Theological Demons in Hindu Mythology

Andhaka  

Andhaka, the name of a tyrannical asura who Shiva and Parvati killed in Hindu scripture. Numerous Hindu scriptures – the Matsya Pura, Karma Pura, Liga Pura, Padma Purana, Shiva Purana – all cite his story. He supposedly had two thousand eyes as well as 1,000 arms and 1000 heads. He has 2,000 arms and 2,000 legs, in another version. Andhaka is called in one of his stories Shiva and Parvati’s son. 

Arunasura  

Aruna was an assertive asura who was from the daityas city. He went to the shores of the Ganges River in the Himalayas and made an austere penance to Brahma, who he considered to be the protector of the daityas. With Brahma’s own eye on the daitya’s sacrifice and resolve, he went down to meet him according to hindu god mythology. The grant of the privilege of not dying in war, by armour or by weapons, by man or woman, by two-legged or four-legged creatures, or by both, despite Arunasura’s disinclination to endow him with immortality, was granted to him. This grace prompted Arunasura to rise up and take all the other daityas in the outer parts and fight the gods one last time. The proud Aruna swept up Devaloka and went on to kill Kailasa, which was executed by Brahmari. 

Asura  

There are also a race of individuals called asuras in Indian religions. It is these clans that are attributed to the more charitable Devas (in Hinduism, they are known as Suras), who are said to have belonged to the power-seeking Devas. The term is sometimes rendered, as in the Buddhist language, as “titan”, “demigod” or “antigod”. The Hindu scriptures speak of asuras and devas at war all the time. The good Asuras are Adityas and led by Varuna in early Vedic texts, whereas the bad Asuras are Danavas and led by Vritra. Asuras are a term that first Vedic texts also use for Agni, Indra and other gods as they call them — the “lords” of their own specialization, wisdom and ability. 

Bakasura  

Bakasura, who is known as Baka or Kuaishwa in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, is a rakshasa. The rakshasa were of the forest around Ekachakrapura. For the privilege of saving the kingdom from foreigners, he frightens its inhabitants and devours them at will. And the defenceless king cannot do anything. They make a deal with their captor: send him great loads of food every week that he will eat and eat the cart driver who brings them. The fateful event sees Bhima dispatched to kill Bakasura by his mother Kunti to save the life of their Brahmin friend when it is his turn to carry the cargo. 

Bali Raj  

Mahabali or Bali, Indrasenan or Mveli is a Hindu daitya king. He is Prahlada’s grandson, and a descendant of the guru Kashyapa. We have versions of his myth many times over in the Shatapatha Brahmana, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas. He was cast down beneath the earth into the patala (netherworld) by Vishnu’s servant Vamana, in Hindu legend. 

Bhuta  

In Indian subcontinent popular culture, literature and a few classic works, a bhoota or bhuta is a possessed being (often the spirit of a deceased person). The fates of bhootas vary according to location and people, but generally they are ruffled and restless as a result of something that has made them impotent for transmigration, non-being, nirvana, swarga or Naraka, according to tradition. That could be because of a violent death, problems in their lives that haven’t been solved, or simply because their descendants haven’t laid out funerals in time. Bhutas, demons of heroes, demons of war, bad or bad, Hindu gods and beasts etc are falsely called “ghosts” or “demons”, when they are actually guardians and good. But while they can hurt us violently, because they are powerful, they can also be satisfied through worship or offerings – Bhuta Aradhana. 

Kabandha/ Kabhanda  

Kabandha is a Hindu Rakshasa (demon) killed and liberated from a curse by the deity Rama, An Avatar of Vishnu, and his brother Lakshmana. The myth of Kabandha appeared in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as Ramayana sequels. Kabandha was a Gandharva named Vishvavasu or Danu who was demonised and made an ugly carnivorous monster by Indra, king of heaven, and/or Ashtavakra, a wise man. He was the one who had told Rama to go in with Sugriva to rescue Rama’s wife Sita who had been abducted by Lanka’s demon king Ravana. Rama, according to Kabandha’s counsel, meets Sugriva and asks him to save Sita. 

