Vayu Purana

अनर्कश्च अनर्का च कुखण्डश्च कुखण्डिका। पाणिपात्रः पाणिपात्री पांशुः पांशुमती तथा ॥ ८.

Anarka and Anarkā, Kukhaṇḍa and Kukhaṇḍikā, Pāṇipātra and Pāṇipātrī, Pāṃśu and Pāṃśumatī as well.

नितुण्डश्च नितुण्डी च निपुणा निपुणस्तथा। छलादोच्छेषणा चैव प्रस्कन्दः स्कन्दिका तथा। षोडशानां पिशाचानां गणाः प्रोक्तास्तु षोडश ॥ ८.

Nituṇḍa and Nituṇḍī, Nipuṇa and Nipuṇā, Chalādoccheṣaṇā, Praskanda and Skandikā—these are the sixteen groups of Piśācas that have been described.

अजामुखा वक्रमुखाः पूरिणः स्कन्दिनस्तथा। विपादाङ्गारिकाश्चैव कुम्भपात्राः प्रकुन्दकाः ॥ ८.

Ajāmukhā, Vakramukhā, Pūriṇas, Skandinas, Vipādāṅgārikās, Kumbhapātrās, and Prakundakās.

उपचारोलूखलिका ह्यनर्काश्च कुखण्डिकाः। पाणिपात्राश्च नैतुण्डा ऊर्णाशा निपुणास्तथा ॥ ८.

Upacārolūkhalikās, Anarkās, Kukhaṇḍikās, Pāṇipātrās, Naituṇḍās, Ūrṇāśās, and Nipuṇās as well.

सूचीमुखोच्छेषणादाः कुलान्येतानि षोडश। इत्येता ह्यभिजातास्तु कूष्माण्डानां प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ८.

Sūcīmukhās, Uccheṣaṇādās—these sixteen lineages are named; these are the noble families of the Kūṣmāṇḍas.

पिशाचास्ते तु विज्ञेयाः सुकल्पा इति जज्ञिरे। बीभत्सं विकृताचारं पुत्रपौत्रमनन्तकम्। अतस्तेषां पिशाचानां लक्षणञ्च निबोधत ॥ ८.

These Piśācas are to be known as the well-formed ones; they are born with dreadful and perverse conduct, with endless offspring and descendants. Therefore, listen to the characteristics of these Piśācas.

सर्वाङ्गकेशा वृत्ताख्या दंष्ट्रिणो नखिनस्तथा। तिर्यङ्गाः पुरुषादाश्च पिशाचास्ते ह्यधोमुखाः ॥ ८.

Covered in hair all over, called Vṛttākhyā, with fangs and claws, their bodies are askew; these flesh-eating Piśācas have faces turned downward.

अकेशका ह्यरोमाणस्त्वग्वसाश्चर्मवाससः। कूष्माण्डिकाः पिशाचास्ते तिलभक्षाः सदामिषाः ॥ ८.

Some are hairless, without body hair, clothed in skin and sinew; these Kūṣmāṇḍika Piśācas always eat sesame seeds and meat.

वक्राङ्गहस्तपादाश्च वक्रशीलागतास्तथा। ज्ञेया वक्रपिशाचास्ते वक्रगाः कामरूपिणः ॥ ८.

With crooked limbs, hands, and feet, and given to crooked behavior, these are known as the crooked Piśācas, who move in twisted ways and can assume any form at will.

लम्बोदरास्तुण्डनाशा ह्रस्वकायशिरोभुजाः। नितुन्दकाः पिशाचास्ते तिलतक्षाः प्रियश्रवाः ॥ ८.

With hanging bellies, beak-like noses, short bodies, heads, and arms—these Nitundaka Piśācas are fond of sesame seeds and are well-known.

वामनाकृतयश्चैव वाचालाः प्लुतगामिनः। पिशाचानर्कमर्कास्ते वृक्षवासादनप्रियाः ॥ ८.

Of dwarf-like form, talkative, moving by leaping—these Anarka and Marka Piśācas dwell in trees and dislike food.

ऊर्द्ध्वबाहूर्द्ध्वरोमाण ऊर्द्ध्ववृक्षास्तथालयाः। मुञ्चन्ति पांशूनङ्गेभ्यः पिशाचाः पांशवश्च ते ॥ ८.

With arms, hair, and trees all pointing upward, and living in such places, these Pāṃśava Piśācas release dust from their bodies.

धमनीमतकाः शुष्काः श्मश्रुलाश्चीरवाससः। उपवीराः पिशाचाश्च श्मशानायतनास्तथा ॥ ८.

With visible veins, dry, bearded, clad in bark garments, these Upavīra Piśācas dwell in cremation grounds.

विष्टब्धाक्षा महाजिह्वा लेलिहाना ह्युदूखलाः। हस्त्युष्ट्रस्थूलशिरसो विरता बद्धपिण्डकाः ॥ ८.

With fixed eyes, large tongues, licking, and mortar-shaped bodies, with heads as big as elephants or camels, withdrawn, and with bound lumps.

