Rakshasa. Image by Erica Yang
Deriving from an ancient Hindu race of mythological beasts, the rakshasas are demonic creatures that inhabit the form of a humanoid feline.
spreading evil
With the head of a predator, usually a tiger, and the body of a muscular human, the rakshasas are a manifestation of evil and the wildest cruelty, always walking in search of chaos.
His own name, rakshasa, comes from the word «rakshas» which means «guardian» although, perhaps, the expression «something to guard against» is more accurate, given his desire to destroy human communities.
Known to be man-eating cannibals, they have earned their fame by destroying temples, desecrating tombs, and tormenting both the living and the dead. And it is that the pishacas, a type of minor rakshasa typical of cemeteries, prevent the rest of the deceased, tearing off their rotten meat and spreading diseases that also affect the living.
Pishacas take the form of an evil goblin and reek of putrefaction. Their activity is mostly nocturnal since daylight weakens and stuns them. They associate with the grahas, demons of disease, also present in cemeteries, for their evil plans and answer only to the most powerful rakshasas, whom they consider their superiors.
The Hindu rakshasa
According to the Ramayana texts, the rakshasa were in human form and emerged from the feet of the god Brahma. This god chose some rakshasa to become his elite warriors. He selected the cruelest and those who had reincarnated several times as evil, and gave them special skills.
Among the most powerful was Ravana, the leader of the rakshasas, who had 10 heads and 20 arms. This formidable warrior was practically indestructible, since when his arm was cut off he would sprout a new one. The enormous scars on his body attested to the battles waged against gods and humans.
The rakshasas dominated the forests, territory in which they were comfortable, given their ability to climb, jump and camouflage. According to legend, they controlled the geographical area belonging to present-day Sri Lanka, and they did so by massacring villages and challenging the authority of the gods. The offense was such that Vishnu, the head of the supreme triad of Hindu gods, incarnated as King Rama and murdered Ravana. After his death, peace was restored in the area.
Indian legends are numerous, as are the fights between the gods and the rakshasas. They are eternal struggles in which sometimes the gods are victorious and other times it is the rakshasas who prevail. An example is the case of the legend of Durga, a terrible rakshasa with a human body and the head of a bull who is said to have managed to defeat all the gods, banishing them into exile.
the animal part
The most common form of the rakshasa is that of a feline. A humanoid body covered in a thin layer of fur with the typical color and mottling of its race (tiger, leopard, panther, etc). Other of the forms that it usually adopts, although more rarely, are that of a bull and that of a monkey.
Rakshasa. Image by Peter Mohrbacher
Their claws usually have the opposite shape to that of humans, that is, they have the palms on the top and not the bottom. From them sprout sharp black nails with poison. The same happens with their fangs, which are also poisonous, so it is very common for them to attack with bites or claws.
I thought you were my friend
It is rare for a rakshasa to fight in close combat as they have many other ways to take down an enemy, for example the ability to transform into any human figure. Thus, he can become a figure known to the opponent, such as a family member or friend. In addition, he can intercept thoughts and read minds, making the deception complete.
They are very skilled with magic, however, spells do not affect them. It is useless to try to hunt down a rakshasa with arcane arts. Only their demonic nature is vulnerable to holy water, so used in a projectile, like a poison dart, it can kill them instantly.
rakshasa society
They are solitary beings but very organized and loyal to each other. The rakshasa woman, known as a rakshasi, is just as important a member of society as her male counterpart.
It is said of the rakshasas that all the evil and grudges they hold within have accumulated over several lifetimes, as they always reincarnate as another rakshasa who retains the memories of past lives. This is why the rakshasas are, in a way, immortal. No matter it is destroyed, it will come back to life as another rakshasa with more hate.
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