Rakshasa
|
|
A rakshasa (alternately, raksasa or rakshas) is a demon or evil spirit in Hinduism. A female rakshasa is called a rakshasi, and a female rakshasa in human form is a manusha-rakshasi. 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 Sri 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 architect Visvakarma, who built their palace, and the guardian god Nairitya, who is associated with the southwest direction.
In fiction
In Dungeons & Dragons, Rakshasas are devil-sorcerers from the lawful evil Outer Planes. They are particularly vulnerable to blessed crossbow bolts and arrows.
Although not particularly common in Western fiction, the short-lived 1974 television series Kolchak: The Night Stalker (which influenced The X-Files) has an episode (Horror in the Heights) featuring a Rakshasa which is also vulnerable to blessed crossbow bolts.
In the video game Freespace 2 the Rakshasa is a class of enemy Shivan cruiser.