Who were the rakshashas?

[biswa]

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Now that we have beaten the Aryan invasion thread to death, let me ask the converse question. While watching the cricket world cup final and the sad faces of the Sri Lankans who were quite gracious in defeat, I couldn't help but wondering, are these the descendants of the erstwhile rakshashas?

According to our epics the rakshashas were dark, evil, demonic and cannibal. Yet they could interbreed with "humans" and had a distinct humanoid form with the same external features in the same places on the body. At times, they could even assume forms attractive to humans.

So who really were the rakshashas? To me the answer is obvious, but let me hear what the others have to say.

 

[renuka]

Now that we have beaten the Aryan invasion thread to death, let me ask the converse question. While watching the cricket world cup final and the sad faces of the Sri Lankans who were quite gracious in defeat, I couldn't help but wondering, are these the descendants of the erstwhile rakshashas?

According to our epics the rakshashas were dark, evil, demonic and cannibal. Yet they could interbreed with "humans" and had a distinct humanoid form with the same external features in the same places on the body. At times, they could even assume forms attractive to humans.

So who really were the rakshashas? To me the answer is obvious, but let me hear what the others have to say.

I think its just describing the qualities of an individual and the life style they lead.
If its based on a particular race it cant really be cos Ravana was a Brahmin by birth and also called a Rakshasa.

Most drawings depict Ravana as unattractive but in Vibhishana Gita..there is a line when Lord Rama sees Ravana for the first time and praises his form to Vibhishana.

So I feel its based on negative qualities and not genetics but one thing I dont understand is Rakshasas are supposed to get stronger by sunset/night?
I wonder why?

Is its because all so called negative behaviour stuff are mostly done at night?

 

[biswa]

Hi Renuka,

What you mention about this classification being solely based on behaviour is a very common, politically correct euphemism. The reality may be much more brutal. History as we know is written by the victors: in this case the marauding tribes from the north-west. To them, anybody who was different was a villain. Ravana was a cross-breed, but still a rakshasha because his mom was a native. Vibhishana, good guy but same mom, so still a rakshasha. Finally Ghatotkacha, sacrificed himself to save the Pandavas, but no doubt always a rakshasha.

I guess I am trying to point out that these were primarily racist adjectives and that is how we should regard them as we try to interpret the epics for our children.

 

[renuka]

Hi Renuka,

What you mention about this classification being solely based on behaviour is a very common, politically correct euphemism. The reality may be much more brutal. History as we know is written by the victors: in this case the marauding tribes from the north-west. To them, anybody who was different was a villain. Ravana was a cross-breed, but still a rakshasha because his mom was a native. Vibhishana, good guy but same mom, so still a rakshasha. Finally Ghatotkacha, sacrificed himself to save the Pandavas, but no doubt always a rakshasha.

I guess I am trying to point out that these were primarily racist adjectives and that is how we should regard them as we try to interpret the epics for our children.

Dear Biswa,

That way if we are going to dissect everything..what are we to gain?

Why dont we just teach our kids the positive values from each story.

See like when we see Rajini Movie..eg Basha we come out of the cinema with this on our mind..Rajini(in the movie) is a Sura and Raghuvaran(in the movie)is an Asura.

Anyway when I was a kid..I always had a soft corner for the Asura's in any story becos I felt they were always more macho and relied both on their own strength and also boons from Brahma but the Suras mainly depended on God..may be for a reason which I understand now..The Total Surrender concept.

I will put a line from a Croatian Mr Ivan Bavcevic taken from an article in a website where he was talking about Total Surrender.

Just a brief intro on him:
After graduating with distinction from the American College of Management and Technology in Dubrovnik, Croatia, he served as the chief of staff of the office of Her Royal Highness, the Archduchess of Austria. He has also worked as assistant professor at the American College of Management and Technology and currently runs a business involved in professional development and business consulting.


Ok he said: Surrendering does not mean expecting everything to be smooth. On the contrary, God puts in front of us many and ever more challenging situations so that we progress on our spiritual path.

There is no limit to how much one can be surrendered until she or he finally merges with God in timeless being.


So I guess these stories are not really racial divides..dont you think so?..well both of us stand unproven...

 

[sarma-61]

Now that we have beaten the Aryan invasion thread to death, let me ask the converse question. While watching the cricket world cup final and the sad faces of the Sri Lankans who were quite gracious in defeat, I couldn't help but wondering, are these the descendants of the erstwhile rakshashas?

According to our epics the rakshashas were dark, evil, demonic and cannibal. Yet they could interbreed with "humans" and had a distinct humanoid form with the same external features in the same places on the body. At times, they could even assume forms attractive to humans.

So who really were the rakshashas? To me the answer is obvious, but let me hear what the others have to say.

Rakshas -es were also referred to as enemies. Even in some of the suktas which orthodox brahmins recite (including me) there is prayer to save us from the rakshas. It is clear that the rakshases were enemies of those who made the vedas and mantras and were possibly cannibalistic, taking pleasure in drinking human blood. Beyond that it is for the scholars to consider.

 

[subbudu1]

I feel this word could have been used in exactly the same way we use it in normal language. A person who has defied all limits of acceptable human behavior ?

 

[saidevo]

We might opionate our own ifs and buts and hows and whys, but here is a brief account of the origin of the rAkShasas from the purANas. (Ref: 'Puranic Encyclopedia' by VeTTam MaNi)

rAkShasa I

• A particular sect of asuras. The ancients had ordained that rAkShasas should not be killed at dusk. (vAlmIki rAmAyaNa, bAlakANDa, Canto 22, Verse 22).

• uttarAmAyaNa, contains the following story about the origin of rAkShasas.

