Hare Krsna,
These days I was reading Valmiki Ramayan. So wonderful was the experience reading it; many episodes made my hair stand on end; & my spiritual sister, Sita Di's sweetness was so much captivating.
But, in Uttar Ramayan, I encountered a very disturbing event; in which Lord Rama slain a sudra who was doing a penance for going to haven. & Lord Rama slain him because his penance caused death of a brahmin's son.
Sometimes back I have posted a question: "Why we suffer due to bad karma of others ?" Quoting examples that are seen in society; e.g. rape & acid victims suffer due to lust of others; accident victims suffer due to carelessness of others; etc.
Actually I have asked the same question, the other way; quoting an example from a sacred scripture.
I got various replies from devotees which finally concluded: We actually suffer only & only due to our own karmas.
But if this is true then our karmas, good or bad, must not affect others' fate also.
Then, how could the penance of that sudra responsible for death of a brahmin's son ?
& why the brahmin's son died due to karmas of somebody unknown to them ?
Secondly, the sudra was doing penance only for his own benefit; he had no intentions of harming anyone (it seems). Then, wasn't it disgusting on part of Lord Rama to slay him ? Was not it an act of partiality ?
Lord Rama, the Supreme God of infinite universes Himself, the Supreme Creator, definitely be knowing "Law of karma". Then why He didn't explain it to those who suggested Him to kill the sudra ?
Yours sincerely,
Nikhil
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
The incident you have mentioned highlights the responsibility of the king. Even one brahmana's son dies, the king is responsible. Any head of state today takes that kind of responsibility? Why that sudra had to be killed is - sudra is supposed to serve the other 3 varnas and elevate gradually accordingly. It is because of past karmas that he is born a sudra, to serve other 3 varnas. The shortcut he decided was to directly pray to God.
One has to function as per one's varna and ashrama. This sudra was not doing so - thats why he got punished (apparently, from material point of view). From spiritual point of view, Ram Himself killed him, giving liberation in this birth itself, perfecting his penance. What is the loss to the sudra - we all have to die.
our karmas, good or bad, must not affect others' fate also. - our karma affects other people's fate also. THat is because your karma and my karma may be intertwined. A group of souls move together - because their karma is interlinked. That is why in this birth, even stranger we meet we may instantly connect with, whereas even family member staying in same house may be aloof and cold to us. No connect with such a person. This is because of past life karma of both the souls.
Haribol,
YOur servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krsna,
Thanks for the reply.
But I have not fully satisfied with the explanation.
In the incident, after the sudra was slain by Lord Rama; Indra & other god appear. And in their conversation, Indra also tells Lord Rama: "it is good now that the surda will not now reach haven." So the sudra seems to have not reached heavenly planets. Actually, nothing has been said about hereafter of the sudra.
Further; is the cast defined by birth/ parents ? As per Bhagwad Gita's 17th & 18th chapters, cast or varna has been said to be by "swabhava" or inner nature. & there are many examples where one performed the jobs of another varna:
Like:
Lord Parsurama was born a brahmin but did the job of kshtriya;
Vishvamitra was a kshtriya but did the job of a brahmin;
Valmiki & Vedvyasa were born sudras, but did the job of brahmins;
So killing of the sudra by the Supreme Personalty of Godhead, still doesn't seem justified here.
Yours sincerely,
Nikhil
Krishna has given vaikunthaloka even to dreadful demons like aghasura bakasura becoz they were killed by him then why not this shudra? ?sp has confirmed this at several places that those killed by lord also achieved liberation. Understanding purport of the verse is very important otherwise we will badly err and reading without any purport is even more dangerous parshuram is personality of godhead and he cursed karna becoz he faked his low caste. So caste matters. Was vedavyas a shudra? I thought he was born to a maharisi and a kshatriya mother. Rest others will explain
When did that happen? Never read anything like that and even if it did happen that shudra is most luckiest person in the world. He directly got promotion to vaikunthaloka by getting killed by lord himself. No need to bash the lord! !