Daitya

The Daityas (Sanskrit दैत्य daitya m.) are a group of demons (asuras) in Indian mythology, similar to the Danavas. The daityas are huge, titanic figures. They are not generally evil, but frequently appear in narratives as enemies of the gods.

Daityas in the strict sense are the descendants of Diti and the great Rishi Kashyapa. The distinction between Daitya, Danava, Asura, Rakshasa and other types of supernatural beings is often not exact, especially Daitya and Danava appear interchangeable. The assignment is clear in the case of the asuras, who are attested as descendants of Diti. But even here there are uncertainties, so Naraka appears once as the son of Vishnu and Bhumi, another time as the grandson of Diti.

The first children of Diti and Kashyapa were the twin brothers Hiranyaksha ("golden-eyed") and Hiranyakashipu ("golden-robed"). Hiranyaksha was killed by Vishnu in the form of his boar avatara Varaha, Hiranyakashipu was killed by the man-lion avatara Narasimha. The son of Hiranyakashipu was Prahlada. The Nivatakavachas ("wearers of impenetrable armor"), grandsons of Hiranyakashipu, form a separate group of Daityas. Moreover, Virochana, the father of Bali, is a son of Prahlada.

Bali, the king of the Daitya, succeeds in becoming the ruler of the whole world including the upper and lower worlds. Finally, it is again Vishnu, in the form of the dwarf Avatara Vamana, who overcomes the Daitya ruler, who submits to him. The eldest son of Bali and Kotavi (who is also called the goddess of the Daityas) is the thousand-armed Bana. The latter's daughter Usha fell in love with Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna and grandson of Krishna, abducted him and eventually became his wife. Also a son of Bali is Arishta, who attacked Krishna in the form of a bull and was killed by him. Another descendant of Bali is Baleya.

Other Asuras referred to as Daitya without mentioning any descent from Diti are:

• Keshin
• Puloman
• Shambara
• Shambu
• Tadaka
• Taraka
• Upasunda and his brother Sunda

Mythological figures associated with the Daityas are Shukra, priest and guru of the Daityas, and Maya, the builder and artist of the Daityas. As their mounts appear the Arvans, the feathered horses of the moon.

The flying city of Saubha is mentioned as the abode of the Daityas in the Mahabharata, which elsewhere also appears as the abode of Harishchandra. Rasatala, one of the regions of the underworld, is also mentioned as the abode of the Daityas.