Why was shudra Shambuk killed by Ram?
By Vivek Sharma
Some people always raise question on Ram’s killing of shudra Shambuk. What was his crime? Just because he was performing austerities, he was beheaded by the Maryada Purushottam. Was it a justified action on part of Ram who is believed to be the initiator of a peaceful, wealthy and intellectual society?
These are all valid questions, but show a lack of perspective. We will have to understand the event in the right historical reference to be able to make a judgement. The constitution of Bharat that time allowed all to perform austerities for social welfare, self-excellence and common good. Shabari was a low caste woman. However, Ram even ate her tasted fruits. She was performing austerities under the guidance of Matang Muni. All her actions and thoughts were in line with the constitution of that time. Nishad Raj also belonged to a lower section of society. But, Ram called him brother and admired his intellectual and spiritual excellence. There were many like them who performed austerities for spiritual growth in accordance with the constitution of Bharat then.
But, all austerities performed by anybody for selfish, anti-social objectives were a punishable offence. Under the same law, Ravan and other asuras were killed by Ram because they misused their austerities and turned the social order upside down. Ram knew Ravan was a brahmin, intelligent and with unparalleled spiritual prowess, but had succumbed to lust, greed and anger which caused a huge disbalance in him and society. Ram tried to counsel him, but Ravan won’t listen to Him and even challenged Him by kidnapping latter’s wife. Finally, Ram killed Ravan and restored the social order.
In Shambuk’s case his austerities or efforts were only going against the social order. The action, according to the then constitution of Bharat, was a crime as it had already started yielding negative results in society, which even led to a death of a brahmin child.
Let’s see what Shambuk confessed to Ram?
शूद्रयोन्यां प्रजातोस्मि तप उग्रं समास्थितः।
देवत्वं प्रार्थये राम सशरीरो महायशः।।
I am born to the serving class, O Ram! I wish to reach and rule the brilliant ones with this body ( with lust, greed and anger). This is the reason why I am engaged in such terrible efforts.
न मिथ्यांहं वदे राम देवलोकेजिगीषया।
शुद्रं मां विद्धि काकुत्स्थ शम्बूकं नाम नामतः।।
I am not telling a lie. I am making all these efforts to win the sphere of the brilliant ones—to dominate them with lust, greed and anger. Know me to be hailing from the serving class. I am known by the name Shambuk.
Shambuk refused to evolve to be part of the brilliant ones. All that he chose was to somehow reach and rule them through the asuric ways. What does evolution mean here? It means the moment you emerge victorious over lust, greed and anger in the form of your body, you cross the bodily dimensions and automatically evolve to the level of the brilliant ones. But, he, like Ravan, chose to rule the brilliant ones with lust, greed and anger (सशरीरो means it). When such a person comes on top of the social order, he only spreads lust, greed and anger, the three causes of making a healthy society fall. The corrupt, the cruel and the greedy upset, plunder and rob people of their peace and wealth. What Shambuk represented by his confession was that he was the seed of future social disorder. Ram, as a king, following the constitution of Bharat of that time, beheaded Shambuk the same way he killed the asuras and Ravan who spread disharmony through their thoughts, spirit and actions.
You may not like it. But, we are facing corrupt society and degraded moral values, because lust, greed and anger are ruling our social system. When they rule peace, welfare and wealth go out of the window.
Today, terrorists and Jihadi mindset are also performing austerities to rule the developed and developing nations. What should you do now? Let them do what they wish to or wipe them out to save the world? Take your call. In fact, Shambuk represents the seed of asuric nature. If you wish to know about asuric nature, just go through discourse 16 of the Bhagwad Gita.
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