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Susna
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'''Susna''' is a [[demon]] described in [[Hindu]] sacred texts. Normally associated with [[drought]], Susna is often described as possessing a [[Snake|snake-like]] form with horns. He is an enemy of the god [[Indra]].
== Description ==
In [[Hinduism]], Susna is a demon or Asura commonly associated with drought, famine, and hoarding.<ref name=":3">Chakravarty, U. (1994). INDRA'S PROTÉGÉS IN THE ṚGVEDA. ''Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute,'' ''75''(1/4), 51-64. Retrieved from <nowiki>https://ift.tt/2JS0lRY> An enemy of Indra, the demon makes multiple appearances across a number of [[Vedas|Vedic]] texts. He is often associated with [[Vritra]], a large dragon which obstructs the rivers of the world.<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In an etymological context, Susna means drought from the root Sus, which translates to dry up.<ref name=":3" />
=== Appearances in Hindu texts ===
In the [[Brahmana]] and [[Yajurveda]] texts within the [[Vedas]], Susna is described as being a bitter enemy (''[[Dasa]]'')<ref> Mahavidya|website=www.mahavidya.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> of the god [[Indra]]. Susna, who is described as a horned serpent-demon, aids the [[Asura|Asuras]] in their war against Indra and his fellow [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]] gods. Whenever an Asura is killed in battle, Susna uses his mystical breath (which contains the essence of the [[Amrita|amrta]], the fluid of [[immortality]]) to restore the fallen warrior to life. Indra discovers these resurrections and plots to steal the amrta for himself and his fellow gods. Thus, Indra turns himself into honey and allows the demon to consume him. Once inside of Susna's stomach, Indra turns into a falcon<ref name=":0">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> (or eagle)<ref name=":1" />, steals the amrta from the demon's mouth, and escapes to deliver the prize to the other Devas.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In the [[Rigveda]], Susna is described as being a "child of mists" similar to Vritra, a massive dragon who blocks the rivers of the world.<ref> Mahavidya|website=www.mahavidya.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> Like Vritra, Susna is seen as a causer of drought and as a foe of Indra. However, while Indra is able to kill Vritra with a [[Lightning|lightning bolt]], Susna must be destroyed by returning water to the land. To defeat the demon, Indra destroy's Susna's fortress and, at the request of his follower [[Kutsa]], sends rains to end the drought, defeating the demon.<ref name=":2" /> One passage from the text notes Indra "made flow the springs restrained by the season through killing Susna, the child of mists."<ref name=":2" />
== References ==
[[Category:Snakes in popular culture]]
[[Category:Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Demons in Hinduism]]
== Description ==
In [[Hinduism]], Susna is a demon or Asura commonly associated with drought, famine, and hoarding.<ref name=":3">Chakravarty, U. (1994). INDRA'S PROTÉGÉS IN THE ṚGVEDA. ''Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute,'' ''75''(1/4), 51-64. Retrieved from <nowiki>https://ift.tt/2JS0lRY> An enemy of Indra, the demon makes multiple appearances across a number of [[Vedas|Vedic]] texts. He is often associated with [[Vritra]], a large dragon which obstructs the rivers of the world.<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In an etymological context, Susna means drought from the root Sus, which translates to dry up.<ref name=":3" />
=== Appearances in Hindu texts ===
In the [[Brahmana]] and [[Yajurveda]] texts within the [[Vedas]], Susna is described as being a bitter enemy (''[[Dasa]]'')<ref> Mahavidya|website=www.mahavidya.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> of the god [[Indra]]. Susna, who is described as a horned serpent-demon, aids the [[Asura|Asuras]] in their war against Indra and his fellow [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]] gods. Whenever an Asura is killed in battle, Susna uses his mystical breath (which contains the essence of the [[Amrita|amrta]], the fluid of [[immortality]]) to restore the fallen warrior to life. Indra discovers these resurrections and plots to steal the amrta for himself and his fellow gods. Thus, Indra turns himself into honey and allows the demon to consume him. Once inside of Susna's stomach, Indra turns into a falcon<ref name=":0">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> (or eagle)<ref name=":1" />, steals the amrta from the demon's mouth, and escapes to deliver the prize to the other Devas.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In the [[Rigveda]], Susna is described as being a "child of mists" similar to Vritra, a massive dragon who blocks the rivers of the world.<ref> Mahavidya|website=www.mahavidya.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> Like Vritra, Susna is seen as a causer of drought and as a foe of Indra. However, while Indra is able to kill Vritra with a [[Lightning|lightning bolt]], Susna must be destroyed by returning water to the land. To defeat the demon, Indra destroy's Susna's fortress and, at the request of his follower [[Kutsa]], sends rains to end the drought, defeating the demon.<ref name=":2" /> One passage from the text notes Indra "made flow the springs restrained by the season through killing Susna, the child of mists."<ref name=":2" />
== References ==
[[Category:Snakes in popular culture]]
[[Category:Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Demons in Hinduism]]
November 09, 2018 at 03:49PM
