Editing Daitya

{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| caption = Sculpture of the daitya king Hiranyakashipu
| image = [[File:MET DP367896.jpg|250px]]
| affiliation = [[Asuras]]
| texts = [[Puranas]]
| parents = [[Kashyapa]] and [[Diti]]
}}{{Short description|Race in Hindu mythology}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

The '''daityas''' ({{Langx|sa|दैत्य}}) are a race of [[asura]]s in [[Hindu mythology]], descended 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>

== Literature ==
[[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]]:

{{Quote|
''Tāpasā yatayo viprā ye ca vaimānikā gaṇāḥ<br>Nakṣatrāṇi ca daityāśca prathamā sāttvikī gatiḥ''

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]].'
|''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>
{{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}}

== List of daityas ==
[[File:Mahabali receiving Vamana, Chennakesava Hindu temple, Somanathapura Karnataka.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Mahābalī receives Vāmana]]

Some of the notable daityas mentioned in [[Hindu mythology]] include:

*[[Hiranyaksha]] – First son of [[Kashyapa]] and [[Diti]]
*[[Hiranyakashipu]] – Second son of Kashyapa and Diti
*[[Holika|Holikā]]  – First daughter of Kashyapa and Diti
*[[Andhakasura|Andhakāsura]] – Son of Hiraṇyākṣa (Born from the sweat of Śiva)
*[[Prahlada|Prahlāda]] – Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu
*[[Virochana|Virocana]] – Son of Prahlāda, father of Mahābalī
* Devamba – Mother of Mahābalī
*[[Mahabali|Mahābalī]] – Son of Virocana
*[[Banasura|Bāṇāsura]] – Son of Mahābalī
*[[Uṣā]]  – Daughter of Bāṇāsura
*[[Rāhu]] and [[Ketu (mythology)|Ketu]] – Head and Body of [[Svarbhānu]], sons of Holikā
*[[Vajranga|Vajrāṅga]] – Son of Kashyapa and Diti
*[[Tārakāsura]] – Son of Vajrāṅga
*[[Tripurasura]] – Son of Tārakāsura
*Shambasura
*[[Kalanemi]] – Son of Virocana

==In popular culture==
In the sci-fi franchise ''[[Infinity Horizon]]'', the Daitya are colossal beings from the low-gravity planet Laksha, communicating via advanced olfactory signals and attended by Davana tribes they control through pheromones.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daitya|url=https://infinityhorizon.wiki/daitya/|website=[[Infinity Horizon Wiki]]|access-date=December 21, 2024}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Asura]]
*[[Danava (Hinduism)|Danavas]]
* [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]]
*[[Kalakeyas]]
*[[List of Asuras]]
*[[Nivatakavacha]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==External links==
*{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Daitya|short=x}}
{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Giants]]
[[Category:Daityas| ]]
[[Category:Legendary creatures in Hindu mythology]]

{{Hindu-myth-stub}}