Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} by India Jackson Rakshasa. A Rakshasa (female Rakshasi) is a bloodthirsty demon, banished from the realm of the gods and forced to live on earth, making mankind its prey. While most of the beasts are as evil as evil can be, a few of them have formed alliances with noble armies and performed heroic feats in battle. Characteristics. Physical Description. A Rakshasa’s appearance is as hideous as its flesh-eating habits. Their shape is basically human, but they are tall, towering over ordinary men and women, and their limbs are twice as thick as a man’s. A set of curved fangs curl from the corners of their lips; wicked claws sprout from their fingers and toes, and two bull-like horns grow from their heads. Average have mottled skin, dark hair, and piggish eyes, but more powerful beasts have glowing eyes and fiery manes. The strongest warlords can have extra heads and arms. Special Abilities. The Rakshasas’ brute strength and passion for carnage alone could make any of them a terrifying foe. Still, they possess a weapon even more powerful than fangs, horns, or claws. They are master magicians. The demons can fly, spit fire, and possess dead corpses, using them to attack their enemies, but their favorite branch of magic is illusion. They are amazing shapeshifters, able to take on any form they please, and they are famous for dreaming up near-impossible riddles, which they to confuse and trap victims. Weaknesses. Because of their physical strength and their status as demigods, Rakshasas are extremely difficult to kill. Most warriors need magical weapons, given to them by the gods, to bring down one of these monsters. However, some of the greatest heroes of Hindu lore have been able to kill a Rakshasa with their bear hands. Although these demons can be active during the day, they are undoubtedly stronger at night. They have more energy, and their magic is more potent after the sun goes down. Famous Myths. Origin. The most popular explanation for the existence of the horrible Rakshasas is that the race was created accidently. When Brahma, a Hindu creator god, fell asleep at the end of the Satya Yuga, the golden age of humanity, a race of demons were born from his heavy breath. Immediately, the creatures turned on their creator and began devouring Brahma himself. When he awoke to their biting and clawing, Brahma cried out, “Rakshama!” (“Help me!”) His cry was answered by another god, Vishnu, who saved Brahma by banishing the terrible new race of demons to earth, where they were named after Brahma’s cry for help. Battle of Lanka. According to Ramayna, an ancient Hindu text, an entire kingdom of Rakshasas once existed on an island fortress called Lanka. The demons were able to coexist because they were ruled by a king who was literally ten times more ferocious than all the rest of them: King Ravana, a ten-headed super monster. Eventually, the darkness and terror that was beginning to leak out of Lanka attracted the attention of Rama, a heroic warrior who led an army of monkeys. Rama reached out to King Ravana’s brother, a surprisingly noble creature named Vibhishana, and with his help, he was able to storm the evil fortress. A terrible battle blossomed in the fortress, with Rama’s monkeys fighting desperately against the giant demons, even demons mounted on elephants! The tide of the battle finally changed in favor of the monkeys when Rama used a magical weapon, given to him by Brahma, to kill the greatest of the Raksasha warriors. Soon, King Ravana was killed as well, and Lanka surrendered to Rama. The Hero . The ancient Mahabharata chronicles the travels of Bhima, a hero from who became a prolific killer of Rakshasas. Remarkably, Bhima needed neither an army nor even a special weapon to defeat the giant monsters; he could fight, and kill, them with his bare hands. Bhima’s career began when he and his friends travelled into a dark forest, overrun with man-eating demons. The company went along peacefully during the day, but when they laid down to sleep under the forest canopy at night, they were immediately targeted by a vicious Rakshasa named . Hidibmba was determined to eat all the men, so he sent his sister, , to gather more information about their weapons and sleeping arrangements. Hidimbi slunk into the Pandavan men’s camp, excited by the feast to come, but when she saw the hero Bhima, her heart melted. She was instantly in love with him, and she warned him about her brother’s plan. When Hidimba attacked, Bhima was ready to meet him, and the monster was dead in no time. After his victory over Hidimba, Bhima had no fear of Rakshasas. He continued travelling across Pandava, and whenever he found a village that lay in dread of an evil demon, he would astound the village people by willingly going to duel the demon. In this way, he killed some of the most ferocious monsters of his time: Bakasura, Kirmira, and Jatasur. Still, Bhima hadn’t completely hardened his heart against the Rakshasa race. He loved Hidimbi, the Rakshasi who had waken him in a dark forest to warn him that her brother was about to attack. Together, they had a Rakshasa son named . Bhima and Ghatotkacha were very loyal to each other, and they