March 24 - Sargas 76 and 77 of Uttara Kanda.
That ascetic reveals he is a shudra and he is striving to go to heaven in his own material body. After he reveals this, he is slain for his transgression by Sri Rama. Sri Rama is thereafter greatly congratulated by the gods and even Sage Agastya for his righteous act. The brahmin boy is restored to life instantly by the gods.
***
शूद्रयोन्यां प्रजातोऽस्मि तप उग्रं समास्थितः । देवत्वं प्रार्थये राम सशरीरो महायशः ॥
न मिथ्याऽहं वदे राम देवलोकजिगीषया । शूद्रं मां विद्धि काकुत्स्थ शंबूकं नाम नामतः ॥
"Lord, I am born of a shudra woman, and am doing this severe penance to attain heaven in my own body and get the resultant glory (note: something impossible). I shall not lie to you, oh, Sri Rama, as I am keen on achieving this reward. Know me to be a shudra by the name of Shambooka."
Sri Rama pulled out his marvellous, glittering sword and instantly executed Shambooka. At once, the gods assembled, led by Agni (who presides over all austerities) and Indra and so on, proclaimed, "साधु साधु "Well done, Sri Rama", repeatedly. There was a shower of fragrant flowers.
"Sri Rama, this shudra was hoping for the impossible, that by his austerity he would wrest the boon of going in his own human body to heaven, which is forbidden. Therefore we commend your act. Indeed, such decisive and principled kingship surely confers prosperity and wellbeing on all society."
There is a lot of "liberal-minded" criticism of this story. What I have read in the original and a well-argued commentary is that Shambooka was given the death penalty not because he was practising austerity, but because he had transgressed on two grounds - the practices of austerity required a prequalification and it is the time-honoured Hindu tradition that one's prequalification for different pursuits comes from one's guna and karma (past merits and traits passed down to this birth). Just because I see my neighbour practising medicine, I cannot pick up a stethoscope and practice medicine. Also Shambooka was coercing the gods to give him a boon of going to heaven in his own body. This was not allowed. We know this from the story earlier of King Trishanku, an Ikshwaku!
The gods also offered a boon to Sri Rama. Sri Rama requested them that the dead brahmin boy be brought back to life. He was greatly relieved to hear from the gods that the boy had already been fully restored to life, and he was happily united with his family.
***
The gods said they were now proceeding to meet Sage Agastya. Sri Rama also decided to follow them. Soon after the gods had had a happy meeting with Sage Agastya and taken their leave, Sri Rama arrived at his hermitage in the Pushpaka. The sage was immensely happy to see Sri Rama. He also complimented him on his decisive act of putting an end to Shambooka's asceticism. He requested Sri Rama to spend the night at the hermitage.
त्वं हि नारायणः श्रीमान् त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ।
त्वं प्रभुः सर्वदेवानां पुरुषस्त्वं सनातनः ॥
"Sri Rama, indeed you are Lord Narayana himself, the lord of Sri Lakshmi, and in whom all the creation subsists. You are the lord of all the gods. In reality, you are the primordial Paramatman Ishwara.
"Sri Rama, please accept this gift from me, it is an ornament crafted by Lord Vishwakarma himself. This ornament is self-luminous. Kindly accept this gift and make me happy."
"Sri Rama, it is enjoined that a recipient of a gift, if he gifts it in turn to a deserving recipient, earns great merit. You are the lord of all and the protector of even the gods. So you richly deserve to receive this ornament from me."
Sri Rama was in a dilemma. He spoke haltingly. "Oh Sage! For a brahmin to receive a gift is fitting. But not for a kshatriya. How can I accept this? And that too, a divine ornament bestowed on you, made by Lord Vishwakarma? That too I would be taking a gift from a brahmin, being a kshatriya!? Please explain this to me."
Sage Agastya now replied.
"Sri Rama, long ago, during the Satya yuga, there were only citizens, i.e. people, but no kings. Then Indra was created to rule in heaven. Then humans approached Lord Brahma to create a lord and master for them on earth too. Brahma acquiesced, and taking one portion from each of the eight lokapalas (Indra Varuna Agni Kubera Yama Ishana Vayu Nairuta) created a king by the name Kshupa, by the gesture of a mere yawn. Brahma then sent Kshupa to rule humans. Kshupa lorded like Indra, nourished like Varuna, gave prosperity like Kubera, ruled firmly like Yama.
"Sri Rama, you also have the elements of all the lokapalas. So in your portion of Indra, please accept this gift from me. "
Sri Rama now gladly agreed to accept the ornament, but he had a question. "Oh, Sage Agastya, my obeisance to you. How did you receive this ornament as a gift in the first place? Kindly narrate the story to me."
Sage Agastya began to narrate a story from long long ago.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
