Rakshasa This article is about the demon in Hindu mythology . For the use of the term in fiction , see Rakshasa ( fiction ) . A rakshasa ( Sanskrit : रा॑क्षसः , rā́kṣasaḥ ; alternately , raksasa or rakshas ) is a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hinduism . Hindu mythology The Ramayana describes them as being created from Brahma 's foot ; elsewhere , they are descended from Pulastya , or from Khasa , or from Nirriti and Nirrita . Many Rakshasa were particularly wicked humans in previous incarnations . Rakshasas are notorious for disturbing sacrifices , desecrating graves , harassing priests , possessing human beings , and so on . Their fingernails are poisonous , and they feed on human flesh and spoiled food . They are shapechangers and magicians , and often appear in the forms of humans , dogs , and large birds . Hanuman , during a visit to the rakshasas ' home in Lanka , observed that the demons could come in any form imaginable . The great ten-headed demon Ravana , enemy of Rama , was king of the rakshasas . His younger brother Vibhishana was a rare good-hearted rakshasa ; he was exiled by his brother the king , who was displeased by his behavior . Vibhishana later became an ally of Rama and a ruler in Lanka . Other notable rakshasas include the guardian god Nairitya , who is associated with the southwest direction . A female rakshasa is called a Rakshasi , and a female rakshasa in human form is a manushya-rakshasi . See also Raksha Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa Female Deities : Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more ... Male Deities : Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Kartikeya | Hanuman | Lakshmana | Indra | Surya | more ... Texts : Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata This box :   view • talk • edit Categories : Rakshasa | Shapeshifting In other languages : Deutsch | Français | Italiano | 日本語 | Русский the demon in Hindu mythology the use of the term in fiction Rakshasa ( fiction ) rā́kṣasaḥ 