often fought side-by-side in battle. Buddhist Adaptation. As Buddhism rose in popularity, it absorbed many of the characters from Hindu mythology. Buddhists associated the Rakshasas with Mara, a sort of deity who represented all the vices which could attack a follower of Buddha on the path to enlightenment. In one story, the Buddha himself encountered an unfriendly Rakshasa, who threatened to devour him if he was unable to answer his riddles. Fortunately, the all-knowing Buddha answered the questions with ease, and the demon was so impressed that he became a follower of Buddhism. Later, the Buddha gathered more followers in a group of Rakshasa sisters, who swore to uphold and protect the Lotus Sutra. Rakshasa by India Jackson. Reviewed by Fehu Rakshasa (Native Instinct #2) by India Jackson Less Than 3 Press Novel: 181pgs 3.25 Pants Off. Blurb: Colin was born in Ireland, but he hasn't been home in ten years because his father wants his monster of a son dead, and the vampires Colin angered want to make certain he suffers first. Afraid to stay in one place too long, Colin travels aimlessly, stealing, drinking, always looking over his shoulder, and always alone. Then he meets a little girl who got separated from her family, and in helping her get back to them he meets her uncle, Rakshasa and winds up in a world filled with all new complications and dangers—and reasons to hold his ground and fight. Review: Surprising sequel! I've read the first book some time ago and didn't even know that there would be a sequel. Honestly I would have liked to read more about Mohegan and not of his sister and it's always hard (for me) to read that the characters I liked died long time ago. Alas, this is the story about Colin and Rakshasa and Kyle and Logan, four new characters. Colin is a shifter and in his family he is the first one for a very long time. Time is also the part I was unsure of in this book. I mean at the beginning Colin is introduced as from Ireland and as a vagabond. His family was superstitious about wolves like most of the folk in the village where he lived. That all made it sound like it was set in the 19th century, but not in the modern world. So I was surprised, when there is a modern bar, cars, credit cards and an Aquarium, which suggest current century. That made me stumble in my reading to contemplate the lifespan of shifters and various grammar errors threw another wench into my enjoyment of this story. Colin is on the run from hunters and vampires and hasn't ever met a shifter before, so he is quite surprised to learn that there are more than one kind of shifters and that his new crush, Rakshasa, is one of them. Rakshasa comes from a wealthy family, but that is not the only reason he is respected in the shifter community. He has the ability change at will in the full moon, and also to help others control their change. Rakshasa is able to bear children as well. In some way he reminds me of a shaman in his abilities, but he is also the judged for shifter disputes and can feel lies and deceit, which is pretty useful ability for a judge/ruler to have. Of course Rakshasa's parents and especially his mother are set on finding him a good husband and him making a good match. Colin would never be considered as even a candidate, since he doesn't have a job, is stealing and doesn't have a home. None the less Rakshasa feels drawn to the young wolf shifter and finds him adorable in his naivety about all things of shifter nature. This doesn’t discourage him from dating the guy his mother chose for him and actually agreeing to become his wife. No, I didn't misspell, he would be considered a wife, furthermore he would have to bear at least one child and give up his job as a doctor until he conceived said child. How he could have agreed to that is a mystery to me, since the guy he supposed to marry seemed very conceited, stuffy and selfish, more worried about status. While Rakshasa has to decide who he will chose, his best friend Kyle a coyote shifter has found love in the form of wolf shifter Logan. Kyle is not exactly he most committed person, but from the first time he meets Logan he is fascinated by the man. Part of the charm is Logan's refusal to have sex with Kyle and actually Kyle has to work for Logan's attention and not the other way around, like he is used to. But Logan is a hunter for a very powerful vampire and actually followed Colin into town. Other vampires are also taking notice, since there is a silent war going on between wolf shifters and vampires and Logan is on the side of Mala, the one vampire who dared to defy her maker and to free shifters and lead them into a fight against their oppressors, the vampires. Kyle and Rakshasa find themselves unwittingly in the middle of an ongoing conflict and Kyle has to pay the price for Logan's involvement in the conflict, when he is captured by a vampire lord and thrown into the pit to fight against wolf shifters. Logan and Rakshasa have to find out what they are willing to risk to save and keep their loved ones. While Colin and Rakshasa might be the main couple, I liked Kyle and Logan more and would love to see them getting their own story/book. All in all this was a nice story, but it really could use some