Rakshasa
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A rakshasa (Sanskrit: रक्षस, rakṣasa; alternately, raksasa or rakshas) is a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hinduism.
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Hindu 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 Lord of Light
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 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 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).
In Dungeons & Dragons
In the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, the Rakshasa are a type of evil beings from the lawful evil parts of the Outer Planes. They are powerful sorcerers and, although they disdain physical fighting as ignoble, can be dangerous in close combat as well. Two subtypes of Rakshasa, differing from the common Rakshasa exist: Ak'chazar Rakshasa and Naztharune Rakshasa.
Their natural shapes are relatively humanoid although they are clearly not human, as they have the heads of beasts -- usually tigers, but sometimes apes, crocodiles, mantises, or other creatures. Their hands also look disturbing to most humans, as their palms are where the back of the hands would be in humans. The Rakshasa are capable of hiding their disturbing appearance at any time, as they can choose any humanoid form at will.
Rakshasa are solitary beings, although they do occasionally cooperate with each other. Since Rakshasa are ambitious beings, as well as being solitary, sorcerous shapeshifters, they typically hold leading positions in whatever undertaking they are involved in. They are therefore typical boss monsters.
The Ak'chazar have the heads of white tigers and are skinnier than common Rakshasa. They are unusually powerful spellcasters, even for Rakshasa, and specialize in necromantic magic. To use their necromantic powers to their full potential the Ak'chazar often use graveyards or old battlefields as their headquarters. When working on one of their dark schemes the Ak'chazar often let their undead do the physical work while they stay behind the scenes themselves.
The Naztharune have the heads of black tigers and are covered in black fur. They have few magical powers but compensate by being strong fighters, specializing in assassination. They lack most Rakshasa's need to be the leader of any organisation that they are part of, often working for other Rakshasa.
Rakshasa do not have a significant presence in most campaign settings -- they may be present in the setting, but lack a great deal of influence. In the Eberron campaign setting, however, rakshasa were once a major world power, but were defeated and forced into withdrawal from active participation in world events by the couatls.
In other fiction
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 vulnerable to blessed crossbow bolts.
In the manga Fist of the North Star, the character Shachi is referred to as "Rakshasa, the Asura-devouring beast".
In the Exile and Avernum series of games, Rakshasas are magic-casting tiger lookalikes; they're one of the more particularly nasty adversaries in the later stages of the game.
In the video game Freespace 2 the Rakshasa is a class of enemy Shivan cruiser.
In the Fantasy novel Song in the Silence, by Elizabeth Kerner, the demons are referred to as rakshasa by their dragon enemies.
In the Children of the Lamp novels by P.B. Kerr, the elder djinn of the Marid tribe is named Mr. Rakshasas.
In the Gold Digger comic series, the character Genn is a member of the Rakshasa race, which is a genderless race of shapeshifters who feed off of the ethereal energy of other beings for sustenance.
The Palladium RPG has Rakshasas as a race of Demons, but here, it is spelled "Raksasha".
Was referenced in the Outer Limits episode, "Under the Bed" an episode about child stealing myths(boogeymen). Also mentioned were Babba Yaga, Norse Trolls, Jinn, and the American Boogeyman.
A group of rakshasas makes a brief appearance in Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.
In the MMORPG Tantra Online, Rakshasa is a character class resembling a female assassin.
In the game Final Fantasy I (packaged with Final Fantasy II and released as "Final Fantasy Anthology" by SquareSoft for Playstation), there is a Tiger-headed creature called a Rakshasa which is a tough spellcaster. In the original Final Fantasy for the Nintendo Entertainment System, this was shortened to Mancat due to the constraints of the 8-bit machine.