In different legends, the appearance of Rakshasas is presented in different ways. In the Rig Veda, they are portrayed as werewolves, leading a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle, and turning into ominous animals and birds. In the Atharva Veda, Rakshasas acquire the monstrous appearance of humanoid beings with one or more eyes, several heads and horns on their heads and arms. In the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas, they become long-armed, multi-armed and multi-headed man-eating giants with fiery eyes.
Summarizing the descriptions of Rakshasas in Vedic texts, epic poems and Puranas, we can conclude that they had the ability to change shape and acquire any image. The following passages from the Ramayana illustrate this well:
“Raghava, with his sharp arrows, killed fourteen thousand demons in an instant, changing their appearance at will”;
“You… saw how I [Ravana] could change my appearance by my own will”;
“My nickname is Shurpanakha. To match the sorcerer -
I have mastered the art of changing my appearance from birth”;
“And the Rakshas [Marich] could not disregard the command of the lord.
Having changed his appearance, he turned into a magic deer."
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Rakshasas - multi-armed and multi-headed giants
Most often, Rakshasas are described as multi-armed, multi-headed and multi-eyed or, conversely, one-eyed creatures with a huge mouth (there were also multi-mouthed Rakshasas) and ears resembling shells. Some of them, such as the Rakshasa Kabandha, represented shapeless lumps of meat with a gaping mouth in the middle and one eye in the chest (a clear analogy with the mother of Fomor Kihola Lotha). Sometimes the Rakshasas had the appearance of ordinary people, including seductive women, which they assumed as a result of werewolves. Basically, they were giants, and sometimes giants of monstrous size.
To quote the Ramayana:
“Rama was gazing intently into the grass … when a roaring giant [Viradha Demon, son of Java and Shatarhada] appeared before him, huge as a mountain. Huge, disgusting, with deep-set eyes, a huge mouth and a protruding belly, dressed in a tiger's skin, covered with blood, he struck terror into the hearts of all the inhabitants of the forest;
"She [Shurpanakhi] was disgusting, thick, heavy, with slits in her eyes [cross-eyed], red hair, repulsive in appearance, with a raspy voice … with a hanging belly."
The Rakshasas were green, yellow or blue in color, had vertical pupils and long poisonous claws, "which made their legs look like a fan."
They had tufts of reddish-red hair on their heads. They wore clothes made of colored fabrics and various decorations, and the warriors were dressed in armor or chain mail.
Rakshasa Lord Ravana
The ruler of the Rakshasas was the mighty Ravana -
"The Lord of the Night Flying, shod in sandals, With a bundle, wearing a saffron robe"
received immunity from the god Brahma himself. He was “a giant with ten azure heads and wore jewelry of the purest gold. He had ten necks and twenty arms."
“Dressed in expensive linen, painted with red sandalwood and variegated emblems, he [Ravana] seemed magnificent with his reddish eyes, fierce eyes, sparkling sharp teeth and thick lips. The brilliant ten-headed lord of great power reminded Hanuman … a pile of blue antimony."
Rakshasas are great sorcerers who knew how to become invisible
Rakshasas were great sorcerers (this is said very often), they could suddenly appear and disappear, become invisible, and also cast a variety of spells. For example,
“Ravana's son, Indrajit, jumped off the chariot …
Summoned witchcraft to help, shrouded in haze
And, driven by the valiant Angada, became invisible …
Possessing a wonderful gift from Brahma, Disappeared from the eyes of Indrajit, as if becoming incorporeal "(" Ramayana ", translated by V. Potapova).
Sometimes Rakshasas are credited with the property of being invulnerable to any weapon. Such were Ravana and Viraji.
Rakshasas - centenarians or immortals
They were long-lived or immortal. Thus, Ravana received invulnerability for 10 thousand years of severe asceticism; he disparages mortals.
“Floating in the vastness of space, I [Ravana] can lift the Earth! I can drain the ocean and defeat death itself in battle. With my arrows I can smash the sun into pieces and split the globe”(Ramayana).