edits. The story doesn't flow smoothly, because of some grammatical errors and that does distract from the story. Rakshasa by India Jackson. Read or Download Rakshasa Book by India Jackson. It is one of the best seller books in this month. Avaliable format in PDF, EPUB, MOBI, KINDLE, E-BOOK and AUDIOBOOK. Rakshasa by India Jackson. Category: Book Binding: Paperback Author: India Jackson Number of Pages: Amazon.com Price : $2.91 Lowest Price : Total Offers : Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 1. Rakshasa is most popular ebook you must read. You can download any ebooks you wanted like Rakshasa in simple step and you can read full version it now. Best ebook you must read is Rakshasa. I am promise you will like the Rakshasa. You can download it to your computer in light steps. Results for Rakshasa by India Jackson. Read or Download Rakshasa Book by India Jackson. This awesome book ready for download, you can get this book now for FREE. All your favorite books and authors in one place! PDF, ePubs, MOBI, eMagazines, ePaper, eJournal and more. Rakshasa by India Jackson accessibility Books LIbrary as well as its powerful features, including thousands and thousands of title from favorite author, along with the capability to read or download hundreds of boos on your pc or smartphone in minutes. Rakshasa by India Jackson. Category: Book Binding: Paperback Author: India Jackson Number of Pages: Amazon.com Price : $2.91 Lowest Price : Total Offers : Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 1. Rakshasa is most popular ebook you must read. You can download any ebooks you wanted like Rakshasa in simple step and you can read full version it now. Best ebook you must read is Rakshasa. I am promise you will like the Rakshasa. You can download it to your computer in light steps. Results for Rakshasa by India Jackson. Read or Download Rakshasa Book by India Jackson. This awesome book ready for download, you can get this book now for FREE. All your favorite books and authors in one place! PDF, ePubs, MOBI, eMagazines, ePaper, eJournal and more. Rakshasa by India Jackson accessibility Books LIbrary as well as its powerful features, including thousands and thousands of title from favorite author, along with the capability to read or download hundreds of boos on your pc or smartphone in minutes. - https://28oloantoolboxreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/read-or-download-rakshasa-book-by-india.html' onclick='window.open(encodeURI(this.href)," sharer" ,"toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=500"); return false;' rel='nofollow' title='Share to WhatsApp'> Rakshasa by India Jackson. Category: Book Binding: Paperback Author: India Jackson Number of Pages: Amazon.com Price : $2.91 Lowest Price : Total Offers : Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 1. Rakshasa is most popular ebook you must read. You can download any ebooks you wanted like Rakshasa in simple step and you can read full version it now. Best ebook you must read is Rakshasa. I am promise you will like the Rakshasa. You can download it to your computer in light steps. 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You can download any ebooks you wanted like Rakshasa in simple step and you can read full version it now. Best ebook you must read is Rakshasa. I am promise you will like the Rakshasa. You can download it to your computer in light steps. Results for Rakshasa by India Jackson. Read or Download Rakshasa Book by India Jackson. This awesome book ready for download, you can get this book now for FREE. All your favorite books and authors in one place! PDF, ePubs, MOBI, eMagazines, ePaper, eJournal and more. Rakshasa by India Jackson accessibility Books LIbrary as well as its powerful features, including thousands and thousands of title from favorite author, along with the capability to read or download hundreds of boos on your pc or smartphone in minutes. ' onclick='window.open(this.href," sharer" ," toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=500" ); return false;' rel='nofollow' title='Share to Pinterest'> Rakshasa by India Jackson. Category: Book Binding: Paperback Author: India Jackson Number of Pages: Amazon.com Price : $2.91 Lowest Price : Total Offers : Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 1. Rakshasa is most popular ebook you must read. You can download any ebooks you wanted like Rakshasa in simple step and you can read full version it now. Best ebook you must read is Rakshasa. I am promise you will like the Rakshasa. You can download it to your computer in light steps. Results for Rakshasa by India Jackson. Read or Download Rakshasa Book by India Jackson. This awesome book ready for download, you can get this book now for FREE. All your favorite books and authors in one place! PDF, ePubs, MOBI, eMagazines, ePaper, eJournal and more. Rakshasa by India Jackson accessibility Books LIbrary as well as its powerful features, including thousands and thousands of title from favorite author, along with the capability to read or download hundreds of boos on your pc or smartphone in minutes. Rakshasa. An Indian demon hailing from Hindu folklore, this creature is vicious through and through. Legend has it that, in