Asura

Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are mythological lord beings in Indian texts who compete for power with the more benevolent devas (also known as suras). Asuras are described in Indian texts as powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. The good Asuras are called Adityas and are led by Varuna, while the malevolent ones are called Danavas and are led by Vrtra.

In the earliest layer of Vedic texts Agni, Indra and other gods are also called Asuras, in the sense of them 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" or demons.

Asuras are part of Indian mythology along with Devas, Yaksha (nature spirits) and Rakshasas (ghosts, ogres), and Asuras feature in one of many cosmological theories in Hinduism.

Etymology and history

Monier-Williams traces the etymological roots of Asura (असुर) to Asu (असु), which means life of the spiritual world or departed spirits. In the oldest verses of the Samhita layer of Vedic texts, the Asuras are any spiritual, divine beings including those with good or bad intentions, and constructive or destructive inclinations or nature. In later verses of the Samhita layer of Vedic texts, Monier Williams states the Asuras are "evil spirits, demon and opponent of the gods". Asuras connote the chaos-creating evil, in Hindu mythology about the battle between good and evil.

Asuran

The Asurans are a fictional race in the science fiction series Stargate Atlantis that bear many similarities to the human-form Replicators of Stargate SG-1. These similarities have led the Asurans to simply be called "Replicators" by other characters on the show. They are first introduced in the season 3 episode "Progeny".

Plot background

The self-replicating nanites that would eventually become the Asurans were created by the Ancients on the world of Asuras (M7R-227), as a weapon against the Wraith. As they grew in numbers and sophistication, they assumed the form of their creators. The Ancients programmed the Asurans with an aggression rivaling that of the Wraith, but when they determined that the Asurans would never become the weapons they desired, they destroyed their experiment and deleted all references to it in their database. A few nanites survived, however, and rebuilt their civilization on a grand scale. As per their programming, the Asurans attacked the Wraith, who were able to deactivate their attack command using a computer virus and cause them to withdraw to their homeworld. A minority of Asurans, led by Niam, are interested in Ascension.