Shambuka Episode - The Facts of Valmiki Ramayana

By Shri Kesava Rao Tadipatri

Rangoli by Smt.Padmini Rao,Coimbatore

Why did Sri Rama kill ShambUka? Is it just because A Shudra did Tapas?

There is lot of misunderstanding about the episode of Shambuka. The critics come out strongly saying -

Shambuka was a Shudra. He was doing Tapas or penance. When Sri Rama asked him "who are you?", he was honest and spoke the truth that he was a Shudra. Sri Rama is God and so should be impartial to all people. Was it a sin for Shambuka to be a Shudra? Was it a sin that he was doing Tapas or penance? Why should Sri Rama kill Shambuka for the only reason that a Shudra is doing Tapas or penance? Is God such a racist? For doing Tapas or penance, God should have blessed him in fact. Far from it He punished him.

What is the explanation?

The answer is in Valmiki Ramayana itself and it is surprising that none of the critics made even a proper study and none of them noted the verses around that episode. Once a person studies that episode properly and reads entire Ramayana, it becomes pretty obvious how silly and childish the objection is. In brief, the verdict is that the reason for Sri Rama killing Shambuka is not that Shambuka did Tapas or penance. If I give an example, the case becomes pretty obvious. If a person says "One Policeman shot and killed Mr.X, who was wearing red shirt and making an attempt to kill an innocent child.", it is obvious that wearing the red shirt is only an identifier and the true reason for the Policeman killing Mr. X is that he was making an attempt to kill an innocent child. It is foolish to say that the reason for the Policeman killing Mr. X is that he was wearing the red shirt.

To give a little background, a Rakshasa or demon by name Janghaasura did penance to Parvati and obtained a boon of long life. Then he was born as Shambuka. He had an evil intent of obtaining the post of Shiva and make Parvati his wife. He sets out to do penance with the intent of achieving that. Because he did severe penance with that kind of senseless, preposterous, and sinful intention, an innocent boy died indicating that there is a serious effort to upset the universal dharma and the Lord Sri Hari sets up the stage to show to the world how the indication comes and how it will be handled. It is of paramount importance to note that Valmiki describes that in the kingdom of Sri Rama, there was not a single untimely death or widowhood. There were no diseases, no thefts and no unfortunate events. That being the case, when an innocent boy dies, the father came and reported to Sri Rama. Otherwise why should a citizen complain about the death of one person? The sage Narada reveals that the cause for the death of the innocent child is that one Shudra was doing penance with an evil intent that can harm the kingdom.

" करोति चाश्रिमूलम् तत् पुर् वा दुर्मतिर्नरः। - मार्गस्व विषयं स्वकम्। "

"karoti chASrimUlam tat purE vA durmatirnaraH...mArgasva viShayaM svakam .”

(If a person with an evil intent does such intense Tapas in a kingdom, misfortune would befall that kingdom...search for yourself the culprit.)

Sri Rama went in search and found one person doing penance upside down.

उवाच स तदा वाक्यं धन्यस्त्वमसि सुव्रत॥ १४॥

कस्यां योन्यां तपोवृद्ध वर्तसे दृढविक्रमः।

कौतूहलात्त्वां पृच्छामि रामो दाशरथिर्ह्यहम्॥ १५॥

कोऽर्थो मनीषितस्तुभ्यं स्वर्गलाभो परोऽथवा।

वराश्रयो यदर्थं त्वं तपस्यसि सुदुष्करं॥ १६॥

यमाश्रित्य तपस्तप्तं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तापस।

ब्राह्मणो वासि भद्रं ते क्षत्रियो वासि दुर्जयः॥ १७॥

वैश्यस्तृतीय वर्णो वा शूद्रो वा सत्यवाग्भव॥ १८॥

uvAcha sa tadA vAkyaM dhanyastvamasi suvrata || 14 ||

kasyAM yonyAM tapovR^iddha vartase dR^iDhavikramaH |

kautUhalAttvAM pR^ichchhAmi rAmo dAsharathirhyaham || 15 ||

ko.artho manIShitastubhyaM svargalAbho paro.athavA |

varAshrayo yadarthaM tvaM tapasyasi suduShkaraM || 16 ||

yamAshritya tapastaptaM shrotumichChAmi tApasa |

brAhmaNo vAsi bhadraM te kShatriyo vAsi durjayaH || 17 ||

vaishyastR^itIya varNo vA shUdro vA satyavAgbhava || 18 ||

(Sri Rama spoke the words - "Blessed are you a man of great deed! In which race were you born O man of steadfast intent? I am asking you out of curiosity. I am Rama, son of Dasharatha. For what purpose are you doing such severe penance? What do you intend to achieve with this penance? Oh TApasa, are you brAhmaNa or kShatriya or vaiSya or Shudra? Speak the truth.)

Note the question. If the intent were just killing the Shudra, who did Tapas, there was no need to ask for the purpose of the Tapas. The first part of the question is to find the culprit. the second part of the question is to identify the culprit.

