Various Creations (sṛṣṭi-vistāra) - Verse 227
Linga Purana (GRETIL / Wisdomlib) · 1 · Verse 70.227
Sanskrit Original
राक्षसा नाम ते यस्मात क्षुधाविष्टा निशाचराः। ये ऽब्रुवन यक्षमो ऽम्भांसि तेषां हृष्टाः परस्परम।।
rākṣasā nāma te yasmāt kṣudhāviṣṭā niśācarāḥ| ye 'bruvan yakṣamo 'mbhāṃsi teṣāṃ hṛṣṭāḥ parasparam||
Sūta said: These hungry beings created by him attempted to seize the bodies of the lord. Some of them who said, “We will protect these bodies” were known as Rākṣasas. They were night-walkers who were overcome by hunger. Those who said, ‘We will eat them up,’ were called yakṣas as also guhyakas because of their secret activity. The root ‘rakṣ’ means ‘to protect’ and the root ‘yakṣ’ means ‘to eat.’ On observing this creation, the hair of the intelligent lord Brahmā became withered due to displeasure.