Daitya means

Expressions researched:
"Daitya means"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Daitya means demon. There are two classes of men. One class is called daitya and the other class is called devata.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was a five years old boy, like all these children. Kaumāra. Kaumāra age is called from five years to ten years. That is called kaumāra. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was born of an atheist father. The father was atheist number one, Hiraṇyakaśipu. He is described as rākṣasa, demon, like that. Daitya. Daitya means demon. There are two classes of men. One class is called daitya and the other class is called devata. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two classes of men known as daiva and another asura. Viṣṇu bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of the Lord, they are called daiva or devata, demigods. And those who are just the opposite number, they are called daitya or demon. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was atheist. Fortunately, he was so fortunate that he got a great Vaiṣṇava devotee son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. You have heard his name, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is one of the mahājanas. There are twelve mahājanas in the śāstras. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.

tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā

nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam

dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ

mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ

(CC Madhya 17.186)

The mystery of religious life is very, very secret. Secret means for ordinary man it is very difficult to understand. Therefore śāstra says tarko 'pratiṣṭhāḥ. If you want to learn what is spiritual life simply by your argument, dry, philosophical speculation, it will never be achieved. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhāḥ śrutayo vibhinnā. If you study the Vedas, there are different Vedas. Principally Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛg. But you cannot understand the objective of the Vedas simply by studying yourself. Therefore Vedas says, Kaṭhopaniṣad, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham samit-pāṇiḥ (MU 1.2.12). Like that. In every śāstra the injunction is if you want to understand the essence of Veda, then you must approach a realized, self-realized person. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing is said. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

There are two classes: daitya and devatā. Daitya means they do not know anything, just like animals, simply after sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

Last night we discussed about, that a dog is running from this side to that side. So he's feeling some pleasure. Similarly, we also, so-called civilized man, we are also running on a car, this side and this side. So the same thing—the dog's race. But we are thinking, because we are running on a car, we are civilized. But the business is that dog's race. So Prahlāda Mahārāja's point is that we should try to understand the value of life. We should not waste our time by dog's race, either on four legs or on four wheels. That is the point. Therefore he says, sukham: the happiness is due to the senses. Sukham aindriyakam. Aindriyakam means, indriya, indriya means senses. Daityā. He's addressing his friends. They're all born of daitya family. Daitya family means they're simply after sense gratification. That is called daitya family. And human family, or devata family... There are two classes: daitya and devatā. Daitya means they do not know anything, just like animals, simply after sense gratification. They are called daityas. And devatā means they are fully aware of the existence of God, their relationship with God, duty with reference to God, they are called devatās. That is the difference between daityas... So Prahlāda Mahārāja, circumstantially, because he was to deliver the daityas, so he took his birth, by the will of the Supreme Lord, he took birth in a daitya family. Sometimes devotees come in a particular type of family to deliver the community or the society. So here the class friends were all daityas, born of daitya family. They are not born of very enlightened family. So therefore he's addressing, daityā. Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha... (aside:) Sit properly.

Daitya means those who are materially attached, simply for sense gratification. They, that is the distinction between the daityas and devas.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "If you, my dear daitya friends..." He was talking with his friends. They were born of daitya families. Daitya family means, daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu. Daitya means those who are materially attached, simply for sense gratification. They, that is the distinction between the daityas and devas. The devas, they are also in sense gratification, but they are devotees at the same time. Not pure devotees. Their devotion is for material opulence. They want something, return. Kṛṣṇa is also prepared. Kṛṣṇa takes sides of them. So if you want to enjoy material world, that also you can get by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa is so pleased, so kind.

General Lectures

Deva means born of Vaiṣṇava family, and daitya means born of demon family.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that even we accept that is happiness in relation to your senses, sense enjoyment, sukham aindriyakam... Aindriyakam means in relationship with the senses. He says, sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā. He is addressing his friends as daityā because they are born of atheistic family. Daitya and deva. Deva means born of Vaiṣṇava family, and daitya means born of demon family. So he is particularly addressing daitya. He is teaching among the daityas because preaching is required among the daityas. Those who are devas, they know; they do not require any preaching. They know that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). The ultimate, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam, they know it. But the daityas who do not know it, their preaching is required. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing, "My dear daityas, my dear daitya friends," that "you are busy after the sense gratification. That has become your only business, how to gratify the senses." Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām. Deha-yogena. So that your happiness has already been fixed up on the creation of your particular type of body. Just like a man is born or a dog is born. So according to the dog's body, he will have particular type of sense enjoyment. If one has got the hog's body, so according to that body, he will be inclined to eat stool. If you offer a hog one side stool and one side halavā, he will prefer to take the stool, not this halavā, because his body has been made for that type of happiness. Just try to understand; it is very scientific. The standard of happiness is according to the body you have got. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that this sense gratification process is already fixed up. You cannot increase it or decrease it. That is stated here. Sarvatra labhyate daivād. Daivāt means by the arrangement of the Supreme. That is arranged. Sarvatra labhyate, sense gratification. Now take for example the hog. He is also busy in sense gratification. He is eating stool and becoming fatty, and as soon as there is sex desire, without any discrimination he enjoys many she-hogs, never mind sister or mother. Because the life is so made that he will enjoy in this way.