Curse & boon stories Assura's underworld : The Genealogy of Rakshasas, Asuras, Danavas, and Daityas

 

The Genealogy of Rakshasas, Asuras, Danavas, and Daityas

Let's examine the maternal lineage and ancestry of the Asuras. Two families stand out prominently: the Daitya clan, established by Diti, and a separate race later known as Rakshasas, whose leader was the Rakshasa King Ravana. Surasa is considered the mother of the Rakshasas.

Prajapati Daksha married off his 13 daughters to Sage Kashyapa to expand creation. These daughters included notable figures such as Diti, Aditi, Danu, Surasa, Kadru, Vinata, Kashtha, Arishta, Ila, Krodhavasha, Tamra, Surabhi, and Timi. Each lineage gave birth to unique creatures:

• Timi gave birth to aquatic beings,
• Sarama gave birth to wild animals like tigers,
• Tamra gave birth to birds and vultures,
• Krodhavasha produced scorpions,
• Surasa gave birth to Rakshasas.

For instance, Namuchi, a Danava, married Suprabha (daughter of Swarbhanu/Rahu), while Nahusha, the son of King Yayati, married Sharmistha, the daughter of Shukracharya (the Asura Guru).

While the sons of Aditi (the Adityas) embraced a culture of yoga and righteousness, the sons of Diti (the Daityas and Asuras) indulged in pleasure and became associated with meat, alcohol, and unrighteousness. Initially, the Asuras resided on the five-peaked Mount Sumeru. When the Devas cast them down, they crowned Hiranyakashipu as their king, who established a kingdom called Hiranyapura, a land of golden mountains. The struggle over these golden peaks led to constant conflicts between the Devas and Asuras.

Lord Brahma created the realms of Bhu, Bhuva, and Swarga—the earth, the sky, and the heavens. The Asuras tasked with protecting these realms were called Rakshasas. Their battle cry was "Vayam Rakshamah" ("We protect"), but over time, their lust for power led them to transform into rulers, adopting the identity of Rakshasas.

The sons of Aditi were 12 Adityas: Vivasvan, Aryaman, Pusha, Tvasta, Savita, Bhaga, Dhata, Vidhata, Varuna, Mitra, Indra, and Trivikrama, collectively known as the Devas. Lord Indra became their king, and their abode was Devaloka.

The children of Diti were known as Daityas and Asuras. Among them were two heroic brothers, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, as well as daughters such as Simhika and Holika. Rahu, whose mother was Simhika, also belonged to this lineage. The Daityas were sworn enemies of Lord Vishnu.

Hiranyakashipu, under his mother Diti’s guidance, laid the foundation of the Asura dynasty. His lineage included notable figures like Prahlada, Anuhlada, Hlada, Virochana, and King Bali, some of whom were devotees of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyaksha's son Andhaka received a boon from Lord Shiva and is said to have had no biological children. Another descendant, Vajranga, fathered Tarakasura, a powerful Asura.

Danu had 61 sons known as Danavas, including Namuchi, Mayasura, Vritrasura, Shambasura, Ekachakra, Dimurdha, Arishta, Hayagriva, Ayomukha, Shankushira, Swarbhanu, Viprachitti, and Virupaksha. Danu also had two daughters, Puloma and Kalika, from whom the Danava lineage expanded. The Danavas resided on Sumba Island, south of Bali.

Among the Rakshasas, two mighty brothers, Heti and Praheti, were born. Praheti followed the path of righteousness, while Heti's lineage gave rise to Vidyutkesh, who fathered Sukeha, a devotee of Lord Shiva. From Sukeha were born Ravana’s maternal ancestors: Malyavan, Sumali, and Mali.

The Asuras often waged wars with the Devas to claim supremacy, while the Rakshasas indulged in worldly pleasures. However, the Rakshasas occasionally joined the Asuras in their battles against the Devas. Notable relations include Kadru and Vinata, from whom the Nagas (serpents) and Garudas (eagles) were born. Kadru’s sons included Shesha, Vasuki, Karkotaka, and Takshaka, while Vinata's sons were Garuda and Aruna, the latter becoming the charioteer of the Sun God and fathering Jatayu and Sampati.

The Ambition of Mother Diti

Daksha’s daughters were virtuous and dutiful, abiding by the roles assigned to them. However, Diti sought to establish dominance by bringing her sons under her protective influence. Dissatisfied with the treatment of her children, she developed an independent worldview, even opposing her husband, Sage Kashyapa.

Diti is less remembered as a religious and virtuous wife and more as an ambitious mother and grandmother, determined to advance the interests of her lineage. She even performed penances to conceive a son as powerful as Indra. However, Indra entered her womb and divided the fetus into 49 pieces, giving birth to the Maruts. This act, though motivated by divine politics, caused deep resentment in Diti.

Later, Lord Shiva blessed Diti with a son, Vajranga, who forced the Devas to surrender but later became a devotee of Shiva, much to Diti’s disappointment. To fulfill her ambitions, Diti urged Vajranga to father Tarakasura with his wife, Varangi. Tarakasura secured a boon from Lord Brahma, rendering him invincible except to a son born from Lord Shiva’s essence. He became a formidable leader among the Asuras, gathering mighty warriors like Sumbha, Nishumbha, Jambha, Nirrti, Bala, Suvira, Guhyakat, Banasura, and Pralamba under his banner.

After Tarakasura’s defeat at the hands of Kartikeya, many Asuras fled to the netherworlds, while some, like Mayasura, settled in places like Vitala.

The Legacy of Tarakasura

Tarakasura left behind three sons—Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali, and Kamalaksha. Under Diti's guidance, they built the three aerial cities of Tripura with boons from Lord Brahma. Eventually, Lord Shiva destroyed Tripura in a cosmic battle, a story that also features Lord Ganesha in a subtle role.

This rich lineage demonstrates the complex relationships and rivalries among the Devas, Asuras, Danavas, and Rakshasas, forming an integral part of ancient mythology.