Vedic Mythology c8.2

c8.2

In the Brāhmaṇas the Asuras are associated with darkness (ŚB. 2, 4, 2⁵)². Day belongs to the gods, night to the Asuras (TS. 1, 5, 9²). They are, however, constantly spoken of as being the offspring of Prajāpati and as having originally been equal to and like the gods³. It is perhaps for this reason that malignant spirits are sometimes included by the term *deva* (TS. 3, 5, 4¹; AV. 3, 15⁵).