Kumbhkarna  

Kumbhakarna is a great rakshasa and Ravana’s younger brother in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He is a nobleman and a powerful warrior for all his grandeur and gastronomy, but he’s described in Hindu literature as virtuous and omnivorous. Rama slaughtered 8,000 vanaras when he invaded Lanka. In one version of the tale, Kumbhakarna, with his brothers Ravana and Vibhishana, had made a grand yajna to please Brahma. Indra worried, and was jealous of Kumbhakarna’s power, so he came to Brahma before Kumbhakarna’s promise could be accepted. The goddess Saraswati, on the order of Indra, bind his tongue when Kumbhakarna requested his blessing. He requested Nidraasana (sleeping bed) in place of Indraasana (Throne of Indra). His request was granted immediately.  But for a boon, his brother Ravana asked Brahma to dispense the curse, and Brahma reverted it to sleeping for six months, then sleeping again when he was full. 

Kali  

He is a huge snot-coloured monster, has a big tongue and stinks terribly, says the Kalki Purana. He had an Upasthi (worship) bone inserted in his mouth. This asura (demon), writes the Kalki Purana, made gambling, alcohol, prostitutes, cattle-killing and gold his dwelling place”. Kali is “of a class of mythical creatures (of the same kind as the Gandharvas, and reputedly fond of gambling)”, says the Sanskrit-English Dictionary. The Bhagavata Purana refers to Kali as a brownish asura (demon) with a canine face, fangs and ears, long green bushy hair, dressed in a red loin cloth and gold jewels. 

Maricha  

Maricha or Mareecha was a demon from the Hindu epic Ramayana who was killed by the hero of the epic and Lord Vishnu himself, Rama. He’s even mentioned as the companion of the epic’s villain Ravana. His most famous crime is his abduction of Rama’s wife, Sita. Hanuman killed his son Kalanemi.  Maricha was cursed as a rakshasa along with his mother Tataka and brother Subahu, and spent his youth abusing wise men. Rama killed him at the behest of the sage Vishvamitra. He went to kill Rama again, but ran for his life. Maricha finally became a golden deer and joined Ravana in kidnapping Sita. 

Puloman  

Asura-king Puloman sits over the underground kingdom of Patala where all wealth lies in primary form according to hindu asura mythology. That is why Lakshmi is called Paulomi as well Patala-nivasini or Patala resident. The Danava Puloman in Hinduism is the father of Shachi, Indra’s wife. Indra murdered Puloman and married his daughter. 

Rakshasa  

Rakshasas or “preservers” are a group of usually evil demigods in Hindu mythology. Brahma made the rakshasas when he assumed the form of tamas (darkness), the creatures exploding and swearing to guard the waters of creation, the Brahmanda Purana states. They’re also often described as man-eaters in the Vedic literature, incarnations of evil. They are set apart from their cousins, the yakshas, who are cast as carnal beasts. It’s also used to denote asuras, a sort of powerful monster who fights the beneficent devas. They are also commonly represented as bad guys in Hindu texts, Buddhism and Jainism. Rakshasi is rakshasa’s daughter. 

Putana  

Putana is a rakshasi who was murdered by the baby god Krishna in Hinduism. Putana dresses up as a beautiful girl and tries to kill Krishna by feeding him poisoned milk; but Krishna sucking out her milk and her life through her breasts. Putana is also Krishna’s foster mother because she had the opportunity to breastfeed him. Against the odds of her wicked plans, Putana had done ‘the highest sacrifice of motherly love’ by giving her milk to Lord Krishna. Most contemporary religious texts and literature still contain demons. But they remain terrified of the devil, given that he allegedly inhabits animals. But not all rakshasas are equal evil in Hindu myth: some are more like yakshas, or yakas (nature spirits), and some are more like asuras, the ancient god-enemies.