Brahma creates the non-human races
Devas, Asuras, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakshas, Rakshasas and others
Brahma creates the Devas, Asuras, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakshas and others from his body. He creates a particular race from his body and then casts off that body.
There are several races in Hindu mythology that for the want of a better word are described as non-human. These include the Devas, Asuras, Apsaras, Gandharvas and other such species. There are two parallel views in the Puranas about the creation of these races. One is that Brahma directly created them. The other is that were the offspring of sage Kashyap and his wives – each wife giving birth to one of the species.
In Canto 3 Chapter 20 of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana there is the description of Brahma creating the races after he had created the sages. First of all from his body of ignorance he created the Yakshas or spirits and Rakshasas or wild men. Not satisfied with this creation Brahma gave up this body, which became the night, the time during which the Yakshas and the Rakshasas thrived. Overpowered by hunger, these races began to attack Brahma, but he convinced them that he was their father and they should not harm him.
Then from his body of the glory to God he created the Devas, who took the body that became the shining daytime. The Devas possessed the glory of goodness and allegiance to God. Then from his buttocks he produced the Asuras who were lustful and approached him for sex. Brahma then cast of the body from which he had produced the Asuras. The body took the form of the evening twilight, the most opportune time for sex. The Asuras mistook the twilight for an alluring maiden and began to pursue her for the fulfillment of their desires.
Brahma continued with the creation by bringing forth from his body of beauty the Gandharvas and the Apsaras, the celestial musicians and dancers. This body took the form of moonlight and the Gandharvas and the Apsaras claimed it for themselves. Moonlit nights are the time when the Gandharvas and the Apsaras come into their own. Next from his body of laziness Brahma created the Bhoots (ghosts) and the Pisachas (spirits). These ugly creatures took this body of Brahma, which became the sleep. These species took to haunting people in their sleep and driving them insane. From his invisible body he created the Sadhyas (the enlightened ones) and the Pitras (departed souls). It is through the medium of this invisibility that those versed in the rituals contact the Sadhyas and the Pitras. This body is also called “antardhana” which means being present but invisible, so that the Sadhyas and the Pitras can see what is happening but themselves cannot be seen. From his reflection in the water Brahma created the Kinnaras and the Kimpurushas, a crossbreed species that specialized in moving from place to place, singing ballads. The cast of reflection of Brahma became the daybreak. When Brahma gave up his body of anger, the hair turned into several species of snakes and the body turned into the Nagas or a race of snake-men.
Having created all other species Brahma thought about creating the human race that would procreate on its own so that Brahma could take a well-deserved rest.
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