Shloka 1.12.17
द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa (Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice)
छिद्रं हि मृगयन्तेऽत्र विद्वांसो ब्रह्मराक्षसा:। निहतस्य च यज्ञस्य सद्य: कर्ता विनश्यति।।1.12.17।।
chidraṃ hi mṛgayante ’tra vidvāṃso brahmarākṣasāḥ | nihatasyaca yajñasya sadyaḥ kartā vinaśyati || 1.12.17 ||
For here the learned brahma-rākṣasas lie in wait, searching for the slightest flaw in the rite. And if the sacrifice is struck down or disrupted, the very patron who undertakes it is said to perish at once.
The learned brahmarakshasas always look out for flaws in the sacrifice so that they can strike into it. If the sacrifice is damaged, the doer of the sacrifice will be immediately destroyed.
Sacred undertakings demand vigilance and integrity: even small lapses (chidra) can invite destructive forces. The verse underscores responsibility—those who initiate a dharmic act must ensure its proper protection and completion.
In the context of arranging Daśaratha’s great sacrifice, the text warns that hostile brahma-rākṣasas look for ritual vulnerabilities to sabotage the yajña; if the rite is harmed, the patron faces immediate ruin—hence the need for careful safeguards.