Asura

Varuna (; , ) is a Hindu god. He is one of the earliest deities in the pantheon, whose role underwent a significant transformation from the Vedic to the Puranic periods. In the early Vedic era, Varuna is seen as the god-sovereign, ruling the sky and embodying divine authority. He is also mentioned as the king of asuras, who gained the status of a deva, serving as the chief of the Adityas, a group of celestial deities. He maintains truth and ṛta, the cosmic and moral order, and was invoked as an omniscient ethical judge, with the stars symbolizing his watchful eyes or spies. Frequently paired w

thumb|300x300px|Asura depicted in the Samudra Manthana bas-relief from [[Angkor Wat]]

Rakshasa (; ; ) are a race of usually malevolent beings prominently featured in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Indonesian folk Islam. They reside on Earth but possess supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as disrupting Vedic sacrifices or eating humans.

thumb|The Planet Rahu and other Astral Figures, painting by the Mahesh of Chamba (fl. c. 1730 - 1770). [[Rietberg Museum]] Rāhu (Sanskrit: राहु, 16px|☊) is one of the nine major celestial bodies (navagraha) in Hindu texts and the king of meteors. It represents the ascension of the Moon in its precessional orbit around the Earth, also referred to as the north lunar node, and along with Ketu, is a "shadow planet" that causes eclipses. Despite having no physical existence, Rahu has been allocated the status of the planet by ancient seers owing to its strong influence in astrology.

Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha and the brother of buffalo-demoness named Mahishi. He was ultimately killed by the goddess Durga with her trishula (trident) after which she gained the epithet Mahishasuramardini ("Slayer of Mahishasura"). Mahishasura had a son named Gajasura.

Ghatotkacha (, ; ) is a character in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. His name comes from the fact that he was bald (utkacha) and his head was shaped like a ghatam, or a pot. He is the son of the Pandava Bhima and the rakshasi Hidimbi.

Hindu deity representing descending lunar node

Vritra (, , ) is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi ( ). He appears as a human-like serpent blocking the course of the Rigvedic rivers, and is slain by Indra with his newly forged vajra.

Hiranyakashipu (, ), was a daitya king of the asuras in the Puranas.

Prahlada () is an asura prince in Hindu scriptures. He is known for his staunch devotion to the preserver deity Vishnu. He was rescued from his evil father, the asura king Hiranyakashipu by Narasimha, the lion avatar of god Vishnu.

Mahabali (IAST: Mahābalī), also known as Bali, Indrasenan, or Māveli, is a daitya king featured in Hinduism. He is the grandson of Prahlada, and a descendant of the sage Kashyapa. There are many versions of his legend in ancient texts such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Shatapatha Brahmana, and many Puranas. According to Hindu literature, he was blessed to be one of the Chiranjivi, a group of seven immortals, by Vamana avatar of god Vishnu and reigns in Sutala loka.

divinity of Indic culture

Diti () is a daughter of the Prajapati Daksha in Hinduism. She is a wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the demonic race Daityas and the divine group of Marutas.

Daughter of Daksha

Hiranyaksha (, ), also known as Hiranyanetra () was an asura king as per Hindu history. He is described to have submerged the earth and terrorised the three worlds. He was slain by the Varaha (wild boar) avatar of Vishnu, who rescued the earth goddess Bhumi and restored order to the earth.

satan demon in Hindu mythology

Kala (, ) is a Sanskrit term that means 'time' or 'death'. As time personified, destroying all things, Kala is a god of death, and often used as one of the epithets of Yama. In Shaivism, Kala is known as the fiery avatar of Shiva, Kala Bhairava or Kalagni Rudra; and in Vaishnavism Kala is also associated with Narasimha and Pralaya. As applied to gods and goddesses, ' is not always distinguishable from ', meaning 'black'.

in Buddhism, name of the lowest ranks of the deities or demigods of the Kāmadhātu

Bana, also referred to as Banasura (), is an asura king in Hindu mythology, ruling from the city of Śoṇitapura. He is described to be the son of Mahabali. His tale of battling Krishna is described in the Bhagavata Purana.

Tarakasura () is a powerful asura in Hindu mythology. He is the son of the asura Vajranga and his wife Vajrangi. Taraka had three sons: Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali, and Kamalaksha, who were known as the Tripurasura. He is slain by Kartikeya.

In Hinduism, Bhasmasura (, ) is an asura or demon, who was granted the power to burn up and immediately turn into ashes (bhasma) anyone whose head he touched with his hand. The asura was tricked by the Vishnu's only female avatar, the enchantress Mohini, to turn himself into ashes.

thumb|Krishna enters the mouth of Aghasura Aghasura (Sanskrit: अघासुर) is an asura featured in Hindu literature, most notably in the Bhagavata Purana. He was one of Kamsa's generals, and the elder brother of the demoness Putana and Bakasura.

Narantaka (Sanskrit: नरान्तक, IAST: narāntaka, lit. destroyer of men) and Devanataka (Sanskrit: देवान्तक, IAST: devāntaka, lit. destroyer of Gods) are asuras and sons of Ravana who appear in a number of Hindu legends. They, along with Atikaya, were the offspring of Ravana and his second wife Dhanyamalini. In the battle of Ramayana, Narantaka was killed by Angada, the son of Bali, whereas Devantaka was slaughtered by the Mace of Hanuman in a duel.

thumb|Folio of the death of Madhu and Kaitabha|260x260px

Kalayavana () is a king in Hinduism. He is stated to have invaded Mathura with an army of 30 million Yavanas against Lord Krishna.

