Asuras Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...

( sa, असुर) are a class of beings or power-seeking clans, related to the more benevolent

devas Devas may refer to: * Devas Club, a club in south London * Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter * Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist * Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club * Devas (band), ...

(also known as ''suras'') in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

Clans

The two major clans of the asuras are the daityas and the danavas. *

Daitya According to ancient scriptures, the daityas (Sanskrit: दैत्य) are a race of asuras, descending from Kashyapa and his wife, Diti. Prominent members of this race include Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, and Mahabali, all of whom overran the ...

- a clan of asuras * Dānava - a clan of asuras (Known as Dānaveghasā in Buddhism) *

Rakshasa Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma whe ...

- a class of beings sometimes categorised as synonymous with asuras

A

Adi Adi or ADI may refer to: Names and titles * Adi (mythology), an Asura in Hindu faith who appears in the Matsya Purāṇa * Adi (name), a given name in Hebrew and a nickname in other languages * Adi (title), a Fijian title used by females of chie ...

ॐ * Aghāsura ॐ * anthkashur ॐ * Anuhlāda - Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu * Apasmāra ॐ☸ * Aśva - Son of

Diti Diti ( sa, दिति) 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. Legend According to the ''Puranic'' scriptures, Di ...

ॐ * Āyu - Son of Hiranyakaśipu (''

Harivaṃśa The ''Harivamsa'' ( , literally "the genealogy of Hari") is an important work of Sanskrit literature, containing 16,374 shlokas, mostly in the '' anustubh'' metre. The text is also known as the ''Harivamsa Purana.'' This text is believed to ...

'') ॐ * Alāmbāsa - A powerful asura in the Hindu epic Mahabharata ॐ * Alāmvūshā - A powerful asura from the Mahabharata ॐ * Alāyūdhā - A powerful asura from the epic Mahabharata ॐ

B

* Bhandāsura - asura slain by Tripura Sundari * Bali - An king of vanar sena ॐ☸卐 * Bāṇāsura - warred against Krishna ॐ * Bhasmāsura ॐ * Bakāsura - slain by Bhima ॐ *

Bakasura Bakasura ( sa, बकासुर, ), also rendered Baka or kuaishwa, is a rakshasa featured in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The rakshasa lives in a forest near the town of Ekachakrapura. In exchange for protecting the kingdom from invaders, he ...

- slain by Krishna

C

Chanda Sanskrit prosody or Chandas refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic studies.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Chandas" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, , page 140 It is the study of poetic metr ...

ॐ * Candravarma ॐ

D

* Danu - Mother of the dānavas ॐ☸ *

Darika 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". In the story, Brahma gra ...

ॐ *

Dhenuka In Hindu mythology, Dhenuka, also known as Dhenukasura, is an asura (demon) killed by Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna. The ''Harivamsa'' states that Dhenuka, with his host of attendant demons, all in the form of donkeys, as ruled over a for ...

ॐ * Dūṣaṇa ॐ * Dhumralochana ॐ

G

* Gajāsura - The name of several asuras who take the form of an elephant ॐ * Gayāsura ॐ

H

* Hiraṇyakaśipu ॐ * Hiraṇyākṣa ॐ * Hlāda - Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu ॐ * Holikā ॐ

I

Ilvala Ilvala () and Vatapi were rakshasas and brothers. Legend has it that both were vanquished by the sage Agastya. Rakshasa They ruled from Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, named after rakshasa king Vatapi. According to the Mahābhārata, Vatap ...

- Also referred to as Atapi ॐ *

Indrajit Meghanada (), also referred to by his epithet Indrajita , according to Hindu texts, was the crown prince of Lanka, who conquered Indraloka (Heaven). He is regarded as one of the greatest warriors in Hindu texts. He is a major character mentio ...

(rakshasa) ॐ

J

* Jālāndhāra ॐ * Jvārāsura ॐ☸ * Jātāsuraॐ

K

Kamsa Kamsa ( sa, कंस, Kaṃsa, translit-std=IAST) was the tyrant ruler of the Vrishni kingdom, with its capital at Mathura. He is variously described in Hindu literature as either a human or an asura; The Puranas describe him as an asura, whi ...

