Every myth carries a truth older than the civilization that told it.
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The vetala — the corpse-animating spirit of Hindu myth that hangs inverted in cremation grounds and knows past and future. Famed as the riddle-telling
The brahmaparusha — a savage blood-drinking demon-ghoul of the Hindu cremation ground that wears its victims' entrails and drinks from human skulls, among
The chedipe — a witch-vampire of Andhra (Telugu) folklore who rides a tiger naked through the night and drains the blood and vitality of sleeping men,
Iravan — son of Arjuna and a serpent-princess, who offered his head for Pandava victory and was wed for one night to Krishna as Mohini. Worshipped as the
Barbarika — grandson of Bhima with three infallible arrows that could end the Mahabharata in a minute. He gave his head to Krishna and watched the war as
The apsaras — supernally beautiful celestial dancers of Hindu myth, born from the churning ocean, partners of the gandharvas and Indra's irresistible
The gandharvas — celestial musicians of the gods' court, guardians of soma and secret lore, consorts of the apsaras, namesakes of the love-marriage and of
The yaksha — Hindu nature-spirits and treasure-guardians serving Kubera, custodians of forests and hidden wealth, double-natured as gentle tree-genii and
The yakshini — female yaksha and tree-goddess of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain myth, both a benevolent fertility-spirit (the blossoming shalabhanjika) and a
The bhuta — the Hindu ghost of one who died a bad death and cannot pass on, feared for possession and illness yet worshipped as a guardian-deity in the
