Editing Asura (section)

==Characteristics==
In the earliest Vedic literature, all [[supernatural being]]s are called [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]s<ref name="monier"/><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/deva-religious-being |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica |title=Deva |via=britannica.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |via=Google Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEIngqiKOugC&q=deva+in+vedic+india&pg=PA147 |title=Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities |first1=Charles Russell |last1=Coulter |first2=Patricia |last2=Turner |date = 4 July 2013|page=147| publisher=Routledge |isbn = 978-1-135-96390-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=George |last=Williams |year=2008 |title=A Handbook of Hindu Mythology |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 |pages=90, 112}}</ref> and Asuras.<ref name=Hale-1999>{{cite book |first=Wash Edward |last=Hale |year=1999 |title=Ásura in Early Vedic Religion |publisher=Motilal Barnarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0061-8}}</ref>{{rp|pages=5–11, 22, 99–102}} A much-studied hymn of the ''[[Rig Veda]]'' states ''Devav asura'' (Asuras who have become Devas), and contrasts it with ''Asura adevah'' (Asuras who are not Devas).<ref name=kuiper/>{{refn|''see'' Hale (1999).<ref name=Hale-1999/>{{rp|pages=1–2}} Note that Hale translates this to "Asuras without the Asura-Devas" in his book (see page&nbsp;3 for example).<br/>The original Sanskrit text of hymns 8.25.4, 8.96.9 from the ''[[Rigveda]]'' is available on Wikisource.<ref>{{cite book |title=ऋग्वेदः मण्डल ८ |trans-title=Rig Veda |at=hymns 8.25.4, 8.96.9 |series=[[Rigveda]] |via=Wikisource |url=https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/ऋग्वेदः_मण्डल_८}}</ref>}} Each Asura and Deva emerges from the same father (''Prajapati''), share the same residence (''Loka''), eat together the same food and drinks (''Soma''), and have innate potential, knowledge and special powers in Hindu mythology; the only thing that distinguishes "Asura who become Deva" from "Asura who remain Asura" is intent, action and choices they make in their mythic lives.<ref name=Gier/><ref name=yves>{{cite book |first1=Yves |last1=Bonnefoy |first2=Wendy |last2=Doniger |year=1993 |title=Asian Mythologies |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-06456-7 |pages=52–53}}</ref>

"Asuras who remain Asura" share the character of powerful beings obsessed with their craving for ill-gotten ''Soma'', and for wealth, ego, anger, unprincipled nature, force, and violence.<ref name=gierasurach/><ref name=stellaray/> Further, in Hindu mythology, when they lose, miss, or don't get what they want (because they were distracted by their cravings) the "Asuras who remain Asuras" question, challenge, and attack the "Asuras who became Devas" to loot or extract a portion of what the Devas have and the Asuras do not.<ref name=gierasurach>{{cite journal |first=Nicholas |last=Gier |year=1995 |title=Hindu titanism |journal=Philosophy East and West |volume=45 |number=1 |pages=76–80 |doi=10.2307/1399510 |jstor=1399510 }}</ref><ref name=stellaray>{{cite book |first1=Stella |last1=Kramrisch |first2=Raymond |last2=Burnier |year=1986 |title=The Hindu Temple |volume=1 |pages=75–78 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0223-0}}</ref>

The hostility between the two groups is the source of extensive legends, tales, and literature in Hinduism; however, many texts discuss their hostility in neutral terms – without explicit moral connotations or condemnation.<ref name=yves/> Some of these tales constitute the background of major Hindu Epics and annual festivals, such as the story of Asura Ravana and Deva Rama in the [[Ramayana]], and the legend of Asura [[Hiranyakashipu]] and Deva Vishnu as [[Narasimha]],<ref name=yves/> the latter celebrated with the Hindu spring festival of [[Holika]] and [[Holi]].<ref>{{cite book |editor-first=Wendy |editor-last=Doniger |year=2000 |title=Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions |publisher=Merriam-Webster |isbn=978-0-87779-044-0 |page=455}}</ref>

In Buddhist mythology, while all the gods of the Kāmadhātu are subject to passions to some degree, the asuras above all are addicted to them, especially wrath, pride, envy, insincerity, falseness, boasting, and bellicosity. The asuras are said to experience a much more pleasurable life than humans, but they are plagued by envy for the devas, whom they can see just as animals perceive humans.{{cn|date=March 2021}}