Adityas in the context of Puranas

Surya (/ˈsuːriə/ SOO-ree-ə; Sanskrit: सूर्य, IAST: Sūrya) is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman. Throughout Indian literature, Surya has been given multiple epitaphs such as Ravi, Vaivasvat, Bhāskara, etc. Furthermore, Surya has been described through aspects of itself which are identified as the Ādityas; including Savitr, Pushan, Mārtanda, Bhaga, etc.

The iconography of Surya is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by horses, often seven in number which represent the seven colours of visible light, and the seven days of the week. During the medieval period, Surya was worshipped in tandem with Brahma during the day, Shiva at noon, and Vishnu in the evening. In some ancient texts and art, Surya is presented syncretically with Indra, Ganesha, and others. Surya as a deity is also found in the arts and literature of Buddhism and Jainism. Surya is also regarded as the father of Sugriva and Karna, who play important roles in the two Hindu epics—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, respectively. Surya was a primary deity in veneration by the characters of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Pushan (Sanskrit: पूषन्, IAST: Pūṣan) is a Hindu Vedic solar deity and one of the Adityas. He is the god of meeting. Pushan is responsible for marriages, journeys, roads, and the feeding of cattle. He was a psychopomp (soul guide), conducting souls to the other world. He protected travelers from bandits and wild beasts, and protected men from being exploited by other men. He was a supportive guide, a "good" god, leading his adherents towards rich pastures and wealth.

Martanda (Sanskrit: मार्तंड, romanized: Mārtanda) in Hinduism is the eighth and last of the Vedic solar deities called Adityas. He is known as an Aditya by virtue of being born to Aditi.

Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is translated as "titan," "demigod," or "antigod".

According to Hindu texts, the asuras are in constant fear of the devas. Asuras are described in Indian texts as powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. In early Vedic literature, the good Asuras are called Adityas and are led by Varuna, while the malevolent ones are called Danavas and are led by Vritra. In the earliest layer of Vedic texts, Agni, Indra and other gods are also called Asuras, in the sense of their being "lords" of their respective domains, knowledge and abilities. In later Vedic and post-Vedic texts, the benevolent gods are called Devas, while malevolent Asuras compete against these Devas and are considered "enemy of the gods".

Varuna (/ˈvɜːrʊnə, ˈvɑːrə-/; Sanskrit: वरुण, IAST: Váruṇa) is a Hindu god. He is one of the earliest deities in the pantheon, whose role underwent a significant transformation from the Vedic to the Puranic periods. In the early Vedic era, Varuna is seen as the god-sovereign, ruling the sky and embodying divine authority. He is also mentioned as the king of asuras, who gained the status of a deva, serving as the chief of the Adityas, a group of celestial deities. He maintains truth and ṛta, the cosmic and moral order, and was invoked as an omniscient ethical judge, with the stars symbolizing his watchful eyes or spies. Frequently paired with Mitra, Varuna represents the magical and speculative aspects of sovereignty, overseeing the relationship between gods and humans.

The transition from the Vedic to later periods saw Varuna's domain begin to shift from the firmament to waters. He became associated with celestial waters, marking the initial phase of his transformation. By the time of the Itihasa-Purana, Varuna had transformed into the lord of all waters, ruling over oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes. Depicted as residing in a magnificent underwater palace, akin to Poseidon in Greek mythology, he is attended by river goddesses like Ganga and Yamuna. Varuna’s earlier supremacy diminished, and he was relegated to a lesser role as a dikpala, or guardian of the western direction. He is depicted as a youthful man, mounted on Makara (crocodile-like creature) and holding a Pasha (noose, rope loop) and a pitcher in his hands. He is depicted as having multiple wives and children, the most notable of the latter being the sages Vasishtha and Agastya.

Vamana (Sanskrit: वामन, lit. 'Dwarf', IAST: Vāmana), also known as Trivikrama (lit. 'three steps'), Urukrama (lit. 'far-stepping'), Upendra (lit. 'Indra’s younger brother'), Dadhivamana (Sanskrit: दधिवामन, lit. 'milk-dwarf', IAST: Dadhivāmana), and Balibandhana (lit. 'binder or killer of Bali'), is an avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu and the first Dashavatara in the Treta Yuga, after Narasimha.

First mentioned in the Vedas, Vamana is most commonly associated in the Hindu epics and Puranas with the story of taking back the three worlds (collectively referred to as the Trailokya) from the daitya-king Mahabali by taking three steps to restore the cosmic order and push Mahabali into the netherworld. He is the youngest among the adityas, the sons of Aditi and the sage Kashyapa.

