When Brahma created the sky, the earth, and the airspace, and from his sons came all living beings in the universe, he himself, tired of creation, retired to rest under the shade of the shalmali tree, and transferred power over the worlds to his descendants - the gods and asuras. Asuras were the elder brothers of the gods. They were powerful and wise and knew the secrets of magic - Maya, they could take on different images or become invisible. They owned countless treasures, which they kept in their strongholds in mountain caves. And they had three fortified cities, first in heaven, then on earth: one of iron, another of silver, the third of gold; subsequently they united these three cities into one, rising above the earth; and they built themselves cities in the underworld.
The eighth son of the creator was Bhrigu; he was born from the skin of Brahma. The son of Bhrigu, the wisest Ushanas Kavya, who comprehended all the secrets of sorcery, became the high priest and mentor of the asuras. The king of the asuras was Hiranyakasipu, a powerful demon, the eldest of the sons of Diti. The gods chose Indra, the seventh son of Aditi, as their king; their mentor was Brihaspati, the eldest son of Apga rasa, the third of the sons of the Progenitor. Ushanas, who was also called Shukra, became the ruler of the planet bearing the same name, and Brihaspati became the ruler of the planet Brihaspati.
Once upon a time, the asuras were pious and virtuous; they observed sacred rituals, and happiness was with them. But then they became proud of their strength and their wisdom and inclined towards evil; and happiness left them and went to the gods. Indra, the ruler of the gods, crushed many powerful asuras in battle. The terrible god Rudra, the product of Brahma's wrath, completed their defeat, incinerating their three magical cities raised above the earth.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru