Understanding the real meaning of Devas (Gods and Demigods) and Asuras (Demons)

All the ancient scriptures and folklores from every civilization speak of Gods and Demons. This blog will explain the meaning of these two terms in simple, philosophical and scientific language.

The word Asura means that which is without “Sura”. Sura comes from the word “Sur” which means harmony or tuning that keeps one in a blissful state. That is why Sura is shown as a drink consumed by Devas (gods and demigods) to stay in a state of ultimate bliss. For human beings, it refers to that thing which keeps them in a state of bliss. Actually, tt could be anything depending upon constitution and weather which can be understood only through Ayurveda. For example, hot weather creates Rajas (over stimulation) and  when one consumes cold and calming foods, drinks and medicines, it reduces excess Rajas/excitement/heat in their blood and nervous system thereby calming them down. That is why Sura has been associated with Lord Indra drinking an alcohol type of drink.

However, its meaning is that food /drink/ medicine/ circumstances that keep one cool. This is one reason that Ayurveda associated foods like Bael and Cannabis with Lord Shiva because Lord Shiva represents the inner and calm state of our mind and when we consume these foods in hot summers, they calm us down because they are cold, astringent and bitter and work exactly opposite to energies/tastes that increase in hot summers i.e. heat, sour/acidity and pungency. By offering it to yourself in hot summers of Bharat (India) type of country, you are calming down your Indra (senses) and trying to keep it in a state of bliss, away from overstimulation.

So Sura doesn’t essentially mean alcohol and no way it means the conventional alcohols like whiskey etc. especially for hot countries like India, as they are heating and acidic for blood even if they temporarily calm down our nervous system (in the long run they damage our system starting from liver). From Ayurvedic angle, it could be medicated alcohol too in some conditions like Arishtams which are not just sour but astringent too. Thus, Asura means that conscience of the soul which takes her away from the state of bliss (Devic state) by igniting Rajas (stimulation) and/or Tamas (dullness) from a state of Sattva (blissfulness). This is to reiterate that nothing can say in a state of permanent bliss because a bit of Rajas and Tamas are bound to exist in everyone including an atom of a non-living thing where electrons are in a state of Rajas and nucleus in Tamas.

 Not in just different lives but even in the same life, we keep fluctuating between Sur (Deva) and Asura when our mind fluctuates between a blissful state and a state of restlessness. Their extent may differ but we all experience both the states. As such Asuric state is bound to happen whenever we come out of our comfort zone (Sura state) to expand our horizon. Unless we become comfortable by expanding fully in that horizon, we continue to remain in Asuric state.

Astrologically, it is the expansion of Budhi/intellect (mercury), in a bigger space (Jupiter) than earlier which happens when our mind (moon) wants to explore more than the current status. This also explains the mythological story where Moon makes love with Tara (which means space), the wife of Jupiter and gives birth to Mercury. In simple words, Rasa (moon) moving through space creates more inter neural circuits thereby creating higher intellect (mercury/buddhi). Initially, the wisdom or knowledge (created by a specific space i.e. Jupiter) doesn’t accept this further expansion but subsequently with time as ego melts (as it happens in all of us with time), we accept the new seed of knowledge created by Budh. And this phenomenon is happening all the time in us which also continues from one life to another thereby evolving the soul and taking her closer to the ultimate truth.

This is one reason that Shiva (our inner state which stores the experience and knowledge of all lives lived so far by the soul) has equal love for Devas and Asuras, because without cycles of Sur and Asur, the soul cannot evolve. On the other hand, Lord Vishnu’s job is to continuously segregate good from bad i.e. Sura from Asura, so as to create a more evolved Brahma (The Body or say our own Universe). Of course, it is happening at Universal level too. 

Within each chakra/realm too there are sub chakras/sub realms. Thus, king Bali refers to the Asuric conscience seated at the highest level of Swadishthana Chakra who after meeting Rama (as it happened in Ramayana) at Manipur chakra understands the higher purpose of life apart from enjoying the luxuries of life. From chakras angle, Asuras represent that form of conscience which governs “the three lowermost chakras that are meant for food, sex and physical strength” and are as essential for the Universe as are Devas who are seated in the higher chakras for governance of the Universe but under the guidance of Trinity. No doubts that since Devas represent higher chakras (master chakras/master glands), they are bound to dominate the Asuras, however it doesn’t mean that Asuras are always bad. A lot will depend upon the energies (zodiacs and planets) sitting on different chakras.