‣ When BrahmA was reciting the Vedas at the beginning of KRtayuga he felt very hungry and certain forms emanated from his face. Those who were born from his anger assumed the form of rAkShasas and those from his hunger that of yakShas.

‣ The rAkShasas turned out to be evil folk killing and eating cows and brahmins. Praheti and Heti were the first born rAkShasas, the latter of whom wedded BhayA, daughter of KAla, and to them was born a son called Vidyutkesa. He married SAlakataNkA, daughter of SandhyA. Though a child was born to them they forsook it in the Himalayan slopes and went their own way.

‣ At that time Shiva and PArvatI came that way and after blessing the child returned to KailAsha. The child was named Sukesha. He married DevavatI, daughter of the Gandharva called Manimaya and three children were born to the couple, viz. MAlyavAn, SumAll and MAli. They did tapas to propitiate BrahmA and when he appeared requested him thus: "We must defeat Yakshas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, Siddhas, VidyAdharas, Yama, Kubera, VAsava, NAga kings and daityas and dAnavas and we must not be defeated by any one. We must kill all enemies and they shall not kill us. We three shall never quarrel among ourselves."

‣ BrahmA granted all their prayers. The three, proud and haughty due to these boons, began roaming about consuming cows and brahmins. They asked VishvakarmA to build a city for them and he built for them LankA on Mount TrikUTa in the south sea.

‣ The three brothers took their abode in LankA. MAlyavAn, SumAll and MAli married respectively SundarI. KetumatI, and VasudhA, daughters of the Gandharva woman NarmadA. MAlyavAn begot of SundarI seven sons called VajramuShTi, VirUpAkSha, Durmukha, Suptaghna, Yajnakosha, Matta, and Unmatta, and also a daughter called NalA.

‣ To SumAll were born of KetumatI ten sons and also four daughters.

‣ Four sons were born to Mall of his wife VasudhA, and they became the ministers of VibhlShaNa.

‣ Then thousands of rAkShasas were born as sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews, etc. to the above and they lived in LankA, a terror to the whole world.

‣ While the daughters of SumAll, VekA, PuspotkaTA, KaikasI and KumbhinasI were once walking in the forest they saw Kubera on a visit to BrahmA in all pomp and glory. They understood that Kubera owed his pomp and glory to his being the son of Vishravas and therefore, the next day one of the four, KaikasI, went to Vishravas' ashram and prayed for children by him.

‣ Three sons called RAvaNa, VibhIShaNa and KumbhakarNa and a daughter called SUrpanakha were born to her by Vishravas. They secured boons by performing tapas and RAvaNa lived in LankA as king of the rAkShasas.

 

[sarma-61]

We might opionate our own ifs and buts and hows and whys, but here is a brief account of the origin of the rAkShasas from the purANas. (Ref: 'Puranic Encyclopedia' by VeTTam MaNi)

rAkShasa I

• A particular sect of asuras. The ancients had ordained that rAkShasas should not be killed at dusk. (vAlmIki rAmAyaNa, bAlakANDa, Canto 22, Verse 22).

• uttarAmAyaNa, contains the following story about the origin of rAkShasas.

‣ When BrahmA was reciting the Vedas at the beginning of KRtayuga he felt very hungry and certain forms emanated from his face. Those who were born from his anger assumed the form of rAkShasas and those from his hunger that of yakShas.

‣ The rAkShasas turned out to be evil folk killing and eating cows and brahmins. Praheti and Heti were the first born rAkShasas, the latter of whom wedded BhayA, daughter of KAla, and to them was born a son called Vidyutkesa. He married SAlakataNkA, daughter of SandhyA. Though a child was born to them they forsook it in the Himalayan slopes and went their own way.

‣ At that time Shiva and PArvatI came that way and after blessing the child returned to KailAsha. The child was named Sukesha. He married DevavatI, daughter of the Gandharva called Manimaya and three children were born to the couple, viz. MAlyavAn, SumAll and MAli. They did tapas to propitiate BrahmA and when he appeared requested him thus: "We must defeat Yakshas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, Siddhas, VidyAdharas, Yama, Kubera, VAsava, NAga kings and daityas and dAnavas and we must not be defeated by any one. We must kill all enemies and they shall not kill us. We three shall never quarrel among ourselves."

‣ BrahmA granted all their prayers. The three, proud and haughty due to these boons, began roaming about consuming cows and brahmins. They asked VishvakarmA to build a city for them and he built for them LankA on Mount TrikUTa in the south sea.

‣ The three brothers took their abode in LankA. MAlyavAn, SumAll and MAli married respectively SundarI. KetumatI, and VasudhA, daughters of the Gandharva woman NarmadA. MAlyavAn begot of SundarI seven sons called VajramuShTi, VirUpAkSha, Durmukha, Suptaghna, Yajnakosha, Matta, and Unmatta, and also a daughter called NalA.

‣ To SumAll were born of KetumatI ten sons and also four daughters.

‣ Four sons were born to Mall of his wife VasudhA, and they became the ministers of VibhlShaNa.

‣ Then thousands of rAkShasas were born as sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews, etc. to the above and they lived in LankA, a terror to the whole world.

‣ While the daughters of SumAll, VekA, PuspotkaTA, KaikasI and KumbhinasI were once walking in the forest they saw Kubera on a visit to BrahmA in all pomp and glory. They understood that Kubera owed his pomp and glory to his being the son of Vishravas and therefore, the next day one of the four, KaikasI, went to Vishravas' ashram and prayed for children by him.

‣ Three sons called RAvaNa, VibhIShaNa and KumbhakarNa and a daughter called SUrpanakha were born to her by Vishravas. They secured boons by performing tapas and RAvaNa lived in LankA as king of the rAkShasas.

Still it is not clear as to how rakshas-es and raakshasas differ and why our ancients were afraid of both.