Raktabīja (, ) is an asura in Hinduism. According to the Puranas, he fought with Shumbha and Nishumbha against the goddesses Kali and Chandi, both forms of Durga. Raktabīja secured from Shiva a boon according to which if one drop of blood from his body fell on the battlefield, many Raktabījas would arise from the blood and fight the enemies. Each of these Raktabījas would also be like the others in the matter of strength, form, and weapons. thumb|260x260px|Durga fights the army of Raktabīja.

Virochana () is an asura king in Hinduism. He is the son of Prahlada, the grandson of Hiranyakashipu (according to the Atharvaveda (VIII.10.22), and the father of Bali.

Surapadma (), Surapadman () is an asura featured in Hindu literature. He is the son of the sage Kashyapa and a shakti named Maya. He wages war against the devas by invading Devaloka with a massive army. He is defeated by Murugan, and according to Tamil tradition, turned into his vahana, the peacock. He is the brother of Tarakasura. His eldest son is Banukopan.

Kalanemi (, ) is an asura in Hindu mythology. He is the son of Virochana, and the grandson of Prahlada. He is slain by Vishnu in the Tarakamaya War, in which he is described to be a commander. In one of his rebirths, in various traditions, he is born as Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena, and becomes the king of Mathura. His nephew, Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, slays him for his tyranny. Kalanemi's daughter, Vrinda, becomes Jalandhara's wife....

Namuchi (Sanskrit: नमुचि, romanized: Namuchi), also written as Namuci and known as Namuki in Vedic texts, is an Asura (demon) in Hindu mythology. He was mentioned in the Rigveda and later in the Mahabharata and Puranas which offer varying accounts of his life and death. Namuchi is often associated with other powerful Asuras and is portrayed as an adversary of the gods, particularly Indra.

Svarbhānu () is an asura traditionally held responsible for solar eclipses and lunar eclipses in Vedic mythology. The name is also used as an attribute of the asuras Rahu and Ketu in Puranic mythology, who are also connected to the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse.

fictional character

Trishiras (), also referred to as Vishvarupa, was the three-headed son of the craftsman god Tvashta. He was killed by Indra, the king of the devas. To avenge his death, Tvashta later created the demon Vritra.

Lavana () is an asura in Hinduism. He is slain by Shatrughna, the youngest brother of Rama, in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

Jvara (), also called Jvarasura, is the personification of fever in Hindu tradition. He is the servant, and sometimes the attendant, of the pox-goddess, Shitala.

Mada () is a term used in both Hindu theology and mythology. It is one of the Arishadvargas. It refers to one of the six enemies of the mind or a vice according to the Hindu scriptures. It is the Hindu equivalent of pride in the seven deadly sins from Christian theology.

thumb|260x260px|Arjuna fights a nivatakavacha, driven by Matali. Balinese art.

mythological demon from the Vedas

Vajranga () is an asura in Hinduism. According to the Puranas, he was born to Diti and was fathered by the sage Kashyapa. Diti, being the mother of the asuras, sought revenge for the deaths of her children by the hands of the devas. Diti is said to have undergone severe austerities for ten thousand years in exchange for a boon which granted her a child who would slay the devas. Kashyapa granted her wish and they birthed Vajranga, whose body was like Indra's weapon, the vajra.

asura brothers in Hindu mythology

Vajradatta () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is the son and successor of King Bhagadatta, and the third ruler of the Naraka dynasty of the Pragjyotisha Kingdom. Vajradatta is regarded to have studied the four Vedas along with the disciplines called the Angas, as well as the Nitishastras of Brihaspati and Shukra. Vajradatta is mentioned in epics as powerful as Indra, speedy like Vajra and who pleased the performer of hundred sacrifices, who is Indra again, in battle. He said to possess bolt-like lustre and conquered enemies like Indra.

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The kalakeyas () or kalakhanjas () are a sect of danavas in Hindu mythology, referring to the children of Kashyapa and Kala. Sixty-thousand kalakeyas are said to exist, and they are described to fight under the asura banner, under Vritra, as well as other rulers.

thumb|Darika kolam for Padayani Darika is a character in Mudiyettu, a ritualistic dance from the Bhagavathi or Bhadrakali worship, usually performed only in the Kali temples of Kerala. The story is also known as "Darika vadham", or "killing of Darika".

Mukasura () is an asura featured in the Indian epic Mahabharata.

thumb|220px|Shiva crushing Tripurasura; a sculpture found at Halebidu temple complex in Karnataka. [[Kartikeya is seen on left.]] Tripurasura (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरासुर) is a trio of asura brothers named Tarakaksha, Vidyunmāli and Kamalaksha, who were the sons of the asura Tarakasura. These three began to perform severe tapasya. They were then granted boons by Brahma to have three forts: gold, silver, and iron, which angered the Devas. Vishnu then made a new religion to make them evil, and the objective of killing the asuras was taken upon by Shiva, which took three days on the battlefield, final

Crane asura in Hindu mythology

Durgama (), also called Durgamasura (), is an asura king in Hindu mythology. His legend is associated with the origin of the goddess Shakambhari.

Susna () is an asura described in Hindu texts. Normally associated with drought, Susna is often described as possessing a snake-like form with horns. He is an enemy of the deity Indra.

Durukti () is the sister and wife of the asura Kali in Hindu mythology.