previous incarnations, they were extremely wicked men. Accordingly, they are said to have been created from Brahma’s foot (Brahma being the creator deity of Hindu mythology). The Rakshasa is notorious for disrupting sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing people. They feed on human flesh and spoiled food, and their claws are poisoned. These monsters are shapeshifters, illusionists, and sorcerers. The word rakshasa (feminine Rakshasi) itself literally means “destroyer” or “injurer” in the Indian language. The Rakshasa appears as a huge, misshapen human, having fiery red eyes and abnormally long tongues. Their bodies are covered with bristlelike hair. Other features include yellow or red matted hair and beards, horns, a fat belly, slitlike eyes, and as is typical of Indian mythology, an unusual number of limbs or perhaps even a single eye. Some wear a wreath of intestines about their necks, and the skin color of this creature varies, usually being black, green, blue, or yellow. The Rakshasa is a species of asuras (demon) from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. This vampiric demon comes out to hunt for human prey at night, especially during the new moon and the dark of the moon (as their demonic powers increase at nightfall). These creatures are evil to the core and extremely hostile to mankind. It preys on humans who are more vulnerable, usually children and women (preferably during the woman’s wedding). The Rakshasa prefers to dwell in dark, secluded locations, namely the jungles, wooded areas, and deep forests. When the creature walks about, it howls eerily and constantly look from side to side in search of prey to satisfy their never-ending bloodlust. Unusually for a demon, the Rakshasa likes to haunt temples and other places of worship, reveling in disrupting the prayers of humans. The creature enjoys disrupting sacrifices and desecrating graves as well. The Rakshasa’s eating habits are, in a single word, disgusting. They eat human flesh and drink the blood (usually using a skull as a cup), devour excrement (apparently, they consume the life essence of an individual through this act), and they consume food that has been tainted in some way or another (i.e. having been sneezed upon, walked on, or soiled by bugs. The creature also endlessly roams the forest, preying upon the wildlife in a vain effort to satiate its unending hunger. Their talons are poisoned, and it is said that a human who is merely touched by a Rakshasa will die. A Rakshasa’s attack will devastate villages and destroy entire communities, most often in a single night. Although it prefers human flesh, the creature will also slaughter and devour the livestock (most often horses and cattle, which are essential to the Indian way of life). The Rakshasa possesses a supernatural degree of strength, able to tear a man apart with ease. It is also a shapeshifter and, although it may become almost anything or anyone, it prefers to become a dog, a vulture, an owl, an eagle, or a cuckoo. However, the creature can also assume human form, usually becoming a woman of unnatural beauty and sexual power (a disguise the Rakshasa uses to seduce men and then devour them). They may also masquerade as a dwarf, a husband, or a lover. The creature is also a gifted sorcerer, and uses dark magic to wreak havoc on its victims. It is able to take possession of humans, usually when they are eating or drinking, causing either illness or madness (or perhaps both). The Rakshasa has the power to reanimate the corpses of the recently dead, turning them into revenants. This demon may also become invisible at will. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to attack. Vulnerabilities. Despite its formidable abilities, the Rakshasa can be repulsed or even killed. One ritual calls for eating a bowl of porridge or rice pudding that had been boiled over a bird’s nest. Supposedly, the smell will somehow placate the demon. Like many demonic creatures, many Rakshasa (but not all) are slow-witted and able to be outsmarted by humans. Although clever and extremely powerful, the Rakshasa may be destroyed by burning it, and fire will repulse and drive it away. Meditation, prayer, or quoting certain Holy Scriptures may upset the Rakshasa and drive them away for a time, but the creature will return sooner or later. According to some legends, the Rakshasa may be banished by simply saying “Uncle”. Sunlight is another vulnerability, although forcing the creature into the daylight is another matter altogether. However, some legends say that the Rakshasa can be killed with a dagger forged of pure brass. But, the catch is that the dagger must pierce the heart. The last resort is an exorcism. The exorcism involves the burning of certain sacred herbs and chanting holy names. However, this exorcism is known only to a few select holy men. But identifying the Rakshasa in another form is (like it is with all shapeshifters) a difficult challenge. The exorcist must be both highly trained and very experienced (not to mention having to be either very brave or very stupid). An improperly-performed exorcism will lead to a bloody, painful death for all humans involved. Hindu mythology holds that the Rakshasa