Shambuka (, IAST: śambūka) is a character in some editions of the Ramayana.
The story is regarded by many scholars to be created at a later period. While the Uttara Kanda (including Shambuka's tale) is generally regarded as a later interpolation to the original epic, the book is considered part of "ongoing Ramayana tradition" and part of the Valmiki Ramayana.
According to these versions, Shambuka, a shudra ascetic, was killed by the god Rama (protagonist of the Ramayana) for attempting to perform tapas (austerities) in violation of dharma, resulting in the bad karma which caused the death of a Brahmin's son.Government of Maharashtra, Nasik District Gazetteer: (text credited to Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. V. V. Mirashi)
Shambhuka is alluded in the epic Mahabharata; his story retold in some versions of the Ramayana. In Jain literature, the story of Shambuka is different and he is Surpanakha’s son.
The story goes likewise:
One day, an aged Brahmana from the countryside, carrying the corpse of a little boy, arrived at the palace gates of Rama.
He cried out to Rama, "O King! Look at what you have done! Look at what you have done to my one and only little boy! He is dead, and he's only 5 years of age! What did I ever do to deserve this? A child dies of such young age only due to the misdeed of the king. It is because of you, because of your negligence in identifying the misdeed that my son has died!"
On hearing his lamentation, Rama felt deeply distressed.
He called for a council, consisting of his brothers, merchants, Vamadeva, and Vashishtha, who was accompanied by 8 other great sages, and Narada, and honoured them all, after which, he narrated the incident to them.
On hearing this, Narada replied, "O King! In the Krita Yuga, only Brahmanas were allowed to perform austerities, and everyone lived long lives. Then, in the Treta Yuga, Brahmanas and Kshatriyas are allowed to perform austerities, and the lifespans reduced. Then, in the Dwapara Yuga, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas will be allowed to perform austerities and the lifespans will reduce even further. And, it is only in the Kali Yuga that Shudras will be allowed to perform austerities, and the lifespans would be the least. But, within the limits of your kingdom, a Shudra is performing austerities, and that has caused the death of the little boy, so, find the culprit and punish him, and that shall bring the child back to life."
Rama felt relieved to hear this.
He instructed Lakshmana, "Lakshmana! Go and comfort the Brahmana, and place the child's body in a pot of oil, to prevent it from decay."
He then thought of the Pushpaka Vimana, and it appeared before him that very instant and it said, "My Lord! I am at your service!"
He mounted on it, armed with a bow and a sword and bid farewell to those present.
He then flew past the city that he had entrusted to his brothers, Lakshmana and Bharata, heading west, to the desert, and found no misdeed there. He then headed north, to the Himalayas, and found no misdeed there. He then headed east, and found no misdeed there, either. He then headed south, and saw an ascetic, hanging upside down, by a large lake in the northern slope of the Shailava mountain.
Rama said to the ascetic, "I am Rama, the son of King Dasharatha."
He asked him, "But, who are you? Which class do you belong to? And, why are you performing austerities?"
The ascetic replied, "I am performing austerities to go to the world of the Gods in my human body and conquer them. I am Shudra. My name is Shambuka."
On hearing this, Rama unsheathed his sword and beheaded him that very instant, and just as he did so, the Brahmana's child came back to life.
Appearance in other texts
Shambuka is alluded in 12.149.61.62 in the epic Mahabharata (Principally compiled in 3rd century BCE–4th century CE), in a debate between a jackal and a vulture at a cremation ground. The jackal urges the family of a dead young boy to not abandon him at the cremation ground citing how Rama revives a dead Brahmin boy and slew the sudra Shambuka.Sherraden pp. 1-2 Kisari Mohan Ganguli p. 338, Note 338:1
The Shambuka also appears in Raghuvaṃśa, an epic poem composed by celebrated Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa in 5th century CE; Uttaramacarita, a Sanskrit play composed by Bhavabhuti in 7th century CE and the 15th century Sanskrit text Ananda Ramayana. Rama's killing of Shambuka is also mentioned in verse 749 in prabandham 'Perumal Thirumozhi' (sung by Kulasekara Alvar) of Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 verses composed by the 12 Alvars. The legend is also covered in the Ramavataram written by Tamil poet Kambar in the 12th century.
This story is missing in later renditions of the Ramayana such as the Ramcharitmanas, written by Tulsidas in the 16th century, which ends with coronation of Rama.
Reception
According to local temple legend, Rama temple at Ramtek owes its origin to Shambuka. It is believed that Shambuka performed his tapas on Ramtek hill. Rama granted Shambuka three boons at his request: Rama stay in Ramtek (origin of the temple), Shambuka's corpse be turned into a shivalinga (icon of the god Shiva). Devotees worship Shambuka before worshipping Rama, as per the last boon.Paula Richman in Sherraden p. xviii
Authors such as Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi treat the character of Shambuka as an interpolation and creation of a later period. The Pushtimarg Vaishnavite tradition points out that the Ramayana refers to other shudras, such as Shabari, who lived in the forest. Shambuka therefore deliberately violated dharma in order to get Rama's attention, and attained salvation when he was beheaded.Motiramji Sastri, Ramayan (in Gujarati) (Ahmedabad, 1961).
K.R. Raju termed the story of Shambuka as "frivolous" and "maliciously fabricated".Untouchability Affire , p.17, 1997
Relationship to Caste System
The Shambuka story is connected to discussions of the caste system, because it positively portrays Rama's killing of Shambuka. Shambuka acts outside his caste, so he is a threat to the social order. Rinehart notes that "the Shambuka story is well known to low castes, who identify with the mistreated Shambuka." Similar criticisms have been made for centuries: the eighth-century play Uttararamacharita portrays Rama as regretful, and as forced by duty to kill Shambuka to uphold the social order. The same point was made explicitly in B.R. Ambedkar's essay, Annihilation of Caste, in which he points to Shambuka's story as evidence that the caste system can only be maintained by the threat of lethal force. Indian social activist and politician Periyar vehemently criticized Rama for his mistreatment of the Shudras, citing Shambuka's example.
These themes have appeared in modern literary work in the form of re-tellings of the Shambuka story. Multiple plays have reimagined the story, variously modifying it to depict Rama as a servant of the ruling class (T. Ramaswamy Choudary's Sambuka Vadha (1920)), to have Shambuka act as mouthpiece for anti-caste scholars (Thiruvarur K. Thangaraju's Ramayana Natakam (1954)), or to have Shambuka live and instead help the Brahmin who accused him to achieve enlightenment (Kuvempu's Shudra Tapasvi (1944)). The 1977 film Kanchana Sita, based on a 1961 play by the same name, depicts Rama as caught in inner conflict between moksha (the desire for enlightenment) and artha (the desire for sovereign power).
In popular culture
Sambuka Vadha ("The Slaying of Sambuka"), a 1920 Telugu play by T. Ramaswamy Choudary Shudra Tapasvi ("The Shudra Ascetic") a 1944 play by celebrated Kannada poet Kuvempu. 1954 play, Ramayana Natakam ("Ramayana Drama"), by Tamil journalist, playwright, and actor Thiruvarur K. Thangaraju Kanchana Sita, a 1961 play by Malayalam playwright C. N. Sreekantan Nair. Kanchana Sita, a 1977 film based on the 1961 play of the same name, by Kerala filmmaker Govindan Aravindan. Teesri Azadi, a film on caste system depicts the story of Shambuka.
Notes
References