पिशाचाः सुम्भपात्रास्ते अदृष्टान्नानि भुञ्जते। सूक्ष्मास्तु रोमशाः पिङ्गा दृष्टादृष्टाश्चरन्ति वै ॥ ८.

The Sumbhapātra Piśācas eat unseen food; the subtle ones are hairy and tawny, moving both seen and unseen.

अयुक्ताश्च विशन्तीह निपुणास्ते पिशाचकाः. आकर्ण दारितास्याश्च लम्बश्रूस्थूलनासिकाः ॥ ८.

And here enter those skillful goblins who are unrestrained: with mouths torn open to the ears, drooping lips, and thick noses.

हस्तपादाक्रान्तगणा ह्रस्वकाः क्षितिदृष्टयः। बालादास्ते पिशाचा वै सूतिकागृहसेविनः ॥ ८.

There are groups trampled by hands and feet, dwarfish, gazing at the ground; these goblins seize children and frequent the houses of women in childbirth.

पृष्ठतः पाणिपादाश्च ह्रस्वका वातरंहसः। पिशितादाः पिशाचास्ते संग्रामे रुधिराशिनः ॥ ८.

With hands and feet set backward, dwarfish, swift as the wind; these goblins eat flesh and, in battle, drink blood.

नग्नका ह्यनिकेताश्च लम्बकेशाश्च पिण्डकाः। पिशाचाः स्कन्दिनस्ते वै अन्या उच्छुसनाशिनः । षोडश जातयस्तेषां पिशाचानां प्रकीर्त्तिताः ॥ ८.

Some are naked, homeless, with hanging hair, and lump-like bodies; these goblins are called Skandins, while others eat the remains of offerings. Sixteen kinds of goblins are thus described.

एवंविधान्पिशाचांस्तु दीनान्दृष्ट्वानुकम्पया। तेभ्यो ब्रह्मा वरं प्रादात्कारुण्यादल्पचेतसः। अन्तर्द्धानं प्रजास्तेषां कामरूपत्वमेव च ॥ ८.

Seeing these pitiful goblins in such forms, Brahma, out of compassion for their limited minds, granted them a boon: the power to become invisible and to assume forms at will.

उभयोः सन्द्ययोश्चारं स्थानान्याजीवमेव च। गृहाणि यानि भग्नानि शून्यान्यल्पजनानि च ॥ ८.

At the junctions of day and night, their places and means of living are the houses that are broken, deserted, or sparsely inhabited.

विध्वस्तानि च यानि स्युरनाचारोषितानि च। असंस्पृष्टोप लिप्तानि संस्कारैर्वर्जितानि च ॥ ८.

And those dwellings that are ruined, inhabited by the impure, untouched or smeared with filth, and lacking in proper rites.

राजमार्गोपरथ्याश्च निष्कुण्ठाश्चत्वराणि च। द्वाराण्यष्टालकाश्चैव निर्ममान्संक्रमांस्तथा ॥ ८.

Along royal roads and side streets, at unclean crossroads, doorways, thresholds, and places where people cross without ownership.

पथो नद्योऽथ तीर्थानि चैत्यवृक्षान्महापथान् । पिशाचा विनिविष्टा वै स्थानेष्वेतेषु सर्वशः ॥ ८.

On roads, rivers, sacred fords, trees at shrines, and great highways—goblins are established in all these places.

अधार्मिका जनास्ते वै आजीवा विहिताः सुरैः। वर्णाश्रमाः सङ्करिकाः कारुशिल्पिजनास्तथा ॥ ८.

Those people who are unrighteous, whose livelihoods are prescribed by the gods—mixed castes, artisans, and craftsmen.

अमृतोपमसत्त्वानां चौरविश्वासघातिनाम्। एतैरन्यैश्च बहुबिरन्यायोपार्ज्जितैर्धनैः । आरभन्ते क्रिया यास्तु पिशाचास्तत्र देवताः ॥ ८.

Among those with vitality like nectar, thieves, betrayers of trust, and others who acquire wealth unjustly—wherever such acts are begun, there the goblins and spirits dwell.

मधुमांसौदनैर्दध्ना तिलचूर्णसुरासवैः। धूपैर्हारिद्रकृशरैस्तैलभद्रगुडौदनैः ॥ ८.

With honey, meat, rice, curds, sesame flour, spirituous liquors, incense, turmeric rice, oil, molasses, and rice cooked with jaggery.

कृष्णानि चैव वासांसि धूपाः सुमनसस्तथा। एवं युक्ताः सुबलयस्तेषां वै पर्वसन्धिषु। पिशाचानामनुज्ञाय ब्रह्मा सोऽधिपतिर्ददौ ॥ ८.

With black garments, incense, and flowers—thus equipped and strong, at the junctions of sacred days, Brahma granted them permission as their lord.

सर्वभूतपिशाचानां गिरिशं शूलपाणिनम् । दृष्ट्वा त्वजनयन्पुत्रान्व्याघ्रान्सिंहांश्च भामिनी ॥ ८.

For all beings and goblins, seeing Girisha, the wielder of the trident, he produced sons—tigers and lions, O beautiful one.