Question


Difference between Devas, Daevas, Asuras and Rakshasa

Answer


The usual translations are dēva=sura=divine, āsura=demoniac, rākšasa=man-eating.

The divine qualities

The dēvas are supposed to have these: fearlessness (abhayam), purification of existence (sattva samšuddhih), adherence to knowledge (jnāna vyavastitih), cooperation (yoga vyavasthitih), charity (dāna), self-control (dama), sacrifice (yajna), svādhyāya (contemplation), austerity (tapah), straightforwardness (ārjavam), nonviolence (ahimsā), truthfulness (satyam), placidity (akrodhah), renunciation (tyāgah), peacefulness (šāntih), non-malignancy (apēšunam), compassion towards embodied beings (dayā bhūtēšu), generosity (aloluptvam), gentleness (mārdavam), modesty (hrīh), reliability (acāpalam), influence (tējah), forgiveness (kšamā), determination (dhritih), cleanliness (šaucam), faithfulness (adrohah), limited ambitiousness (na ati mānitā). (From Bhagavad-gītā 16.1-3.)

Dēvas

live on Svargaloka (capital Amaravatī), are headed by Indra, are authorized to receive worship from humans and grant benedictions to them (Bhagavad-gītā 3.11), fly on flower airplanes, fight with demons, are generally descendants of Āditi and are amicable to God (who is Dēva-Dēva, worshiped by the worshipable) .

The demoniac qualities

Hypocrisy (dambhah), arrogance (darpah), cheating (abhimānah), anger (krodhah), harshness (pārušyam) and ignorance (ajnānam) are typical for demons. (From Bhagavad-gītā 16.4.)

Āsuras

live on dark hellish planets (Īšopanišad 3), regularly lose their leaders due to warfare (but not their guru Šukrācārya), are only allowed to abuse and exploit human sinners, rely on desperate painful austerities and mechanical contraptions (Rāvana planned to build a stairway to heaven), they are generally descendants of Diti and Danu and envy God.

Sura/asura designates one's attitude towards God, but it is not strictly a race. However,

Rākšasas

are a race, generally of demoniac character, but not always. Bhīma's son Ghatotkaca and Rāvana's brother Vibhishana are ethnically rākšasas but have divine disposition. Bhāgavatam 3.6.29 says that rākšasas live in antarikša (among clouds, space above Earth but below bhuvarloka).


All three of these are super-human, but there are also other types, look at Bhāgavatam 2.10.37-40. Another related longer read is here: http://truthdisclosed.wordpress.com/tag/lokas-locations-in-universe-as-explained-by-vedas/


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