were created by Brahma to protect the sea from those who would steal the elixir of immortality. Over time, however, the Rakshasa devolved into demons that desired nothing more than to satisfy their own hungers and desires. Now, it is believed that a Rakshasa can be created if a child is forced to consume human brains. A curse will have the same result. Some legends hold that the Rakshasa were once humans who had been extremely evil during their lifetime and as a result are reincarnated into monstrous, demonic forms as a punishment for their wickedness. Rakshasa. A Rakshasa is a demonic being from Hindu mythology. As mythology made its way into other religions, the rakshasa was later incorporated into Buddhism. Rakshasas are also called maneaters ( Nri-chakshas , Kravyads ). A female rakshasa is known as a Rakshasi . A female Rakshasa in human form is a Manushya-Rakshasi . The terms Asura and Rakshasa are sometimes used interchangeably. Contents. Hindu lore. Vedic and Puranic stories. Death of Hiranyaksha, the son of Diti at the hands of Vishnu's avatar, Varaha. It is said that Rakshasas were created from the breath of Brahma when he was asleep at the end of the Satya Yuga. As soon as they were created, they were so filled with bloodlust that they started eating Brahma himself. Brahma shouted " Rakshama! " (Sanskrit for "protect me!") and Vishnu came to his aid, banishing to Earth all Rakshasas (thus named after Brahma's cry for help). Their literary origins can be traced to Vedic sources through Hymn 87 of the tenth mandala of the Rig Veda. Here they are classified amongst the Yatudhanas, demonic creatures who consume the flesh of the humans. [1] [2] Some sources credit Kashyapa with the origin of the rakshasa, although the Hymns of the Vedas for artistic reasons fail to do so. The knowledge of the Rakshasa lineage traceable to Kashyapa may have been known at the time of the compilation of the Vedas, but lineages are altogether foreign to the style of the Vedas and thus would have appeared out of place. This might explain why the Puranans and Hindu epics elaborate on their lineage, but the Vedas do not. Origins. Kashyapa was married to the thirteen daughters of Daksha. Among them were Aditi, Diti and Danu. His sons with Danu are the Danavas His sons with Diti are the Daityas His sons with Aditi are the Adityas, who considered Devas and are also called Suras. Description. Rakshasa were most often depicted as ugly, fierce-looking and enormous creatures and with two fangs protruding down from the top of the mouth as well as sharp, claw-like fingernails. They are shown as being mean, growling like beasts and as insatiable cannibals who could smell the scent of flesh. Some of the more ferocious ones were shown with flaming red eyes and hair, drinking blood with their palms or from a human skull (similar to vampires in later Western mythology). Generally they could fly, vanish, and had Maya (magical powers of illusion), which enabled them to change size at will and assume the form of any creature. The female equivalent of asura is asuri. [3] In Hindu epics. In the world of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Rakshasas were a populous race. There were both good and evil rakshasas, and as warriors they fought alongside the armies of both good and evil. They were powerful warriors, expert magicians and illusionists. As shape-changers, they could assume different physical forms, and it was not always clear whether they had a true or natural form. As illusionists, they were capable of creating appearances which were real to those who believed in them or who failed to dispel them. Some of the rakshasas were said to be man-eaters, and made their gleeful appearance when the slaughter on the battlefield was at its worst. Occasionally they serve as rank-and-file soldiers in the service of one or the other warlord. Aside from its treatment of unnamed rank-and-file Rakshasas, the epic tells the stories of certain members of the race who rose to prominence, some of them as heroes, most of them as villains. In the Ramayana. The Battle of Lanka pitted an army of Rakshasas under Ravana against an army of Vanaras or monkeys under Rama and Sugriva. , a Rakshasa with ten heads, was the King of the Rakshasas and the mortal enemy of Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. In the Mahabharata (Book III: Vana Parva, Section 271 ff.), the Sage Markandeya recounts the story of how Ravana kidnapped Rama's wife Sita and whisked her off to his stronghold Lanka, and how Rama, aided by the monkey King Sugriva and his army of monkeys, laid siege to Lanka, slew Ravana, and rescued Sita. , Ravana's younger brother, was a rare good-hearted Rakshasa; he was beautiful, pious and assiduous in his religious observances. When Brahma granted him a boon, he asked never to swerve from the path of righteousness and to be illumined by divine knowledge (Book III, Vana Parva: Section 273.) Vibhishana joined Rama in his campaign against Ravana, and helped Rama's army to cross the ocean into Lanka (Section 281). When invisible Rakshasas infiltrated Rama's camp, Vibhishana caused them to become visible, and Rama's monkey soldiers destroyed them (Section 283). After Rama's final