the Kāleyas (Kālakeyas, Kālakañjas) and other "children of darkness", who upheld the great serpent-demon Vṛtra in his battles with the children of light, and are regarded as corporations, gaṇas, of Dānavas and Daityas. The typical leaders of the Asuras are Hiraṇyakaśipu, Bali, Jambha, etc., demons slaughtered by Indra, Agastya, etc., or by Viṣṇu (2, 100—102), together with other groups of demons slaughtered en masse by Arjuna and other heroes and known as Khalins, Kīcakas, and Nivātakavacas (“Daityas, haters of the gods” 1, 123, 45). The sire of all these demons was Kaśyapa, who by various wives, for the most part daughters of Dakṣa (§ 139), became father of the Paulomas, as they are called after his demoniac wife Pulomā (7, 51, 17). But among the Asuras are often included (as already observed in the preceding section) the giant fiends known as Rākṣasas (really a sort of Asura in Vedic times), who in turn are sometimes confused with Piśācas; so that, as Asura exchanges with Rākṣasa and Rākṣasa with Piśāca, there is no clear line of demarcation between the groups, though the Piśācas are too mean and low to be confused with demons of the highest type (cf.

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3, 285, 1, Piśācakṣudrarakṣasas commingling as one group). An Asura called Daṁśa (12, 3, 15 f.) is cursed by a saint to be reborn in the hellish state of a blood-drinking octopod. On being released from the curse he appears not as an “Asura” but as a red Rākṣasa riding on a cloud (Alarka, as he is called when a “pig-shaped worm with eight feet”, is the name of a mad king of Benares, 3, 25, 13; 14, 30, 2). The Nāgas, though distinct from Asuras, are as a group affiliated, living with them and fighting on their side. The “roaring Asuras” are thus found in battle beside the Rākṣasas and Nāgas as opposed to the orthodox side of Kṛṣṇa and the Fire-god at Khāṇḍava (1, 227, 24 f.; see also below), and generally the Asuras and Nāgas belong together, though numerous exceptions occur in the case of the Nāgas (§ 13). Between the groups of Asuras the poets did not distinguish very carefully. Thus Danur nāma Diteḥ putraḥ describes the Kabandha of R 4, 4, 15, who, again (ib. 3, 70, 5 and 10) is Rākṣasa as well as Asura. Whether, like the Nāgas mentioned as kings (2, 8, 24) and the Piśācas mentioned as a tribe, with Kaliṅgas, etc. (6, 87, 8), the Asuras are euhemerised native races, must be left, from epic evidence, undetermined (see below). To the poets they are great spirits. They do not roam about battle-fields gorging themselves with blood and fat, as do the Piśācas (and Rākṣasas, e. g. 6, 86, 45).

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They are “elder brothers of the Devas” (§ 19) and are sometimes as generous and valorous as the gods. They are invoked in benedictions with the gods (R 2, 25, 16, tavā 'dityāś ca Daityāś ca bhavantu sukhadāḥ sadā). The Dānava Asuras were originally pious and moral, according to epic legend (12, 229, 27 f.), though when it is said here that they “worshipped the gods”, credulity is strained. Pride made them sinful and so they were driven out of their celestial abodes, losing Happiness (personified), who forsook them, as she does all sinners. The moral is too obvious to permit belief that this legend in detail reflects tradition. Nevertheless, Asuras are represented as associating with the gods, and, with the Nāgas, as worshipping Varuṇa in his own palace, probably because Varuṇa’s place is their home (see below). Moreover some of the Daityas and Dānavas are “beautiful” and their names, Sumati, Sumanas, etc. mean “kind-hearted” (2, 9, 7 f.). On the whole the Dānavas are more god-like than the Daityas and of course than the Asura Rākṣasas. The Asuras Madhu and Kaiṭabha, who “never told a lie”, are Dānavas, and the “Ārya Asuras” of the tale of Happiness (above) are called Dānavas by Śrī herself; only the stupid Indra, who is hearing the story for the first time (!), alludes to them interrogatively as Daityas. This may be the implication of the fact that only rarely does a Daitya-female serve as a typical beauty, as Dānava-females do constantly.