शूद्रयोन्यां प्रसूतोऽस्मि शम्बूकं नाम नामतः॥

देवत्वं प्रार्थये राम सशरीरो महायशः॥ ६७-२॥

न मिथ्याहं वदे राजन् देवलोकजिगीषया।

शूद्रं मां विद्धि काकुत्स्थ तप उग्रं समास्थितम्। ६७-३॥

shUdrayonyAM prasUto.asmi shambUkaM nAma nAmataH ..

devatvaM prArthaye rAma sasharIro mahAyashaH .. 67-2..

na mithyAhaM vade rAjan devalokajigIShayA .

shUdraM mAM viddhi kAkutstha tapa ugraM samAsthitam . 67-3..

"O Sri Rama(KAkutstha is the king born Kakutstha clan), I was born in Shudrayoni. My name is SambUka. I wish to have godlihood in this mortal body. I am not telling a lie. I wish to conquer the heavens. To that end, I am engaged in severe penance."

SrI Rama understood his true intent and did the following.

भाषतस्तस्य शूद्रस्य खड्गं सुरुचिरप्रभम्।

निष्कृष्य कोशाद्विमलं शिरश्चिच्छेद राघवः॥ ६७-४॥

यस्मिन् मुहूर्ते काकुत्स्थ शुद्रोऽयं विनिपातितः।

तस्मिन् मुहूर्ते बालोऽसौ जीवेन समयुज्यत॥ ६७-१५॥

bhAShatastasya shUdrasya khaDgaM suruchiraprabham |

niShkR^iShya koshAdvimalaM shirashchichCheda rAghavaH || 67-4 ||

yasmin muhUrte kAkutstha shudro.ayaM vinipAtitaH |

tasmin muhUrte bAlo.asau jIvena samayujyata || 67-15 ||

Listening to those words of that Shudra, Sri Rama drew the sword from the sheath and cut off the head of Shambuka. (After that the gods commended His act and showered divine flowers from heaven.)

The moment that Shudra died, the innocent boy (who died) got back his life.

Do the people who objected to the act of Sri Rama want to support Adharma only? Do they not open their eyes even when the life of the innocent boy comes up as an indicator?

Let me further elaborate the prior example. Suppose some innocent person Mr. H gets a death threat that he will be killed on a specific day. An investigator gets some information that the note is from a person who wears a red shirt. Then there are many who wear red shirt. Then the investigator gives more information that the criminal also has green hair. That may narrow down to only one person. Then a Police inspector gets hold of such a person say Mr. X, initially searching for one with a red shirt and green hair and finds out that he is the writer of the note and is in the process of committing the sin. So after confirming the Police inspector shoots down Mr.X, it is highly foolish to think that the reason for shooting is that he wore the red shirt and has green hair. Here wearing the red shirt is to be compared to being Shudra. There are many Shudras. Having green hair is to be compared to doing Tapas. This may point out to one person. Having reached the person, it need to be further confirmed if there is criminal act in progress. If so an appropriate action need to be taken. If after the act of shooting, Mr. H remained safe and the death threat note becomes void, that is proof enough.

In Shambuka's episode also the verification process was done in many ways. Why do people raise objection pointing to wrong things. These people have no basic knowledge that the "Shudra doing Tapas" is only a pointer and identifier, which leads to the person, who is guilty. The guilt is not the "Shudra doing Tapas", but the intent and purpose that he has.

As a side note, in this context, I would like to point out that in none of the scriptures, there is mention of Harijanas or Panchamas or fifth varNa or untouchability. People should not confuse social customs with scriptural facts.

If Sri Rama had a feeling of contempt for Shudras, that should reflect in His life. Sri Rama had brotherly love towards Guha, a NiShada or tribal person, who is an outcast according to quite a few in present society. The Nishadas included hunters, fishermen, et al. Sri Rama was a close friend to the Rakshasa king VibhiShana. Some criticize that it was just a political strategy to conquer Ravana. Sri Rama had clearly stated that if Ravana confesses his mistake and returns Sita, He would even forgive Ravana and not bring any hurt to him. Sri Rama befriended monkeys and bears. It is meaningless to claim that He did so just because he needed their assistance to find Sita. If he was so selfish, he would have befriended Vali, who had Ravana under his grip carried him from one ocean to another like a toy. He could just like that bring back Sita or ask Ravana to hand over. Further he consumed the fruits that were partly eaten or tasted by the MAtanga strI Shabari. He performed final rites to the bird Jatayu. Sri Rama befriended not only Shudras, but also tribals, hunters, animals and birds. The narrow mindedness to suspect the generosity, gentleness and impartiality of Sri Rama can only be a product of immaturity, hatred and rashness. Such people don't even hesitate to feign to be messengers of love, when they fail to recognize the universal love of Sri Rama. In their view the life of an innocent boy is of no consequence, but the life of a dharmadveShi is important just because he is Shudra. No amount of evidence is enough for them.

Shri KriShNArpaNamastu !

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