victory over Ravana, the loyal Vibhishana was made king of Lanka (Section 289). was another brother of Ravana. A fearsome warrior and master of illusion, he slept through most of the Battle of Lanka (having long before requested and received a gift of long-lasting sleep from Brahma), but arose and took the field when Ravana awakened him with alarming news about the progression of the conflict. Upon marching out of the city, Kumbhakarna was immediately swarmed by Rama's monkeys, causing him only to laugh and to wreak great mayhem among them. When the monkey king Sugriva attacked, Kumbhakarna grabbed him and started to drag him off. It was at that point that Rama and his brother Lakshmana used arrows and a secret Brahmastra ("Brahma's weapon") to kill Kumbhakarna, dropping the Rakshasa like a huge tree cleft in twain by a thunderbolt. (Ramayana, Book III: Vana Parva, Section 285.) Other Rakshasa that appear in the Ramayana include Kabandha, Tataka (sometimes called Taraka), Surpanakha, Maricha, Subahu, Khara, Indrajit, Prahasta, Akshayakumara, and Atikaya. In the Mahabharata. The Pandava hero Bhima was the nemesis of forest-dwelling Rakshasas who dined on human travellers and terrorized human settlements. was a cannibal Rakshasa who was slain by Bhima. The Mahabharata (Book I: Adi Parva, Section 154) describes him as a cruel cannibal with sharp, long teeth and prodigious strength. When Hidimba saw the sleeping in his forest, he decided to eat them. He made the mistake of sending his sister Hidimbi to reconnoiter the situation, and the damsel fell in love with the handsome Bhima, whom she warned of the danger. Infuriated, Hidimba declared himself ready to kill not only the Pandavas but also his sister, but he was thwarted by the heroism of Bhima, who defeated and killed him in a duel. Hidimbi - the sister of Hidimba. Ghatotkacha, was the son of Bhima and Hidimbi. His name refers to his round bald head with ghata meaning pot and utkacha meaning head in Sanskrit. Ghatotkacha, when he was young, lived with his mother Hidimbi, when one day he had a fight with Abhimanyu, his cousin, without knowing that Abhimanyu was Arjuna's son. Ghatotkacha is considered to be a loyal and humble figure. He made himself and his followers available to his father Bhima at any time; all Bhima had to do was to think of him and he would appear. Like his father, Ghatotkacha primarily fought with the mace. His wife was Ahilawati and his son was Barbarika. In the Mahabharata, Ghatotkacha was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War. Invoking his magical powers, he wrought great havoc in the army. In particular after the death of Jayadratha, when the battle continued on past sunset, his powers were at their most effective (at night). At this point in the battle, the Kaurava leader Duryodhana appealed to his best fighter, Karna, to kill Ghatotkacha as the whole Kaurava army was coming close to annihilation due to his ceaseless strikes from the air. Karna possessed a divine weapon, Shakti, granted by the god Indra. It could be used only once, and Karna had been saving it to use on his arch-enemy, the best Pandava fighter, Arjuna. Unable to refuse Duryodhana, Karna used the Shakti against Ghatotkacha, killing him. This is considered to be the turning point of the war. After his death, the Pandava counselor smiled, as he considered the war to have been won for the Pandavas now that Karna no longer had a divine weapon to use in fighting Arjuna. There is a temple in Manali, , for Ghatotkacha near the Hidimba Devi Temple. was a cannibalistic forest-dwelling Rakshasa who terrorized the nearby human population by forcing them to take turns making him regular deliveries of food, including human victims. Unfortunately for Bakasur, the Pandavas travelled into the area and took up residence with a local Brahmin whose turn had come up to make the delivery. As the Brahmin and his family debated which one of them would have to be sacrificed, the rugged Bhima volunteered to take care of the matter. Bhima went into the forest with the food delivery (consuming it on the way to annoy Bakasur) and engaged Bakasur in a ferocious wrestling match, which ended with Bhima breaking his opponent's back. The human townspeople were amazed and grateful, and the local Rakshasas begged for mercy, which Bhima granted them on the condition that they give up cannibalism. The Rakshasas agreed to the proposal, and soon acquired a reputation for being peaceful towards humans. (Book I: Adi Parva, Sections 159-166.) , the brother of Bakasur, was a cannibal and master illusionist. He haunted the wood of Kamyaka, dining on human travellers. Like his brother before him, Kirmira made the mistake of fighting the Pandav hero Bhim, who killed him with his bare hands (Book III: Varna Parva, Section 11). was a cunning Rakshas who, disguised as a Brahmin, attempted to steal the Pandavas' weapons and to ravish their wife Draupadi. Bhima arrived in time to intervene, and killed Jatasur in a duel. (Book III: Varna Parva, Section 156). Jatasur's son was Alamvush, who fought on the side of the at Kurukshetra. Karna Attacks Ghatotkacha. Rakshasas heroes fought on both sides in the Kurukshetra war. , a hero fighting on the side of