"Asura" in the Vedas

[RAH]

On Thu, 2 Apr 1998, Paul K. Manansala wrote:

> Another perplexing matter is that in the Rgveda , the Supreme
> Deity is called an Asura, and the latter are held in a favorable
> light.  Eventually, Asuras become demons opposed to the Devas. In
> Iran, it is the Daevas who are demons opposed to the Ahura.  In my
> view, the texts preceeding the polarization of Asuras and Devas
> represent the earliest period and these appear only in India (as far
> as I'm aware).
>
> Regards,
> Paul Kekai Manansala
>

About twenty years ago a fellow graduate student at Harvard, who was
ahead of me and whose name was, I believe, Ed Hale, did his dissertation
on the meaning and usage of _asura_ in the Vedas. I think it came out as
a book later, but I have no references. Someone else may know.

Bob Hueckstedt

Robert A. Hueckstedt, Associate Professor of Indic Languages
Asian Studies Centre, 328 Fletcher Argue, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/asian_studies
phone 1 204 474-6427 fax 1 204 474-7601