https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=DaityaDaitya - Revision history2026-07-30T05:37:55ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Daitya&diff=428890&oldid=prevAjay Kumar at 13:06, 19 September 20232023-09-19T13:06:45Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox deity<br />
| type = Hindu<br />
| caption = Sculpture of the daitya king Hiranyakashipu<br />
| image = [[File:MET DP367896.jpg|250px]]<br />
| affiliation = [[Asuras]]<br />
| texts = [[Puranas]]<br />
| parents = [[Kashyapa]] and [[Diti]]<br />
}}{{Short description|Race in Hindu mythology}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}<br />
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The '''daityas''' ({{Lang-sa|दैत्य|translit=Daitya}}) are a race of [[asura]]s in [[Hindu mythology]], descending from [[Kashyapa]] and his wife, [[Diti]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-08-23 |title=The army of Demons (Asuras) [Chapter 40] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364163.html |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref> Prominent members of this race include [[Hiranyaksha]], [[Hiranyakashipu]], and [[Mahabali]], all of whom overran the [[Bhuloka|earth]], and required three of [[Vishnu]]'s [[Avatar|avataras]] to be vanquished.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Diti |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241561.html |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Literature ==<br />
[[File:MET DP166078.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Image of the daitya army]]The [[Manusmriti|Manusmṛiti]] classifies the daityas as good, while placing them at a lower level than the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]]:<br />
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{{Quote|<br />
''Tāpasā yatayo viprā ye ca vaimānikā gaṇāḥ<br />
Nakṣatrāṇi ca daityāśca prathamā sāttvikī gatiḥ''<br />
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Ascetics and hermits, Brāhmaṇas, [[Deva (Hinduism)|celestial beings]],<ref group=note>"Vaimānikā gaṇa" literally refers to those who ride in [[Vimana]]s, generally referring to the gods.</ref> [[Nakshatra|lunar asterisms]], and Daityas represent the first state partaking of ‘[[Sattva]].’<br />
|''Manusmṛti 12.48''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jha |first1=Ganganatha |title=Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi |date=1920 |isbn=8120811550 |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi}}</ref>}}The origin and noteworthy members of this race are specified in the [[Harivamsa|Harivamsha Purana]]:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2020-11-14 |title=The Beginning of the Dwarf Incarnation: Bali Becomes King [Chapter 40] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/harivamsha-purana-dutt/d/doc485713.html |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref><br />
{{Blockquote|text=Kashyapa, the well-dressed son of Marichi, espoused two sisters of Prajapati, Diti and Aditi. The great Kashyapa begat on Aditi the twelve classes of the celestials, Dhata, Aryama, Mitra, Varuna, Amsha, Bhaga, Indra, Vivashvan, Pusha, Parjanya, Twastha and Vishnu. He began on Diti the powerful Hiranyakashipu. The Daitya-chief Hiranyaksha was his younger brother. Hiranyakashipu had five highly powerful sons, namely Pralhada, Hlada, Sangrada, Jambha and Anuhrada. Pralhada’s son was Virocana whose son was Bali. Their sons and grand-sons were all very powerful. Thousands of the descendants of these highly powerful daityas are seen all over the land. Having seen Hiranyakashipu slain by the Man-lion the Daityas made Bali their chief for the destruction of the gods. He was heroic, powerful, pious and self-controlled like Hiranyakashipu and therefore was installed as their king by the Daityas.|title=[[Harivamsha]]|source=Chapter 40}}{{Hinduism}}<br />
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== List of daityas ==<br />
[[File:Mahabali receiving Vamana, Chennakesava Hindu temple, Somanathapura Karnataka.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Mahabali receives Vamana]]<br />
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Some of the notable daityas mentioned in [[Hindu mythology]] include:<br />
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*[[Hiranyakashipu]] - First son of [[Kashyapa]] and [[Diti]]<br />
*[[Hiranyaksha|Hiraṇyaksha]] - Second son of Kashyapa and Diti<br />
*[[Holika]] - First daughter of Kashyapa and Diti<br />
*[[Andhakasura]] - Son of Hiranyaksha (Born from the sweat of Shiva)<br />
*[[Prahlada]] - Son of Hiranyakashipu<br />
*[[Simhika]] - Daughter of Hiranyakashipu<br />
*[[Virochana|Virocana]] - Son of Prahlada, father of Mahabali<br />
* Devamba - Mother of Mahabali<br />
*[[Bali (Daitya)|Mahabali]] - Son of Virochana<br />
*[[Banasura|Baṇasura]] - Son of Mahabali<br />
*[[Uṣā]] - Daughter of Banasura<br />
*[[Rahu]]<br />
*[[Vajranga]] - Son of Kashyapa and Diti<br />
*[[Tārakāsura|Tarakasura]] <br />
*[[Tripurasura]] - Son of Tarakasura<br />
*Shambasura<br />
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== See also ==<br />
*[[Danava (Hinduism)|Danavas]]<br />
*[[Kalakeyas]]<br />
*[[Nivatakavacha]]<br />
*[[Asura]]<br />
*[[List of Asuras]]<br />
* [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{reflist|group=note}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Daitya|short=x}}<br />
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{{Zoroastrianism}}<br />
{{HinduMythology}}<br />
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[[Category:Giants]]<br />
[[Category:Daityas| ]]<br />
[[Category:Characters in Hindu mythology]]<br />
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{{Hindu-myth-stub}}</div>Ajay Kumar