Question: Below is a passage from Uttara Khanda of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Please explain the propriety of Rama’s cutting off the head of Shambuka. It sounds so brutal! Is there not a fault of discrimination against sudras?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
We can examine the appropriateness of Sri Rama’s act of killing Shambuka on the foundation of the following two verses spoken by Hanumanji to Sitadevi in the Ashok Grove, Sundara Khanda.
rakṣitā jīvalōkasya svajanasyābhirakṣitā.
rakṣitā svasya vṛttasya dharmasya ca parantapaḥ ৷৷5.35.10৷৷
“Rama, a scorcher of enemies, is a protector of the entire world of living beings not to speak of his own people. He is a protector of his own duties. He guards righteousness.”
rāmō bhāmini lōkasya cāturvarṇyasya rakṣitā.
maryādānām ca lōkasya kartā kārayitā ca saḥ ৷৷5.35.11৷৷
“O beautiful lady! Rama is a protector of the four classes of society (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra) in the world. He follows codes of conduct and makes others follow them.”
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Mahabharata CE 12.149.62
जीवितो धर्ममासाद्य रामात्सत्यपराक्रमात्॥
“It has been heard that Rama, truthful in his valor, killed the sudra Shambuka, resorted to dharma, and brought a brahmana child back to life.”
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Below is Madhva’s commentary on this episode from Ramayana, indicating that Shambuka was killed not because of his caste / tapas. He was punished because he was engaged in tamasic tapas which was lethally harmful to society, to the point of resulting in the death of a brahmana’s young son.
jaṅghanāmasuraḥ pūrvaṁ girijāvaradānataḥ
babhūva śūdraḥ kalpāyuḥ sa-loka-kṣaya-kāmyayā
tapaścāra durbuddhiḥ acchan māheśvaraṁ padaṁ
ananyavaddhyaṁ taṁ tasmāt jaghāna puruśottama
Mahābhārata Tātparya Nirṇaya Chapter 9 Verses 20-21
Translation: “He was formerly an asura named Jangha who had received a boon from Girijā (the wife of Lord Siva). He was born as a śūdra with his life spanning a kalpa. He performed austerities with an evil desire to take the position of Lord Siva and destroy the world. The best of all puruśas (Puruśottama – the Supreme Lord) who is unassailable killed him (Jangha).”
Madhva’s Commentary: Shambuka who was performing penance was killed by Lord Rama not because he was a śūdra and doing penance. His intrinsic nature was that of an asura. He did penance to destroy the world. He wanted the position of Lord Śiva/Rudra although not qualified. He wanted to misuse the boon of Goddess Parvati so that he could get Parvati as his consort. Śabari and Guha were śūdras. Jatāyu was a bird. Vibhīṣaṇa was a rākṣasa. But Lord Rāma bestowed his mercy on all of them irrespective of their background/asrama. Devotional service to the Supreme Lord is uninhibited by external considerations of caste, gender, etc.
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There are several dimensions to consider and appreciate in this episode, which are often overlooked. The overwhelming response by an unguided commoner is to judge the act of Sri Rama as intolerant of Sudras.
Dimension 1: Is varna determined by birth?
No. Varna is determined by qualities (guna) and actions/occupation (karma) of an individual. We are familiar with the term psycho-physical nature. Does birth play any role at all? Yes, in the previous yugas, not in Kali Yuga. A better expression would be something like “birth alone does not determine one’s varna.” As we examine BG 4.13, it seems that by using the phrase guna-karma vibhagasa, Krishna is covering all the possibilities. In previous ages, however, there were person born in one particular varna, but changed their varna over time. For example, Parasurama, Visvamitra, the sons of King Rsabhadeva, Valmiki, etc.
Dimension 2: Yuga-specific dharmic eligibility
As Sri Narada states (see quoted section below), “In the Krta-yuga, everyone was brahminically qualified, and by performing austerity, they achieved liberation from material bondage. In that golden age, wisdom was the rule and there were no untimely deaths. Then, in the beginning of Treta-yuga, the four social divisions were created. The ksatriyas were practically as qualified as the brāhmanas, and they were both allowed to perform tapasya. In the Dvāpara-yuga, irreligiosity will increase, and thus many irregularities will be introduced. As a concession, the vaiśyas will also be allowed to perform austerities, but the ṣūdras will be strictly forbidden to do so. Thereafter, in the Kali-yuga, even sūdras will be allowed to perform austerities. Indeed, in that degraded age, there will be practically no qualified brāhmanas, ksatriyas or vaisyas.”