Rakshasa love interests and marriages with people
There are quite a few descriptions of love interests and even marriages of Rakshasas (both male and female) with people. So, the ruler of the Rakshasas Ravana had a whole harem of concubines, stolen by him from different parts of the world. His sister, the giantess - Rakshasi Shurpanaksi, in turn, fell in love with Rama. The hero of the "Mahabharata" Bhimasena (Bhima wolf-bellied) married the Rakshasi Hidimba.
Entering into love relationships with people, the Rakshasas took on a very seductive appearance:
"Taking on an irresistibly charming female appearance, adorned with all kinds of jewels of the most exquisite work and conducting sweet conversations, she [Rakshasi Khidimba] gave pleasure to the son of Pandu"
("Mahabharata").
Descendants of Rakshasas and humans
From marriages or love affairs of Rakshasas with people, quite viable children were born. Here is what the Mahabharata says about this:
“The Rakshasi eventually bore him [Bhima] a mighty son. With his slanting eyes, large mouth and shell-like ears, the boy was a bogeyman. His appearance … was terrible, his lips - a bright copper color, teeth like fangs - very sharp. Its power was also great. He was … a great hero, endowed with great energy and strength. He moved swiftly, possessed a monstrously large body and great mystical power, and could easily defeat all enemies. His speed of movement and power, although human-born, were truly superhuman. And he surpassed in his magical power not only all human beings, but also any sorceresses and sorcerers."
Children born of Rakshasas and humans could have human form, but by their nature they were always Rakshasas. Legends tell about the most curious feature of Rakshasas to give birth to children at the moment of conception.
The capital of the Rakshasa empire - brilliant Lanka
The Rakshasas lived in "splendid" Lanka, which was one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world with beautiful multi-storey palaces, gardens and parks.
Flying chariots of Rakshasas
One of the main attractions of Lanka was the huge flying chariot "Pushpaka" (Puspaka), stolen by Ravana from his brother Kubera.
"She shone like pearls and floated above the high palace towers … Decorated with gold and decorated with incomparable works of art, created by Vishvakarma himself, flying in the vastness of space, like a ray of the sun …".
In this flying chariot, Ravana traveled through his domain and the rest of the world. On it, he flew to his uncle Marichi:
“And the Ten-Headed One, descending vertically from heaven, I got off the chariot, adorned with gold wonderfully"
On it, he transported to Lanka the kidnapped wife of Rama - Sita:
“After Ravana, a chariot descended from a height …
… And soared into the azure sky, on the mountain, the poor thing, Magic horses - green, in a wonderful team "(" Ramayana ", translated by V. Potapova).
Other owners of the air chariots were Ravana's sister Rakshasi Shurpanakhi and Rakshasi Hidimba - the wife of one of the main characters of the Mahabharata, Pandava Bhimasena. This is what the Mahabharata says about it:
“Taking Bhimasena with her, she [Hibimba] soared into the sky and flew with her husband around many beautiful mountain peaks, sanctuaries of the gods, seductive dwellings, where the sounds of deer hooves and bird songs were always heard…. With the quickness of thought, flying from one place to another … ".
Air battles of Rakshasas with gods and people
The central themes of the Ramayana are air battles between Ravana and Rama, as well as Rama's brother Lakshman with Rakshasa Indrajit. In these battles, both sides used some particularly powerful weapon that can be compared to nuclear weapons. Here is how the battle between Ravana and Rama is described in the "Ramayana" translated by V. Potapova:
“But the raja demons headlong directed the chariot
On the brave king's son, who led the army …
… And against the weapon that Ravana chose the treacherous one, The blessed prince's supply for Suparna's weapons …
… Like a hard diamond or Indra's thunderous arrow, Ravana took the weapon, hope to kill Rama …
It spewed out fire, and frightened the sight, and the mind
A weapon that is similar in brilliance and hardness to a diamond …
… It flew into the skies, blazing with fire ….
A. V. Koltypin
