All the words that are used to describe the various words for ghosts, demons etc in modern Indian languages are derived from Sanskrit. But in Sanskrit literature, they refer to human beings of different geographical areas of India and around India.
- Bhutah, the wonderful people of Bhutan, and Rakshasas fought alongside Bharata (Sri Rama’s brother) in the war against the Gandharvas and the Gandharas, the people of the Sindhu River.
Kailasavasa Neelakantha Parama Siva was Bhutanatha (the lord of the Bhutas) and Pisacha pate (the people of Paisacha Desa. Siva was the God, Lord and Leader of all the Mountain people (Himalayas and Sahyadri – Western Ghats). The Yakshas and Rakshasas of Nepal (nEtra pHAla) and Sri Lanka worshipped Trinethra, Siva.
- I think ‘The errors in Translation’ possibly occured much before the Sanskrit-English translations.
When people eat, they sprinkle water around their lunch plates (leaves) and say ‘Utthisthanthhu Bhuta Pisachani’ (may the bhutas and Pisacas stand). The water keeps ants etc out of one’s plate. What is the purpose of the words?
- The Kannada word for ghosts is Devva, which sounds a bit like Deva, the word for God.
- The Telugu word for ghosts is Daiyyam which sounds like the Telugu word Daivam for God (God, Fate – in Sanskrit).
As the Uttar Pradeshis say – Dana mein kuch kala hai – ‘some thing is there’.
There are no ghosts, demons etc, only nice People. Something has been lost in translation. And in that loss is an interesting piece of history waiting to be discovered.
See Also: http://satyask.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/nagas-syenas-garudas-vanaras/
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