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Ananda Coomaraswamy suggested that Devas and Asuras can be best understood as being similar in concept to the Twelve Olympians and the titans of Greek mythology: Both are powerful, but have different orientations and inclinations – in Hindu mythology the Devas represent the powers of light and the Asuras represent the powers of darkness.
The Devas (Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Bhaga, Amsa, etc.) are deities of cosmic and social order, from the universe and kingdoms down to the individual. The Rigveda is a collection of hymns to various deities, most notably heroic Indra , Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods, and Soma , the deified sacred drink of the Indo-Iranians ...
[8] [9] In some medieval works of Indian literature, Devas are also referred to as Suras and contrasted with their equally powerful but malevolent half-brothers, referred to as the Asuras. [10] Devas, along with Asuras, Yakshas (nature spirits), and Rakshasas (ghoulish ogres/demons), are part of Indian mythology, and Devas feature in many ...
The asuras are said to experience a much more pleasurable life than humans, but they are plagued by envy for the devas, whom they can see just as animals perceive humans. [citation needed] The asuras of some inferior realms however, are malevolent (such as the corruptor Mara) and can be referred to as demons.
The Asuras took the Amrit from Dhanvantari and ran away. The devas appealed to Vishnu, who took the form of Mohini, a beautiful and enchanting damsel. She enchanted the asuras into submitting to her terms. She made the devas and the asuras sit in two separate rows and distributed the nectar among the devas, who drank it.
The perennial battle between the devas and asuras is undertaken over the dominion of the three worlds: Svarga, Bhumi, and Patala, (Heaven, Earth, and the underworld). Both races are technically equal, possessors of great religious and martial powers, but the devas are committed to the worship of the Supreme Being and the practice of virtue. The ...
The Eight Legions (Sanskrit: अष्टसेना, Aṣṭasenā; 八部衆) are a group of Buddhist deities whose function is to protect the Dharma.These beings are common among the audience addressed by the Buddha in Mahāyāna sūtras, making appearances in such scriptures as the Lotus Sutra and the Golden Light Sutra.
The ten-headed Ravana is shown anchoring the line of Asuras. [25] A bas-relief at the 12th-century temple of Angkor Wat depicts the figures churning the ocean. It includes Ravana anchoring the line of Asuras that are pulling on the serpent's head. Scholars have speculated that one of the figures in the line of Devas is Ravana's brother Vibhishana.