A History of Sanskrit Literature c7.144

c7.144

The second class of demons consists of goblins supposed to infest the earth, enemies of mankind as the Asuras are of the gods. By far the most common generic name for this class is Rakshas. They are hardly ever mentioned except in connection with some god who is invoked to destroy or is praised for having destroyed them. These goblins are conceived as having the shapes of various animals as well as of men. Their appearance is more fully described by the *Atharvaveda*, in which they are also spoken of as deformed or as being blue, yellow, or green in colour. According to the *Rigveda* they are fond of the flesh of men and horses, whom they attack by entering into them in order to satisfy their greed. They are supposed to prowl about at night and to make the sacrifice the special object of their attacks. The belief that the Rakshases actively interfere with the performance of sacrificial rites remains familiar in the post-Vedic period. A species of goblin scarcely referred to in the *Rigveda*, but often mentioned in the later Vedas, are the Piçāchas, described as devouring corpses and closely connected with the dead.