- A powerful king killed by Krishna, referred to as an asura in the

Padma Purana The ''Padma Purana'' ( sa, पद्मपुराण or पाद्मपुराण, or ) is one of the eighteen Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brah ...

ॐ * Kaiṭabha ॐ * Kakasura ॐ *

Kāla Kala ( sa, काल, lit=Time, translit=Kālá/Kālam), ) 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 ...

- Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu (''

'') ॐ *

Kali Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hinduism, Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In t ...

- Ruler of the Kali Yuga ॐ * Kālanemi ॐ * Kālayāvana ॐ * Karambha ॐ * Karindrāsura ॐ * Keśī - An asura horse slain by

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

ॐ *

Ketu KETU (1120 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Catoosa, Oklahoma. The station is owned by Antonio Perez, through licensee Radio Las Americas Arkansas, LLC. The station was licensed originally to Atoka, Oklahoma, and operated for many years ...

- Personification of the descending lunar node ॐ☸卐 * Kābāndhā - A powerful rakshasa from the

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

ॐ * Khara ॐ * Kamlasura - Slain by Ganesha

M

Mada Mada ( sa, मद) is a term used in both Āstika and nāstika, Hindu theology and Hindu mythology, mythology. It is one of the Arishadvargas. It refers to one of the six enemy of the mind or a vice according to the Hindu texts, Hindu scriptures ...

ॐ * Mudha ॐ * Mahābali- An asura king exiled to the underworld by

Vamana Vamana (), also known as Trivikrama (), Urukrama (), Upendra (), Dadhivamana (), and Balibandhana () is an avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first Dashavatara in the Treta Yuga, after Narasimha. O ...

(avatar of Vishnu) ॐ☸卐 * Mahiṣāsura ॐ * Mallanāga ॐ * Mandodarī ॐ * Mayāsura - An asura king ॐ * Meghanāda - Another name of Indrajit ॐ *

Maricha In the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', Maricha, or Mareecha (Sanskrit: मारीच, IAST: ) is a demon, who was killed by Rama, the hero of the epic and an avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is mentioned as an ally of Ravana, the antagonist of the epic. Hi ...

Mitra ''Mitra'' ( Proto-Indo-Iranian: ''*mitrás'') is the name of an Indo-Iranian divinity from which the names and some characteristics of Rigvedic Mitrá and Avestan Mithra derive. The names (and occasionally also some characteristics) of these t ...

- A former asura also classed among the Devas ॐ * Mukāsura ॐ * Munda ॐ * Murāsura ॐ

N

* Namuci - In Buddhism, an epithet of

Māra Māra is the highest-ranking goddess in Latvian mythology, Mother Earth, a feminine counterpart to Dievs. She takes spirits after death. She may be thought as the alternate side of Dievs (like in Yin and Yang). Other Latvian goddesses, somet ...

ॐ☸卐 * Narakāsura ॐ * Niśumbha ॐ

P

* Pahārāda - An asura king ☸ * Praheti ॐ *

Prahlada Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...

- Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu ॐ *

Pralamba Pralamba is an asura killed by Balarama in Hindu mythology. According to the pertinent legend, the asura assumed the guise of a cowherd and attempted to join Krishna and Balarama in a game of jumping, whose conditions dictated that the loser car ...

ॐ * Puloman ॐ

R

Rāhu 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 as the ...

- Personification of the

eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...

and an asura king ॐ☸卐 *

Raktabīja Raktabija () is an asura in Hinduism. According to the Puranas, he fought with Sumbha and Nisumbha against the goddesses Kali and Chandi, both forms of Durga. Raktabija had acquired a boon from Shiva that whenever a drop of his blood fell on t ...

ॐ * Rambha ॐ *

Ravana Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations. In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...

(rakshasa)

S

* Saṁbara ॐ * Saṁhlāda - Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu ॐ * Śibi - Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu (''

'') ॐ * Śukra - The '

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

' of the asuras and personification of the planet Venus ॐ * Somaprabhā - Daughter of Mayāsura ॐ * Sucitti (

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

) - Present at the teaching of the Mahāsamaya Sutta ☸ * Sugriva (asura) ॐ * Sujā - Daughter of the asura king Vemacitrin ☸ * Śumbha ॐ *

Sunda Sunda may refer to: Europe * Sunda, Faroe Islands India * Sunda (asura), an asura brother of Upasunda * Sunda (clan), a clan (gotra) of Jats in Haryana and Rajasthan, India Southeast Asia * Sundanese (disambiguation) ** Sundanese people ...

ॐ *

Śūrapadmā Surapadma or Surapadman ( ta, சூரபத்மன்) was an asura who was the son of the rishi Kashyapa and the asuri sorceress Maya. He was defeated by Murugan but asking for pardon prior to his defeat, was granted the honour of becoming h ...

ॐ *

Svarbhānu Svarabhānu ( sa, स्वरभानु, lit=Splendour of Radiance) is an asura traditionally held responsible for solar eclipses in the first four Vedas. The name is also used as an attribute of the asuras Rahu and Ketu in Puranas, who are a ...

ॐ * Sumālī - Rāvaṇa's grandfather and also a rākṣasa ॐ

T

Tārakāsura Tarakasura ( sa, तारकासुर:) also rendered as Tharakasuran (Tamil: தாரக்காசுரன்) and Tarakasura ( te, తారకసుర) is a powerful asura in Hindu mythology. He is the son of the asura Vajranga and ...

ॐ *

Trinavarta Trinavarta (, IAST: ) is an asura who is featured in Hindu literature, most prominently in the Bhagavata Purana. He is described to be a whirl-wind asura dispatched by Kamsa to murder Krishna, but is slain by the deity instead. Legend Kamsa s ...

ॐ * Tripurāsura ॐ * Triśiras ॐ

U

* Upasunda ॐ * Ūṣā ॐ

V

* Vātāpi ॐ *

Vemacitrin Vemacitrin (Sanskrit) or Vepacitti (Pāli) is the name of a leader of the Asuras who figures prominently in many Buddhist sūtras. Vemacitrin is the most prominent of the leaders of the Asuras in their fight with the devas Devas may refer to: ...

- An asura king ॐ☸ * Vipracitti - A dānava king ॐ *

Virocana Virochana () is an asura king in Hinduism. He is the grandson of Hiranyakashipu, the son of Prahlada (according to the Atharvaveda (VIII.10.22), and the father of Bali. Legend Being the son of Prahlada, a staunch devotee of Vishnu, Virochana ...

ॐ * Virūpākṣa ॐ * Viśvarūpa - Another name for Triśiras ॐ * Vṛkāsura ॐ * Vṛṣaparva ॐ * Vṛṣaśipta ॐ * Vṛtra - A draconic asura slain by

Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

ॐ☸ * Vyomāsura ॐ

List of asuras slain by Krishna

In the

Puranas Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

and other texts of

Hindu literature Hindu texts are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. A few of these texts are shared across these traditions and they are broadly considered Hindu scriptures. These ...

, the deity Krishna is attacked by a number of asuras and rakshasas sent by his uncle

, as well as others he encounters and slays in his legends. *

Putana In Hinduism, Pūtanā () is a rakshasi (demoness), who was killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana disguises as a young, beautiful woman and tries to kill the god by breast-feeding poisoned milk; however Krishna sucks her milk as well as her l ...

- A rakshasi who was sent by Kamsa to appear in the form of a beautiful woman to kill baby Krishna by breastfeeding him poison, but who was killed by the deity when he sucked her life-force out, and was granted liberation. * Sakaṭāsura - A cart-demon sent by Kamsa to crush a three-month old Krishna, but was reduced to pieces by the infant with a single kick. *

- a whirl-wind demon who abducted the child Krishna and carried him to the sky, but was choked by the deity and crushed to death against a rock upon his descent. * Vatsasura - A calf-demon who attacked a cattle-herding Krishna in Vrindavana, whose legs were whirled about and hurled to death under a kapittha tree. *

- A crane-demon who attempted to swallow Krishna in Gokulam, but was forced to throw up, upon which Krishna snapped his beak and slew him. *

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. Agha is stated to be as one of t ...

