Śambūka Vadha (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa)

The Śambūka Vadha is told in the Uttara Kāṇḍa of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. In Rāma’s reign, a brāhmaṇa carries the body of his young son to the court and says that the death of an innocent child shows a fault in the kingdom. Nārada tells Rāma the cause. Rāma flies over the land in the Pushpaka vimāna and finds Śambūka, a śūdra, doing tapas (austerity). Rāma kills him with his sword, and the brāhmaṇa’s son comes back to life. Then Agastya appears and praises Rāma.

The brāhmaṇa’s dead child

One day in Rāma-rājya, the time of perfect and flourishing rule, a brāhmaṇa came to Rāma’s court in deep grief. He carried the body of his young son, who had died before his time. He laid the body before Rāma and spoke to him in the old words by which a king is held to account:

“Great king! In the reign of a perfectly righteous king, there is no untimely death. The death of an innocent child is a sign that adharma is happening somewhere in the kingdom under your protection. What have I done wrong? What dharma have I broken, that this child should die before his time? This death is your failure as king.”

The father’s grief was real. His charge also rested on a real principle: a king’s dharma includes protecting everyone in his realm from early death caused by disorder in the world. Rāma heard him with full seriousness. This is told in chapter 91.

Nārada’s words on yuga-dharma

Nārada was present at the court. He spoke to Rāma and explained that the dharma of each yuga lays down which varṇas may do tapas.

  • Kṛtayuga: Only brāhmaṇas do tapas. Dharma stands on all four feet.
  • Tretāyuga: Brāhmaṇas and kshatriyas may do tapas. Dharma has three feet.
  • Dvāpara: Brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas and vaiśyas may do tapas. Dharma has two feet.
  • Kaliyuga: All four varṇas may do tapas. Dharma has only one foot.

The present age is Tretāyuga. If there is untimely death, which is not the way of Rāma-rājya, then someone in the kingdom must be doing tapas against the dharma of the yuga. Nārada said that a śūdra must be doing tapas in Tretāyuga, which is not laid down for that varṇa in that yuga. This break from the set dharma disturbs the order of the world, and the disturbance shows itself as untimely death.

Rāma understood. He had to find this tapasvin (one who does tapas) and deal with the matter. This is told in chapter 92.

Rāma mounted the Pushpaka vimāna and flew over the kingdom, looking in every direction: north, south, east and west. He searched forests, mountains, riverbanks and holy groves for anyone doing austerities.

In a Śaiva forest near a lake in the southern region, he found a man hanging from the branch of a tree with his head down. He was doing severe tapas in this upside-down posture. This is told in chapter 93.

Rāma and Śambūka

Rāma came down and went up to the tapasvin. He spoke to him with respect and asked:

“Who are you? What is your varṇa? What is the purpose of this tapas you are doing?”

The tapasvin answered at once. He gave his name: Śambūka. He gave his varṇa: he was a śūdra. He gave his purpose: he was doing this tapas to reach svarga (heaven) in his own body, which is the highest fruit that one can seek through tapas.

He knew of no wrong in what he did. He was sincere in his practice and proud of his hard austerity. This is told in chapter 94.

The vadha

Rāma had heard Śambūka’s name, varṇa and purpose. He drew his sword and struck off Śambūka’s head there and then.

At the same moment the dead child of the brāhmaṇa in Ayodhyā came back to life. The disturbance that had caused the untimely death ended when Śambūka’s tapas ended.

From the sky, the devas rained flowers on Rāma. This is told in chapter 94.

Agastya’s visit and the history of the sword

Agastya Mahāmuni appeared then and praised Rāma. He told the history of the divine sword that Rāma had used. It was of great origin, and great ṛshis and kings had used it for righteous work through the ages.

Agastya also invited Rāma to rest at his āśrama, and Rāma accepted. The ṛshis of the region said they were relieved and grateful. This is told in chapter 95.

Sources

  • Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, chapters 91–95