Nivatakavacha

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The Nivātakavacas (Sanskrit: निवातकवच) are a race of Asura demons in Hindu mythology. Their name is Sanskrit for "of practical application; layer; garment" and the like.

Forty million Nivātakavacas were born in the family of Prahlāda (though not supported by him). The army of the Asuras, the enemies of the Devas, was formed by the Nivātakavacas and Kālakeyas. They are incredibly strong and skilled in magic, mysticism and warfare, wielding powerful weapons. The Devas under Indra couldn't overcome them despite their many battles.

The Nivātakavacas are said to have terrorized the world, living deep beneath the ocean and residing in the city of Maṇimatī after securing boons from Brahmā. Despite their evil ways, they are also glorious and legendary beings. As told in the Rāmāyaṇa, Rāvaṇa with his sons Meghanada, Atikaya and with his army attacked them; but found himself unable to defeat them after hundred of years of battle. The two sides finally stroke an alliance after Brahmā intervened.^[1]

Mahābhārata account[]

In the Mahābhārata, their number is said to be about thirty million.

They are finally vanquished and destroyed entirely by Arjuna, who is asked to do so by his father spiritual Indra as a preceptor's fee. Indra provides him a celestial chariot, with his driver and armor for battle.

He beheld the wonderful city of the Dānavas near the sea and entered beneath the earth. There ensued a dreadful conflict between Arjuna and the demons. Arjuna began to slay them by the thousands from his aerial chariot using celestial weapons. He slayed all the visible Dānavas opposing him. Meanwhile, the invisible Dānavas attempted to concoct magical illusions, causing Arjuna's charioteer Mātali to fall off.

Arjuna recovered him and dispelled the illusions via arms. The fierce elites of the Nivātakavacas assailed Arjuna with crags, distressing the warrior. Inspired by his driver's words, Arjuna discharged the favourite weapon of the king of the celestials, the dreadful thunder-bolt-(Vajra), with which he vanquished the remaining Dānavas.

On returning from battle, Arjuna described the mighty unearthly aerial city of Hiraṇyapura in the air. He claimed that this city was superior to that of the gods he beheld earlier. On learning that it was inhabited by several more Asuras, Arjuna took siege of it. He managed to destroy the city, with the help of Rudra's weapon, defeating the remaining Dānavas by throwing them from the sky and crushing the city.^[2]

Arjunawiwaha[]

The Javanese kakawin, Arjunawiwaha (the marriage of Arjuna) is set up on the incidents that take place surrounding Arjuna's exploits of the Nivatakavachas. The city of the demons is known as Manimantaka. Apart from the protagonist Arjuna, other main characters of the kakawin include Sakra, the king of gods and Suprabha, a celestial nymph who helps Arjuna on his mission. ^[3]

In popular culture[]

• The Nivatakavacha have attracted the attention of ancient astronaut theorists, who interpreted the Sanskrit word Nivatakavacha as "ni-vata-kavacha" = 'no-air-garment', that is, a spacesuit, or an alien wearing a spacesuit. However, that analysis is in error, because, due to Sanskrit sandhi, "ni" in the sense of 'no' or 'not' changes to "nir" if followed immediately by a "v", making a form which is not found,*"Nirvatakavacha".

See also[]

• Asuras
• Daityas
• Danavas
• Kalakeyas
• List of Asuras

References[]

• The Ramayana
• The Mahabharata, translated by Kamala Subramaniam, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Press, 1977.

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