the Pandavas, was the son of Bhima and the Rakshasa Hidimbi, the sister of a being slain by Bhima. After performing many heroic deeds on the battlefield and fighting numerous duels with other great warriors (including the Rakshasa Alamvusha, the elephant-riding king Bhagadatta, and Aswatthaman, the son of Drona), Ghatotkacha was himself slain by the human hero Karna. In order to defeat Ghatotkacha, Karna found himself compelled to use a one-time secret weapon that he had been intending to reserve for use against his bitter rival Arjuna. When Arjuna defeated Karna in battle, it was in no small part because Karna had already expended his secret weapon. (Book VII: Drona Parva, Section 179.) Alamvusha was a Rakshasa skilled at fighting with both conventional weapons and the powers of illusion. According to the Mahabharata, he fought on the side of the Kauravas. Arjuna defeated him in a duel (Book VII: Drona Parva, Section 167), as did Arjuna's son Abhimanyu (Book VI: Bhishma Parva, Section 101–102). However, Alamvusha was able to kill Iravan, Arjuna's son by a Nāga princess Ulupi, when the Rakshasa used his powers of illusion to take on the form of Garuda. Alamvusha was also defeated by Bhima (Book VII: Drona Parva, Section 107), and he was slain by above-mentioned Rakshasa Ghatotkacha (Book VII: Drona Parva, Section 108). Rakshasas in Buddhist lore. Theravada Buddhist literature. In the Maha Samaya Sutta, the defeated antagonist of the Buddha, Mara also known as Namuci or the "Dark One" is described as a corrupted Asura whose army consisted of "Sensual passions, Discontent, Hunger and Thirst, Craving, Sloth and Drowsiness, Terror, Uncertainty, Hypocrisy and Stubbornness, Gains, Offerings, Fame and Status wrongly gained, and whoever would praise self and disparage others" (Sn 3.2 Padhana Sutta). The Asuras try to capture the devas and bind them. However, not all Asuras are Rakshasas. The Alavaka Sutta (SN 10.12) of the Pali Canon details a story where the Buddha was harassed by a Rakshasa, who asked him to leave and then come back over and over. The Buddha refused to leave, whereby the Rakshasa threatened to harm him if he could not answer his questions. The rest of the sutra concerns the question and answer dialogue, and at the end, the demon is then convinced and becomes a follower of the Buddha. [4] Sri Lankan (Sinhala) ancestral legends refer to Yakshas as well. One of Buddha's ten titles is "Sasta deva manusanam", or the teacher of gods and men. Mahayana Buddhist literature. Chapter 26 of the Lotus Sutra includes a dialogue between the Buddha and a group of Rakshasa daughters, who swear to uphold and protect the Lotus Sutra. They also teach magical dharanis to protect followers who also uphold the sutra. [5] In The Lotus-Born: The Life Story of Padmasambhava, recorded by Yeshe Tsogyal , Padmasambhava receives the nickname of "Rakshasa Demon" during one of his wrathful conquests to subdue Buddhist heretics.

In Japanese tradition Rakshasas are known as Rasetsu (羅刹). Artistic and folkloric depictions of Rakshasas. Depictions of Rakshasas at Angkor in Cambodia. The artists of Angkor in Cambodia frequently depicted Ravana in stone sculpture and bas-relief. The "Nāga bridge" at the entrance to the 12th century city of Angkor Thom is lined with large stone statues of Devas and Asuras engaged in churning the Ocean of Milk. The ten-headed Ravana is shown anchoring the line of Asuras. [6] Likewise, a bas-relief at the 12th-century temple of Angkor Wat that depicts the churning has Ravana anchoring the line of Asuras that are pulling on the serpent's head. It is speculated that one of the figures in the line of Devas participating in the churning by pulling on the serpent's tail is Ravana's brother Vibhishana. [7] Likewise, a bas-relief at Angkor Wat shows a 20-armed Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa. [8] A bas-relief at Preah Khan in Cambodia depicts the Battle of Lanka between Rakshasas and monkeys. The artists of Angkor also depicted the Battle of Lanka between the Rakshasas under the command of Ravana and the Vanaras or monkeys under the command of Rama and Sugriva. The 12th century Khmer temple Angkor Wat contains a dramatic depiction in bas-relief of the Battle of Lanka between Ravana's Rakshasas and Rama's monkeys. Ravana himself is depicted with ten heads and twenty arms, mounted on a chariot drawn by creatures that look to be a mixture of horse, lion, and bird. Vibhishana is shown standing behind and aligned with Rama and his brother Lakshmana. Kumbhakarna, mounted on a chariot similar to that of Ravana, is shown fighting Sugriva. [9] Likewise, the battle is depicted in a crude bas-relief at the 12th-century temple of Preah Khan. Rakshasas in languages. In Indonesian and Malay, " raksasa " simply means "giant", "gigantic", or "huge and strong", or "monster" in colloquial usage. [10] Indonesian and Malay are very closely related languages with significant Sanskrit influence. In Bengali, " rakhosh " is used as term for a person who eats incessantly and without burden. This derivation also occurred in Malay and Indonesian as " rakus ", which means "greedy". [10] Rakshasa. The rakshasa were a race of semi-immortal demonic entities whose true