Table of Contents
Danu is connected with the waters of the heavens and is likely associated with the formless, primordial waters that existed prior to creation. It is said that there are 100 Danava sons of Danu….Danava (Hinduism)
| Danavas | |
|---|---|
| Region | South Asia |
| Parents | Danu and Kashyapa |
Are there any good asuras?
Among asuras the noble one was King Bali. Prahalad born to the Asur Hiranyakasipa was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Prominent Danavas ( born to Daksha’s daughter Danu and Sage Kashyapa ) were Vritra, Maya, Rahu and Ketu. Among Daityas more prominent was Bana.
What are Daityas and Danavas?
Danavas and Daityas are just two clans of Asuras; Danavas being the sons of Danu and Daityas being the sons of Diti. So Danavas and Daityas are Asuras. Rakshasas are the beings accidentally created by Brahma at nighttime at the end of Satya Yuga. When they were created, they began feeding on Brahma.
Where are rakshasas now?
As both Nadeesha and Nipuna say, the Rakshas descendants’ now belong to the tribe called Veddhas. They are an indigenous people, living in the jungles of a district called Monaragala. I would place them similar to the Aboriginals in Australia.
Rakshasa comes from two root words of two different races . They are Asura+Yaksha=Rakshasa. Danav comes from the two words Daitya+Manav=Danav. According to Vedas, asura were the ones living under the earth.
What is the difference between Danavas and Daityas?
Danavas and Daityas are just two clans of Asuras; Danavas being the sons of Danu and Daityas being the sons of Diti. So Danavas and Daityas are Asuras. Rakshasas are the beings accidentally created by Brahma at nighttime at the end of Satya Yuga.
What are the different types of Daityas?
There are many famous Daityas we know like Hiranyakashyapu, Hiranyaksha, Mahishasura, Shumbha-Nishumbha, etc. There were some good Daityas too like Prahalada, Mahabali. Rakshasas are totally different from Daityas and Danavas, other than there nature.
Particularly, in the first chapter of the Natyashastra, the Danavas freeze and stop the performance of the dancers during an important event dedicated to the Hindu deities. Angering the deities, the Danavas are attacked and defeated by Indra and an enclosed, safe dance arena is created for the dancers.
Are the Danavas the Asura?
While, many scholars attest the Danavas are Asura-like beings, the definition and etymology of the Asura are contested. W. E Hale suggests an alternate theory of origin that influenced by pre-Zoroastrianism, specifically between the Ahura and the Asuras.