In the Brahmanas, the tradition of a triad of gods (devas) consists of Agni the fire god, Indra the monster slayer, and Surya the sun god. In the Rigveda, Indra and Surya had been the most important of these. Indra was the god king, son of Dyaus Pitar (Heaven) and Prithvi Mata (Earth) and the slayer of the monstrous demon Vritra. Surya, as the sun, was the creator, the sustainer of life. In the Brahmanas, Indra and Surya, in effect, are demoted in favor of Agni, who is specifically related to a tradition of fire sacrifice.