forms resembled bipedal tigers with human-like hands. They were shapechangers, illusionists, and sorcerers who fed on human flesh. [1] Contents. Legend [ edit | edit source ] Ra'Shari legends said that a jinn lived beneath the Temple of the White Tiger, imprisoned with gold chains. The dark jinn was so big and powerful that could provoke that women that were not with child, had born terrible Rakshasa from their wombs. [2] Another tale said rakshasa had been particularly wicked humans in previous incarnations, transformed into demons to punish them for their sins. [3] Abilities [ edit | edit source ] The Rakshasa were promised by their gods that no force could harm his people. With an appetite for carnage, they treated humans as cattle. [4] A rakshasa was not a creature that died easily, or changed easily. A rakshasa was beholden to no one. Such a creature found eternity a heavy, tedious burden and inevitably turned its energies toward destructive mischief on a grand scale. Rakshasa had built empires only to destroy them on a whim, inspired hope merely for the satisfaction of watching it died. [5] His flesh was stone and his blood was flame. [6] Their bodies would reform from any normal injury. Ivory, crystal, jade, or crysteel could harm the Rakshas, but the one true way to kill a rakshasa was to shoot it with a missile blessed by Vishnu the Protector. [7] When they contacted Rokugan they learned their fabled Magic Resistance did not extend to Maho. [4] Combat [ edit | edit source ] Rakshasa delighted in causing pain and suffering in others. Though they were quite powerful physically, they preferred to act unseen. They enjoyed using their shapeshifting powers to cause misery, dissent, and confusion. If they were discovered, or the game became too boring, they shifted into their true form and began murdering everything in sight. [4] Types [ edit | edit source ] The few brothers of Revan, King of the Rakshasa, were known as Greater Rakshasa , and the countless rest were known as Lesser Rakshasa . [4] Enemies [ edit | edit source ] Vishnu the Preserver once took mortal form to end their reign of terror in the Ivory Kingdoms. [4] In its homelands the Kshatriya, holy warriors much like the samurai, would destroy a rakshasa on sight. [5] History [ edit | edit source ] Expelled from Rokugan [ edit | edit source ] The Kenku allied with [ citation needed ] the Kitsune and a few other Hengeyokai against the evil Rakshasa, forcing them to flee past the mountains in what would later became the Ivory Kingdoms. [8] Ivory Kingdom Rulers [ edit | edit source ] Of demonic origin, they once ruled the Ivory Kingdoms with an iron fist before being defeated by a god taking mortal form. Most Rakshasa were destroyed, but some fled the Ivory Kingdoms, [4] where they wrought terrible suffering on the people. The people prayed to the gods for succor, and Vishnu the Protector, lord of life, imprisoned most of the rakshasa race, locking them away in a spiritual trap beyond the physical world, sealed behind the waterfall of a side-branch of the Shinano River that emerged in the Vindhyas Mountains. Only a few of the creatures, the most cunning and the swiftest, managed to escape Vishnu's punishment. [9] At least three escaped to Rokugan. [4] One more was known to have come later in the 12th century when it was revealed to be the leader of Kali-Ma's army during the Destroyer War. [10] Seal Weakened [ edit | edit source ] With all of the Ivory Kingdoms' gods dead the power of Vishnu's ancient seal weakened. Raniyah gathered the powerful spiritual artifacts and divine substances she needed to shatter Vishnu's ancient seal. [11] Known Rakshasa [ edit | edit source ] Rakshasa, Champion of Jigoku [ edit | edit source ] Rakshasa, the selected Champion of Jigoku, invaded Rokugan leading an army of demons and undead. After three days of fighting, he was defeated by Muhonarak, who was seriously wounded in the process. [6] Revan [ edit | edit source ] Revan was a rakshasa who ruled the Ivory Kingdoms in ancient times. He was eventually overthrown when Ivory Kingdoms deity Vishnu incarnated himself as a mortal named Arun and led a rebellion. [4] Adisabah [ edit | edit source ] Adisabah the Cruel, a rakshasa imprisoned in the Tomb of Iuchiban when he learned that his innate resistance to magic did not extend to maho, gave the impression that they were, as a race, inhumane and malevolent. [12] Bishan [ edit | edit source ] Bishan the Watchful would be involved in a plot against the Mantis Clan, and used his shapeshifting abilities to impersonate the Mantis Clan Champion, Yoshitsune. Eventually, he found himself becoming more Mantis samurai than Rakshasa, and faked his death after revealing at least part of the truth to his foster son, Yoritomo. To this day, Bishan lurked in the deep jungles of the Islands of Spice and Silk, watching his former clan with sadness and regret. [13] Raniyah [ edit | edit source ] Rakshasa at Medinaat al-Salaam. Raniyah the Sly spent many years in Otosan Uchi impersonating an ise zumi before becoming bored and wandering deeper in to the Empire. [14] He was a hunter of his kin, and chased them to Medinaat al-Salaam, where still were alive four of the five survivors. [15]