Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 3: The Status Quo

Chapter 10: Divisions of the Creation. Text 28-29

देवसर्गश्चाष्टविधो विबुधाः पितरोऽसुराः ।
गन्धर्वाप्सरसः सिद्धा यक्षरक्षांसि चारणाः ॥२८॥
भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च विद्याध्राः किन्नरादयः ।
दशैते विदुराख्याताः सर्गास्ते विश्वसृक्कृताः ॥२९॥

deva-sargaÅ› cÄṣṭa-vidho
vibudhÄḥ pitaro 'surÄḥ
gandharvÄpsarasaḥ siddhÄ
yaká¹£a-raká¹£Äá¹si cÄraṇÄḥ
bhÅ«ta-preta-piÅ›ÄcÄÅ› ca
vidyÄdhrÄḥ kinnarÄdayaḥ
daÅ›aite vidurÄkhyÄtÄḥ
sargÄs te viÅ›va-sá¹›k-ká¹›tÄḥ

 deva-sargaḥ - creation of the demigods; ca - also; aṣṭa-vidhaḥ - eight kinds; vibudhÄḥ - the demigods; pitaraḥ - the forefathers; asurÄḥ - the demons; gandharva - the expert artisans in the higher planets; apsarasaḥ - the angels; siddhÄḥ - persons who are perfect in mystic powers; yaká¹£a - the superprotectors; raká¹£Äá¹si - giants; cÄraṇÄḥ - the celestial singers; bhÅ«ta - jinn; preta - evil spirits; piÅ›ÄcÄḥ - attendant spirits; ca - also; vidyÄdhrÄḥ - the celestial denizens named VidyÄdharas; kinnara - superhuman beings; Ädayaḥ - and others; daÅ›a ete - all these ten (creations); vidura - O Vidura; ÄkhyÄtÄḥ - described; sargÄḥ - creations; te - unto you; viÅ›va-sá¹›k - the creator of the universe (BrahmÄ); ká¹›tÄḥ - done by him.


Text

The creation of the demigods is of eight varieties: (1) the demigods, (2) the forefathers, (3) the asuras, or demons, (4) the Gandharvas and ApsarÄs, or angels, (5) the Yaká¹£as and RÄká¹£asas, (6) the Siddhas, CÄraṇas and VidyÄdharas, (7) the BhÅ«tas, Pretas and PiÅ›Äcas, and (8) the superhuman beings, celestial singers, etc. All are created by BrahmÄ, the creator of the universe.

Purport

As explained in the Second Canto of ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam, the Siddhas are inhabitants of Siddhaloka, where the residents travel in space without vehicles. At their mere will they can pass from one planet to another without difficulty. Therefore, in the upper planets the inhabitants are far superior to the inhabitants of this planet in all matters of art, culture and science, since they possess brains superior to those of human beings. The spirits and jinn mentioned in this connection are also counted among the demigods because they are able to perform uncommon functions not possible for men.