HomeRamayanaBala KandaSarga 20Shloka 1.20.19
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Shloka 1.20.19

राज्ञः शङ्का–प्रत्याख्यानम् (Daśaratha’s Objections to Sending Rāma) — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20

यदा स्वयं न यज्ञस्य विघ्नकर्ता महाबल:।।1.20.18।।तेन सञ्चोदितौ द्वौ तु राक्षसौ वै महाबलौ।मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यत:।।1.20.19।।

yadā svayaṁ na yajñasya vighnakartā mahābalaḥ | tena sañcoditau dvau tu rākṣasau vai mahābalau | mārīcaś ca subāhuś ca yajñavighnaṁ kariṣyataḥ || 1.20.19 ||

When that mighty one does not himself disrupt the sacrifice, he sets two powerful rākṣasas—Mārīca and Subāhu—to obstruct the yajña.

Although endowed with great strength, Ravana, by himself, never created impediments to the sacrifice. But two rakshasas by name Maricha and Subahu are incited by him to cause obstacles".

R
Rāvaṇa
M
Mārīca
S
Subāhu
Y
Yajña

Dharma includes safeguarding sacred duties (yajña) against disruption; delegating wrongdoing does not reduce culpability.

A repeated/parallel line (as transmitted in this recension) reiterates that Mārīca and Subāhu act under Rāvaṇa’s instigation to spoil sacrifices.

Moral clarity—identifying the real instigator behind visible perpetrators.