Anomalies cause havoc to the established order. In Kali Yuga, anomalies become the norm.
Dimension 3: Sri Rama was advised by a panel of sages headed by Sri Narada
Sri Rama did not take a unilateral and autocratic decision. He was advised by the sages to eliminate Shambuka and restore order. “O Rāma, it is a very serious offense for a sūdra to practice austerity in this age. It happens, however, that there is one such person in Your kingdom. There is a sūdra executing very severe penances and he is the cause of this child’s death.”
“O King, irreligiosity is a state’s worst enemy. Therefore, the ruler who fails to punish wrong-doers deserves to suffer in hell. You must find out this culprit at once so that religious principles may be upheld and the brāmana’s son restored to life.”
Dimension 4: Sambhuka’s austerity caused dharmic anomalies (children dying after they were born)
When one follows his or her dharma steadfastly, such a person benefits not only themselves but others as well. Such is the nature of dharma – it has communal benefits that extend far beyond one’s individual benefit. The nature of Shambuka’s austerity was contrary to such benefits; it was reaping debilitating and lethal outcomes for others. Sri Rupa Goswami refers to such practices as “utpata” or disturbing. Krishna describes in BG 16.24 that conduct which neglects the regulations offered by scripture are at best whimsical and do not lead to any perfection, happiness or ultimate destination. In other words, they are fruitless for the individual and disturbing to society.
Moreover, Shambuka’s austerity was with the explicit intention of ascending to heaven in his selfsame earthly body. This is against the rules of karma, especially without eligibility. Shambuka did not want to visit the heavens, he wanted to emigrate there. Visitation and domicile operate on different rules, even in this world.
What to speak of Shambuka, even Sri Rama’s ancestor, Trishanku, was denied such domicile despite being empowered by Visvamitra! What then is Shambuka’s eligibility?
Dimension 5: Sambhuka’s austerity was self-styled, no guidance by guru.
If Shambuka was permitted to continue his austerity, it would create a precedence of violating a sacrosanct principle – that a human being can only become cultured by the grace of guru. To preserve and demonstrate this principle, even the Supreme Lord Sri Rama accepted Visvamitra as His guru.
Shambuka’s intention and method were whimsical.
Case in point – this episode is not about varna, but dharma. Sri Rama’s advisory council included Jabali, the renowned son Satyakama of Jabala, of a sudrani, who received the grace of Gautama Rsi. Today, by the grace of guru, he was accepted into the august assembly of sages. Then there is Narada Muni, the sage among demigods, who describes his own journey from being the son of a maidservant to the most exalted sage in the universe by the grace of the Bhaktivedantas. What to speak of Vālmīki himself, whose austerities, commenced from a low birth were authorized and instructed by Narada, elevating him far beyond his prior condition of life by birth!
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Some add that Lord Rama had the experience of seeing an unqualified person (Ravana) engaged in austerities and achieved a boon that resulted in great suffering to society and did not desire to have same situation arise again.
Summary: Shambuka’s austerity was a polished criminal activity. He was being held accountable for murdering the brahmana boy. To attain his goal, he could have appealed to Rama, like the abused dog. By killing Shambuka, Rama protected him from committing further crimes, creating further harm to society, and freed him from past sinful reactions. Rama’s act can be supported by various verses, such as BG Ch 16 and SB 7.9.14.
Uttara Khanda of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa
[Same is found in Kamba Rāmāyaṇa and Padma Purāna, Sṛṣṭi Khanda]
An elderly brāmaṇa villager arrived one day at the palace gate, bearing the dead body of his child. Delirious with grief, the old brāmaṇa cried out, “O my son! My dear child! What terrible crime did I commit in a previous life to deserve the death of my only child? He was just a child, not yet fourteen, and now his mother and I shall die from grief. What wrong did I commit? I have never spoken a lie or injured either man or animal. Never before in the kingdom of Rāma has a son died before his parents. Therefore, the death of my son must be due to some fault of Rāma, Himself. It is a fact that when the king becomes negligent in performing his duties that such anomalies occur. O Rāma, You must return my innocent son to me, or else my wife and I will give up our lives at Your doorstep. In this way You will also be guilty of killing brāhmanas. O King, You claim to be a great ruler in the line of Ikṣvāku. How will You be able to go on living happily when the great sins You have perpetrated continue to haunt You?”
