Rakshasa

A rakshasa (Sanskrit: रक�?षस, rakṣasa; alternately, raksasa or rakshas) is a demon or unrighteous spiritual being spirit in Hinduism.

Indian mythology The Ramayana describes them as being created from Brahma's foot; elsewhere, they are descended from Pulastya, or from Khasa, or from Nirriti and Nirrita. Many Rakshasa were particularly wicked humans in previous incarnations. Rakshasas are notorious for disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human beings, and so on. Their fingernails are poisonous, and they feed on human flesh and spoiled food. They are shapechangers and magicians, and often appear in the forms of humans, dogs, and large birds. Hanuman, during a visit to the rakshasas' home in Lanka, observed that the demons could come in any form imaginable. The great ten-headed demon Ravana, enemy of Rama, was king of the rakshasas. His younger brother Vibhishana was a rare good-hearted rakshasa; he was exiled by his brother the king, who was displeased by his behavior. Vibhishana later became an ally of Rama and a ruler in Lanka. Other notable rakshasas include the guardian god Nairitya, who is associated with the southwest direction. A female rakshasa is called a rakshasi, and a female rakshasa in human form is a manusha-rakshasi. The term has an etymology in common with the term rakṣa, meaning 'defender'.

Usage in the West The term rakshasa has been used in western literature and culture. The following are some examples In Roger Zelazny's book Lord of Light the Rakshasa, there spelled "Rakasha", are a type of extraterrestrial beings consisting of "stable fields of energy". The Rakasha were supposedly once material beings, but long ago used unspecified technology to move their Atman into energy fields. This gave them the immortality, but "born of matter they do ever lust after the flesh" (p. 32). Although it might seem rather foolish of the Rakasha to use highly advanced technology to abandon bodies and then find that they preferred having flesh after all, they have the Power to sometimes Demonic possession possess human bodies. Since a mortal who inhabits a Body dies with it, unless he transfers his Atman into an unused Body, while a Rakasha can survive the destruction of it's resident Body, the Rakasha's choice does give them advantages that not making it would have lacked. Their natural shape is that of a glowing flame, although they can briefly take nearly any shape they choose to. In their normal shape they are capable of flying, seeing in all directions and surviving most attacks by material Weapons (although some compounds can repel them). When inhabiting a human Body, they lose the Power to fly for unlimited distances and (presumably, as they never do so) to change shape, but gain the ability to enjoy Alcohol, good Food and sex. They seem more Amorality amoral than intentionally Evil, normally lacking consciences. One of their preferred pastimes is Gambling, and Gambling debts are the only promises that they can be relied upon to keep. Gambling with Rakasha can lead either to Death or great Power, as the Rakasha can give powerful gifts but have little Desire for other material things than the Body of their fellow gambler. The Rakasha seem to have no clear hierarchy, although they are led by a very old and powerful Rakasha called Taraka. They also control several kinds of lesser energy beings, the only kind explicitly named being the "Fire elementals" (note that these resemble mobile thunderbolts more than classical, western Fire elementals).

See also: Rakṣasa

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