- A snake-demon who lured Krishna's cowherd friends into his mouth, but was slain when Krishna expanded in size inside him and burst out his form. * Arishtasura - A bull-demon who charged against Krishna, and met his end when the deity seized his horns and kicked him with his foot. *

Keshi Keshi (Japanese language, Japanese: 消し or ケシ) aka ''keshigomu'' (消しゴム, literally "erase rubber") is the Japanese word for eraser. In modern "keshi" refers to a collectible miniature figure, often of a manga or anime character, ...

- A horse-demon who dueled against Krishna and attacked him with his hooves, and perished when the deity thrusted his left arm into Keshi's mouth. *

Vyomasura Vyomasura (, IAST: Vyomāsura) is an asura who appears in Hindu literature. He is a son of Mayasura. His death at the hands of the deity Krishna is described in the Bhagavata Purana. Legend Following the slaying of the horse-demon Keshi by K ...

- A sky-demon who abducted Krishna's friends inside caves, and was slain when Krishna hurled him against the earth and suffocated him. * Śaṅkhacūḍa - A jealous asura who abducted a number of gopis at Vrindavana, slain by Krishna in a fight. * Cāṇūra - a pugilist asura who served Kamsa, slain by Krishna in a wrestling match. *

- The tyrannical ruler of Mathura and uncle of Krishna who was slain to fulfil a prophecy, regarded as an asura by the Padma Purana. * Pañcajana - A conch-shaped asura who slew Krishna's

perceptor ''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transforme ...

's son, destroyed by Krishna under the sea. *

Shishupala Shishupala ( sa, शिशुपाल, lit. ''protector of children'', IAST: ''Śiśupāla''; sometimes spelt Sisupala) was the king of the Chedi kingdom, and an antagonist in the Mahabharata. He was the son of King Damaghosha and Srutashubha, ...

- the cousin of Krishna, previously betrothed to the deity's chief consort

Rukmini Rukmini ( sa, रुक्मिणी, , ) is a Hindu goddess and the first queen and chief wife of Krishna. In Vaishnava tradition, she is described as Krishna's principal queen in Dvaraka, as well as the chief of his wives. She is an inc ...

, beheaded after he insulted Krishna 101 times. * Dantavakrta - the incarnation of

Vijaya Vijaya may refer to: Places * Vijaya (Champa), a city-state and former capital of the historic Champa in what is now Vietnam * Vijayawada, a city in Andhra Pradesh, India People * Prince Vijaya of Sri Lanka (fl. 543–505 BC), earliest recorde ...

slain by Krishna. *

Kalayavana Kalayavana ( sa, कालयवन, lit=Death Greek, translit=Kālayavana) is a king in Hinduism. He is stated to have invaded Mathura with an army of 30 million ''yavanas'' (barbarians) against Krishna. Legend The ''Brahmanda Purana'' 14.46 ...

- An asura king who was killed by Krishna by tricking him into waking

Muchukunda In Hindu history, Muchukunda (), the son of King Mandhata, and brother of Ambarisha, is an Ikshvaku (Suryavamsha) king. Battle with the asuras Once, in a battle, the devas were defeated by the asuras. Tormented by arrows, they sought help from ...

. *

Narakasura Naraka, also known as Narakasura (), is an asura king in Hindu mythology. In Assamese tradition, he is regarded as the legendary progenitor of all three dynasties of Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa, and the founding ruler of the legendary Bhauma dyna ...

- A powerful asura ruler slain by Krishna, and his wife

Satyabhama Satyabhama, also known as Satrajiti, is a Hindu goddess and the third queen-consort of the Hindu god Krishna. Satyabhama is described as the incarnation of Bhudevi, the goddess and the personification of the earth. She aided Krishna in defeati ...

, with the

Sudarshana Chakra Sudarshana Chakra (Sanskrit: सुदर्शन चक्र, lit. "disc of auspicious vision", IAST: Sudarśana Chakra) is a spinning, celestial discus with 108 serrated edges, attributed to Vishnu and Krishna in the Hindu scriptures. The Sud ...

References

{{Reflist

Buddhism-related lists

Clans

A

B

C

D

G

H

I

J

K

M

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P

R

S

T

U

V

List of asuras slain by Krishna

See also

References