Aditi (Sanskrit: अदिति, lit. 'boundless' or 'limitless' or 'innocence') is an important Vedic goddess in Hinduism.

She is the personification of the sprawling infinite and vast cosmos. She is the goddess of motherhood, consciousness, unconsciousness, the past, the future, and fertility. She is the mother of the celestial deities known as the adityas, and is referred to as the mother of many deities. As celestial mother of numerous beings, the synthesis of all things, she is associated with space (akasha) and with mystic speech (Vāc). She may be seen as a feminine form of Brahma, and associated with the primal substance (mulaprakriti) in the Vedanta. She is mentioned more than 250 times in the Rigveda, the verses replete with her praise.

Aryaman (Sanskrit: अर्यमन्‌) is one of the early Vedic Hindu deities. His name signifies "Life-Partner", "Close Friend", "Sun", "Play-Fellow" or "Companion". He is the third son of Kashyapa and Aditi, the father and mother of the adityas, and is depicted as the mid-morning sun disc. He is the deity of the customs that rule the various Vedic tribes and people.

In the Rigveda, Aryaman is described as the protector of mares and stallions, and the Milky Way (aryamṇáḥ pánthāḥ) is said to be his path.Aryaman is commonly invoked together with Mitra-Varuna, Bhaga, Bṛhaspati, and other adityas and asuras.

Tvashtr (Sanskrit: त्वष्टृ, IAST: Tvaṣṭṛ) or Tvashta (Sanskrit: त्वष्टा, IAST: Tvaṣṭā) is a Vedic Hindu artisan god or fashioner. He is mentioned as an Aditya (sons of goddess Aditi) in later Hindu scriptures like the Mahabharata and Puranas, though his significance gets reduced. Tvashtr is sometimes identified with another artisan deity named Vishvakarma.

In Hinduism, Dhata (Sanskrit: धाता) or Dhatr (Sanskrit: धातृ) is the name of the solar deity, one of the Adityas. He is also a god of health and magic. He is invoked in tantra by drawing tantras and chanting Vedic hymns. Often invoked during major yagnas such as Ashwamedha yagna.

Dhata is evidenced as an Aditya in both Hindu epics - the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. He is described to fought Arjuna and Krishna in burning of Khandava Forest episode in the epic Mahabharata. The Bhagavata Purana also mentions Dhata as the seventh son of Aditi and Kashyapa. In this text, he has four wives — Kuhu, Sinivali, Raka, and Anumati — who gave birth to his sons — Sayam, Darsha, Pratar and Purnamasa respectively. In the Agni Purana, he is associated with the colour yellow and the zodiac cancer.

Mitra (Sanskrit: मित्र IAST: Mitrá) is a Hindu god and generally one of the Adityas (the sons of the goddess Aditi), though his role has changed over time. In the Mitanni inscription, Mitra is invoked as one of the protectors of treaties. In the Rigveda, Mitra appears primarily in the dvandva compound Mitra-Varuna, which has essentially the same attributes as the god Varuna alone, e.g. as the principal guardian of ṛtá "Truth, Order". In the late Vedic texts and the Brahmanas, Mitra is increasingly associated with the light of dawn and the morning sun (while Varuna becomes associated with the evening, and ultimately the night). In the post-Vedic texts – in which Mitra practically disappears – Mitra evolved into the patron divinity of friendship, and because he is "friend", abhors all violence, even when sacred.

The Thirty-three gods, or Tridasha (Sanskrit: त्रिदश, romanized: Tridaśa, lit. 'three tens'), is a pantheon of Hindu deities of the current manvantara. The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in the Vedas, enumerate 33 deities classified as Devas, either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, eight Vasus and two Ashvins in the Brahmanas.

Daksha (Sanskrit: दक्ष, lit. 'able, dexterous, or honest one' IAST: Dakṣa,) is a Hindu god whose role underwent a significant transformation from Vedic to Itihasa-Puranic mythology. In the Rigveda, Daksha is an aditya and is associated with priestly skills.

In the epics and Puranic scriptures, he is a son of the creator-god Brahma and one of the Prajapati, the agents of creation, as well as a divine king-rishi. He is the father of many children, who became the progenitors of various creatures. According to one legend, a resentful Daksha conducted a yajna (fire-sacrifice), and deliberately did not invite his youngest daughter Sati and her husband Shiva. In the Linga Purana, for insulting Shiva during this event, which caused Sati to self-immolate in fury, he was beheaded by Virabhadra, a fearsome form of Shiva. He was later resurrected with the head of a goat. Many Puranas state that Daksha was reborn to Prachetas in another Manvantara (age of Manu).