Pishacha
Artwork by Benedetta Fiore. ArtStation | Instagram
Origin: Indian mythology
Other names: piśāca
Pishachas are flesh-eating, blood-drinking demons that delight in harming others. They live in the Antarikṣa, the region between the earth and the sky, and in unclean or barren places. They have bulging veins and swollen red eyes, and they speak in their own languages known as Paiśāci. They prefer the dark and are known to haunt cremation grounds alongside other monsters—when they aren’t prowling the jungle looking for their next victim.
Some stories place them in the court of Kubera, king of the demigods called Yakṣas ruling at Alakāpurī. Others say they’re devoted to Śiva, living on the Muñjavān mountain. Wherever they are, their powers range from shapeshifting, to turning invisible, to possessing people. If a pishacha takes hold of your body, it will alter your thoughts and make you go mad.
That is, unless someone nearby happens to know the mantras that will drive it out. To prevent such an attack from happening in the first place, consider leaving offerings during festivities and ceremonies. (I think it’s worth making the offerings just in case.)
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