The conjecture of foreigners that the Raakshasas were the Dravidian race, is not
borne out by any authority in Tamil or other
literature. The Tamil people are not
descendants of the Asuras or Raakshasas.
The Devas were generally upholders of
dharma and took on themselves the task of putting down the Raakshasas. According to the
Puraanas, they had at times to deviate from dharma in dealing with the Raakshasas, some of
whom had attained great power through tapas.
The Devas were generally good; and those
among them who swerved from the path of righteousness paid the price for it. There was no
separate code of conduct for the Devas; the law of Karma admits of no distinction between
the Devas and others. The law dealt with the Devas as with others. |
