Hiranyakashipu, also known as Hiranyakashyap, was a daitya king of the asuras in the Puranas.
18th century painting depicting Hiranyakashipu seated on a throne, trying to kill his son, Prahlada (left).
Devas approach Vishnu requesting Him to control Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu wielding a mace against Narasimha
Vishnu as Narasimha kills Hiranyakashipu, stone sculpture from Halebidu, Karnataka
Asuras are a class of beings in Indian religions. They are described as power-seeking demons related to the more benevolent Devas in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is translated as "titan", "demigod", or "antigod".
Asuras depicted in the Samudra Manthana bas-relief from Angkor Wat
The Mahadevi combatting the asura army (right), folio from the Devi Mahatmya
Asura at Kofukuji, a Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan