ORIENTAL SERIES.

RAKSHASASRAKTA- VIJA. 255
and vex and afflict mankind in all sorts of ways. These last
are the Eakshasas of whom Eavana was chief, and according to
some authorities, they are descended, like Eava^a himself, from
the sage Pulastya. According to other authorities, they sprang
from Brahma's foot. The Vislmu Purawa also makes them de-
scendants of Kasyapa and Kha6a, a daughter of Daksha, through
their son Eakshas ; and the Eamaya?fca states that when Brahma
created the waters, he formed certain beings to guard them who
were called Eakshasas (from the root raksh, to guard, but the
derivation from this root may have suggested the explanation),
and the Vishfiu Purawa gives a somewhat similar derivation.
It is thought that the Eakshasas of the epic poems were the
rude barbarian races of India who were subdued by the Aryans.
When Hanuman entered the city of Lanka to reconnoitre
in the form of a cat, he saw that " the Eakshasas sleeping in
the houses were of every shape and form. Some of them disgusted
the eye, while some were beautiful to look upon. Some
had long arms and frightful shapes ; some were very fat and
some were very lean : some were mere dwarfs and some were
prodigiously tall Some had only one eye and others only one
ear. Some had monstrous bellies, hanging breasts, long pro-
jecting teeth, and crooked thighs ; whilst others were exceedingly
beautiful to behold and clothed in great splendour. Some had
two legs, some three legs, and some four legs. Some had the
heads of serpents, some the heads of donkeys, some the heads of
horses, and some the heads of elephants," (Bdmdyana.)
The Eakshasas have a great many epithets descriptive of their
characters and actions. They are called Anusaras, Asaras, and
Hanushas, i
*
killers or hurters ;' Ishft-pachas, stealers of offer-
ings ;' Sandhya-balas, c
strong in J
twilight ;
Kshapatas, Naktan-
charas, Eatri-charas, and Samani-shadas, (
night-walkers ;'
Nn-
jagdhas or Nri-chakshas, cannibals;' Palalas, Paladas, Palan-
carnivorous;' Asra-pas, Asnk-pas, Kauna-
kashas, Kravyads, '
pas, Kilala-pas, and Eakta-pas, i
blood-drinkers ;' Dandasukas,
'biters;' Praghasas, 'gluttons;' Malina-mukhas, 'black-faced;'
Karburas, &c. But many of these epithets are not reserved
exclusively for Eakshasas.
RAKSHASA-LOKA. See Loka,
EAKTA-YIJA. An Asura whose combat with the goddess
(Devi) is celebrated in the Devi-maliatrnya. EacL