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The foremost Dānava is the "very clever" Vipracitti, who with the other Dānavas is born of Danu, in antithesis to the "Asuras all born of Diti" (a late distinction, 12, 207, 27 f.), as if the Dānavas were not Asuras at all. The later epic calls Vipracitti Daitya and Dānava indifferently (12, 98, 49 f.; H 13884 and 13894 f.). Both groups of Asuras are said to be strong, but poetic necessity disposes of them as if they were weaklings, when it is said that Dānavas fall from their cars and are eaten by fishes and Daityas are routed by the Wind (-god; 3, 20, 31, and under Vāyu § 47). They were driven from heaven at the end of the Kṛta age (1, 64, 28) and took refuge in the caves beside the sea, in mountains, in forests (the Dānavas and Rākṣasas together, 1, 228, 1), under earth, but chiefly in the ocean (1, 21, 7 f.). They appear, however, on occasion in the air and in the sky, as if belonging there, as of old. The combined hosts of Daityas and Dānavas, on losing the ambrosia got from the ocean and on being defeated by the gods, first appear as mountain-hurling gods and then flee into earth and sea (1, 18, 46; 29, 25). Instead of mountainous shapes they often appear like animals, but, as here, fall finally into sea or earth. They are incorporate in the shape of animals and kings of the great war, to which fate they were doomed in consequence of their desire for power. They are opposed to the caste-system, the seers, and the Brahmanic power (1, 64, 32 and 36; ib. 30, Kravyādas).

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To the demons enumerated in general as Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, and Serpents (pannagas), and cannibals (puruṣādāni sattvāni, 1, 65, 5) are opposed the incorporate gods. Thus Kaṃsa is Kālanemi and the kings of Kaliṅga are the Asuras called Krodhavaśas. Aśvapati Kaikeya, Bāṇa, et al., are Asuras, slain by gods or heroes (the later legend regarding Bāṇa, H 9910, etc., to the effect that his daughter Uṣā loved Aniruddha, is not given in the epic proper). A number of inconsistencies are found in the great epic. Hiraṇyakaśipu is the only son of Diti; Hiraṇyākṣa is a later addition. Kumbha and Nikumbha are Rākṣasas in R; sons of Prahlāda and grandsons of Hiraṇyakaśipu, Asuras, in Mbh. They are brothers of Virocana, father of Bali and grandson of the above-mentioned "great Asura" Bāṇa, who was slain by Kṛṣṇa-Viṣṇu in one tale and by Skanda in another (5, 62, 11; 9, 46, 82). So too Danu has "forty" sons and forty-four are mentioned by name (1, 65, 21 f.). This prolific demon's most famous offspring are Śambara, Namuci, Puloman, Keśin, Svarbhānu, Aśva (who is reborn as Aśoka), Virūpākṣa, Naraka, Vātāpin (but Ilvala is a "son of Diti", 3, 96, 5). The Asura called Mayūra is omitted from the genealogical list, and the Sun and Moon mentioned as Asuras are said to be other than the sun and moon of the gods; moreover, the descendants of Danu are "without number" (1, 65, 21—30). The great Asura Vṛtra is listed as son of Danāyus, along with Bala and Vira.

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The sons of Kadrū are the Nāgas and the sons of Kalā, Kālakeyas, are "smiters", chiefly moral personifications, Wrath, Destruction, etc. As priest of the Asuras appear not only Śukra but his sons (see § 125, Atri). The Asuras are frequently identified with natural phenomena and get their names in part therefrom, especially cloud-phenomena, to which they are often compared. Opposition to light and goodness, love of and use of māyā, illusion or deception (tricks), a roaring voice, ability to assume any shape (they are three-headed, etc.), or to disappear, are their general characteristics; in which they differ from Rākṣasas not at all and except for the first element not from the gods. The common traits being excluded, there remains as their peculiarity dislike to goodness and light (as goodness).