Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 32: Śūrpaṇakhā Goes to Meet Rāvaṇa
Text 3.32.20
आप्तयज्ञहरं क्रूरं ब्रह्मघ्नं दुष्टचारिणम्।
कर्कशं निरनुक्रोशं प्रजानामहिते रतम्॥
āpta-yajñaharaṁ krūraṁ brahmaghnaṁ duṣṭacāriṇam
karkaśaṁ niranukrośaṁ prajānām ahite ratam
āpta-yajñaharam = he would destroy yajñas when they were almost complete; krūram = cruel; brahmaghnam = he was a killer of the brāhmaṇas; duṣṭacāriṇam = given to wicked deeds; karkaśam = rough; niranukrośam = merciless; prajānām = [all] created beings; ahite = in harming; ratam = and delighted.
He would destroy yajñas when they were almost complete. He was a killer of the brāhmaṇas, given to wicked deeds, cruel, rough, merciless and delighted in harming [all] created beings.
Āpta-yajñaharam indicates that Rāvaṇa would destroy yajñas at the time of awarding dakṣiṇā [to the sacrificial priests].