Hearing of the brāmana’s plight, Rāma hurriedly summoned His advisors: Mārkeṇḍeya, Maudgalya, Kaśyapa, Katyayana, Jabali, Gautama and Nārada. After seating the great ṛṣis and offering them respects, Rāma informed them of the elderly brāmana’s accusations.
To relieve the King’s anxiety, Nārada said, “O King, I shall disclose to You the reason for this child’s death. Then You may act as You see fit. In the Kṛta-yuga, everyone was brahminically qualified, and by performing austerity, they achieved liberation from material bondage. In that golden age, wisdom was the rule and there were no untimely deaths. Then, in the beginning of Treta-yuga, the four social divisions were created. The kṣatriyas were practically as qualified as the brāhmanas, and they were both allowed to perform tapasya. In the Dvāpara-yuga, irreligiosity will increase, and thus many irregularities will be introduced. As a concession, the vaiśyas will also be allowed to perform austerities, but the ṣūdras will be strictly forbidden to do so. Thereafter, in the Kali-yuga, even ṣūdras will be allowed to perform austerities. Indeed, in that degraded age, there will be practically no qualified brāhmanas, kṣatriyas or vaiśyas.”
“O Rāma, it is a very serious offense for a ṣūdra to practice austerity in this age. It happens, however, that there is one such person in Your kingdom. There is a ṣūdra executing very severe penances and he is the cause of this child’s death.”
“O King, irreligiosity is a state’s worst enemy. Therefore, the ruler who fails to punish wrong-doers deserves to suffer in hell. You must find out this culprit at once so that religious principles may be upheld and the brāmana’s son restored to life.”
Pleased by this advice, Rāma ordered Lakṣmaṇa, “Go at once to the palace gate and tell the brāmaṇa to preserve the dead body of his child in a vat of oil after supplying the necessary herbs.”
Rāma then mentally summoned the Puṣpaka chariot. Leaving Ayodhyā in the care of Lakṣmaṇa and Bharata, He then departed to search for the culprit. Rāma first flew over the Western region, then North to the Himalayas. Finding no sign of irreligion, He next examined the Eastern provinces and finally began searching in the South. There, near the Sarvala mountain, beside a large lake, Rāma sighted an ascetic hanging head downward, engaged in executing severe penances.
“What great austerity! What fixed determination!” Rāma declared. “Tell Me O formidable one, who are you and what is your caste. I am Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, and you have aroused My curiosity. For what purpose are you undergoing so much trouble? Are you seeking the heavenly planets, or have you some other goal? Are you a brāmaṇa, a heroic kṣatriya, a vaiśya, or śūdra? Please tell Me the truth.”
From his awkward position the ascetic replied, “O illustrious King, My name is Shambuka. I was born from the womb of a śūdrāṇī. Regardless of this handicap, I am performing austerities to that in my next life I can attain the planets of the demigods.”
Shambuka hardly finished speaking when Rāma suddenly unsheathed His terrible sword and slashed off the śūdra’s head. From the sky came shouts of, “Well done! And Excellent!” as flowers rained down on all sides. Being exceedingly pleased, the demigods appeared before Rāma and declared, “O Lord, You have done us a great favor! By performing this noble act You have insured that this ṣūdra will not attain to heaven in violation of religious principles.”
With folded hands, Rāma replied by requesting the thousand eyed Indra, “O King of Heaven, if you are truly pleased with Me, then kindly restore the brāmana’s son to life. It was due to My own fault that the boy died. I promised the brāmaṇa that I would restore his life. O best of the demigods, please allow My words to hold true.”
Indra thus happily replied, “My dear Lord, certainly the child has already been revived and reunited with his parents. He regained his life as soon as the śūdra’s head fell to the ground.”
