View source for Subahu

{{Short description|Rakshasa in the epic Ramayana}}
[[File:Rama-and-Laksmana-confront-the-demons-Marica-and-Subahu-Courtesy-Sahapedia.jpg|thumb|Rama-and-Laksmana-confront-the-demons-Marica-and-Subahu]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox character
| image = Rama killed Subhahu, smote Maricha and hurled him afar off into the ocean.jpg
| caption = Painting of the death of Subahu by Rama
| family = Sunda (father), Tadaka (mother) 
| children = Piglāksha
}}

'''Subahu''' ({{Langx|sa|सुबाहु|translit=Subāhu}}) was a [[rakshasa]] featured in the Hindu epic [[Ramayana]].

==Story==

Subahu was the son of Sunda and Tadaka. Subahu, with his brother [[Maricha]] and their mother, [[Tataka]], took immense pleasure in harassing the munis of the jungle, especially [[Vishvamitra]], by disrupting their [[yajna]]s with rains of flesh and blood.<ref>{{cite news|date=1 July 2018|access-date=22 January 2019|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/spirituality/2018/jul/01/rama-brings-ahalya-back-to-her-living-form-1835161.html|author=Gita Jnana Brahmacharini Sharanya Chaitanya|title=Rama Brings Ahalya Back to Her Living Form|work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>

Vishvamitra approached [[Dasharatha]] for help in getting rid of these pestilences. Dasharatha obliged by sending two of his sons, [[Rama]] and [[Lakshmana]], to the forest with Vishvamitra, charging them to protect both the sage and his [[Sacrificial fire#Indo-European religions|sacrificial fire]]s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shashtri |first1=Hari Prasad |title=Dasaratha acquiesces [Chapter 21] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-ramayana-of-valmiki/d/doc423871.html |website=Wisdom Library - Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda |publisher=Wisdom Library |access-date=22 May 2022 |language=en |date=21 September 2020}}</ref>

When Subahu and Maricha again attempted to rain flesh and blood on the sage's yajna, Subahu was killed by Rama.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apamnapat.com/entities/Subahu.html|title=Subahu - Asura Slain by Rama|publisher=Indian Mythology|access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref>

Maricha escaped to Lanka. Out of the fear of Rama, he lived as a sage but was then ordered by [[Ravana]] to trick Rama into hunting him down (and kidnap his wife [[Sita]]). Maricha refused and tried to persuade Ravana to not commit such a dreadful sin. However, Ravana insisted and threatened to kill him. Maricha eventually decided to be killed by Rama since it was better to die at the hands of God rather than Ravana. He was eventually killed by Rama when he took the form of a deer to distract him. Just before his death, he called out in Rama's voice for Lakshmana's help. This eventually lured Lakshman away from Sita, and allowed Ravana to assume the form of a sage and abduct her.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Rakshasa in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Characters in the Ramayana]]


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