rakasa

Rakasa, more commonly written rakshasa or rākṣasa, is a term used in Hindu and Buddhist literature to denote a class of demon beings. In Sanskrit sources, rakṣasas are powerful, often malevolent creatures who inhabit forests, cities, and remote realms. They are frequently described as shapeshifters with magical power, skilled in combat, and prone to cruelty, yet the tradition also includes rakṣasas who act with intelligence or even mercy in certain tales.

In the Ramayana and other epics, rakṣasas are prominent antagonists for heroes such as Rama and Krishna's era. The most famous rakshasa is Ravana, the king of Lanka, along with his brother Kumbhakarna, and numerous lesser demons who oppose divine and mortal protagonists. In some accounts, rakṣasas are part of a lawful society with their own kings and codes, while in others they are solitary threats.

Culturally, rakṣasas symbolize the dangers of unchecked power, temptation, and the perils of the wild or the otherworldly. They are typically slain by heroic figures, sages, or gods through martial prowess, ritual power, or divine intervention, though tales also recount redemptive or tragic rakṣasas.

In modern usage, rakshasa appears in Indian literature, folklore, and popular media as a stock term for demonic beings, sometimes reinterpreted in fantasy settings as formidable, shapeshifting antagonists. The concept has multi-regional variants across South Asia and Southeast Asia, reflecting local mythologies and storytelling traditions.