Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Danu included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Danu
General information.
Danu, the daughter of Dakṣa was married to Kaśyapa Prajāpati. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata that the Dānavas (demons) were born from Danu.
Sons.
One hundred sons were born to Danu. The following are the important among them.
1. Vipracitti 3. Namuci
2. Śibara 4. Pulomā
5. Asilomā 20. Aśvagrīvan
8. Ayaśśiras 23. Ekapād
10. Aśvaśaṅku 25. Virūpākṣa
12. Amūrdhā 27. Nicandra
18. Vṛṣaparvan 33. Candra.
19. Ajaka
(This sun and the moon (Sūrya and Candra) are not the planets).
From the sons named above ten families of Dānavas (asuras) arose. The founders of the families are mentioned below:
4. Naraka 9. Garviṣṭha
5. Vātāpi 10. Dīrghajihva
All the dānavas or Asuras belong to one of these ten families. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 65).