page_title: List of legendary creatures in Hindu mythology
section_title: Demigods, Demons and Spirits
hierarchical_section_title: List of legendary creatures in Hindu mythology / Demigods, Demons and Spirits
caption_attribution_description: English: Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri Volume: 1 Publisher: [Gorakhpur Geeta Press] Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language: Hindi Call number: AAO-3248 Digitizing sponsor: University of Toronto Book contributor: Robarts - University of Toronto Collection: robarts; toronto Full catalog record: MARCXML [Open Library icon]This book has an editable web page on Open Library.
context_page_description: This is a list of legendary creatures from Hindu and Greek folklore and fairy tales, sorted by their classification or affiliation.
context_section_description: Abhutarajas
  A class of 10 gods of the Raivata Manvantara, the 5th. It is also called Abhutarayas.
  Adyas
  One of the 5 classes of gods in the 6th Manvantara, of which Caksusa was the Manu.
  Angiris
  The Angiris (or Angiras) are a group of celestial beings who are descendants of the Fire God Agni and the Goddess Agnayi, and responsible for watching over humans performing Yagna (sacrifices) and protecting the sacrificial fires
  Apsara
  An Apsara (also spelled as Apsarasa) is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are often wives of the Gandharvas. Notable apsarases:
  Menaka
  Pramlocha
  Rambha
  Tara
  Tilottama
  Urvashi
  Adrika
  Asura
  The Asuras are mythological lord beings in Indian texts who compete for power with the more benevolent devas.
  Daityas - In Hinduism, they  are a clan or race of Asura as are the Danavas. Daityas were the children of Diti and the sage Kashyapa. The following are notable Daityas.
  Hiranyaksha - eldest son of Kashyapa and Diti
  Hiranyakashipu - second son of Kashyapa and Diti
  Holika or Sinhika - daughter of Kashyapa and Diti
  Prahlada - son of Hiranyakashipu
  Virochana - son of Prahlada, father of Bali
  Devamba - mother of Bali
  Bali - son of Virochana
  Banasura - son of Bali
  Danavas - In Vedic mythology the Danavas were a race of Asura descending from Daksha.
  The Kalakeyas or Kalakanjas were a powerful, ferocious and cruel clan of Danavas.
  Nivatakavachas
  The Nivatakavachas are a supernatural race of Asura demons, living deep under the oceans.
  Bhuta
  Aleya (or marsh ghost-light) is the name given to an unexplained strange light phenomena occurring over the marshes as observed in Bengal.
  Chir Batti, Chhir Batti or Cheer batti is a ghost light reported in the Banni grasslands, a seasonal marshy wetlands and adjoining desert of the marshy salt flats of the Rann of Kutch.
  Dakini
  The dakini appeared in medieval legends in India (such as in the Bhagavata Purana, Brahma Purana, Markandeya Purana and Kathasaritsagara) as a demoness in the train of Kali who feeds on human flesh. The masculine form is known as Daka.
  Gana
  The Ganas or Gana-Devatas are the troops of deities, attendants of Shiva and live on Gana-parvata i.e., Kailasa. Ganesha was chosen as their leader by Shiva, hence Ganesha's title gaṇeśa or gaṇapati, "lord or leader of the ganas". The nine classes of Ganas are:
  Adityas
  Viswe-devas
  Vasus
  Tushitas (also Ája)
  Abhaswaras; The "Shining Ones". A class of deities, 64 in number. They inhabit an ethereal world and preside over spiritual enlightenment.
  Anila
  Maharajikas; a class of subordinate deities in the order of 220 or 236.
  Sadhyas; a class of minor Hindu gods who guard the rites and prayers of the greater gods.
  Rudras
  Gandharva
  The Gandharvas are male nature spirits, husbands of the Apsaras. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse.
  Chitrasena, a character in the Indian epic Mahabharata, was a Gandharva king who taught song and dance to Arjuna.
  Kabandha was a gandharva named Vishvavasu or Danu, who was cursed and made into an ugly, carnivorous demon by Indra,
  Tumburu, a well-known Gandharva.
  Guhyaka
  Guhyaka(s) (गुह्यक, literally "hidden ones") is a class of supernatural beings in Hindu mythology. Like Yakshas (nature-spirits), they are often described as attendants of Kubera.
  Kimpurusha
  Kimpurusha were described to be lion-headed beings.
  Kindeva
  Kindeva are a race of human-like beings mentioned in the Hindu Puranas. They are said to have a human-like appearance, but also deva-like qualities, hence the term kindeva.
  Kinnara
  In  Hindu mythology and  Buddhist mythology, a kinnara is a paradigmatic lover, a celestial musician, half-human, half-horse/half-bird. The  Kinnaris are the female counterpart of Kinnaras.
  Kumbhanda
  A Kumbhāṇḍa (Sanskrit) or Kumbhaṇḍa (Pāli) is one of a group of dwarfish, misshapen spirits among the lesser deities of Buddhist mythology.
  Naga
  Panis
  The Panis are a class of demons in the Rigveda. The Panis appear in RV 10.108 as watchers over stolen cows.
  Pishacha
  The Pishachas are flesh-eating demons according to Indian mythology.
  Preta
  Preta is the San
caption: Srikrishn fights with Banasura
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