Rapt in the Name: The Ramnamis, Ramnam, and Untouchable Religion in Central India

Appendix II

Appendix II One of the most startling, and telling, examples of the brahmanization of the Valmiki R¯am¯ayaÓna can be found in its final book, known as Uttarak¯aÓnÓda, which J. L. Brockington and various other Sanskritists believe was added long after the writing of the core story attributed to Valmiki. In it there is an incident involving a low-caste ascetic, and it provides an amazing example of the brahmanical effort to degrade and deter direct low caste participation in the religious life. The episode, contained in sargas 73 through 76, aptly illustrates the type of brahmanization that has taken place, which occurs not only in Valmiki but in many subsequent texts, especially with respect to epic and Puranic literature. The story begins with the premature death of a brahman boy and his father’s lamentations . These include blaming Ram and his rule of the kingdom for the possibility that such a death could occur. The father declares, “Assuredly the young inhabitants of other countries need not fear death!”1 Subsequent to the death, an assembly of brahmans and sages is convened to discuss the situation. In it, the heavenly sage, Narad, gives a discourse on the practice of asceticism during the four yugs, or ages of the universe. In Krita Yug, he adds, only brahmans practiced austerities (tapasya); during the next yug, Treta, members of the kshatriya caste were also permitted to engage in the practice. Narad then laments that in Dwarpara Yuga, “untruth and evil increased,” and members of the vaishya caste also began to do austerities. Narad assured the assembly , however, that throughout these three yugs, the performance of such religious practices remained forbidden for shudras. It is only during Kali Yug, the most de- filed of times, that the low caste are permitted to do tapasya. The implication given here and asserted more directly in subsequent texts is that the practice of religious austerities by the low caste is not only a sign of unrighteousness, but helps induce it. It is then revealed to Ram that a shudra is, in fact, performing austerities, and this “practice of unrighteousness, must be stopped,” for “the monarch who does not mete out immediate punishment, goes to hell, of this there is no doubt.”2 Deeply concerned, Ram sets out to search his kingdom. Ultimately, he encounters Shambuka, a shudra ascetic doing tapasya. As soon as Ram ascertained the ascetic’s caste, he instantly beheads Shambuka. Ramdas Lamb: Rapt in the Name page 195 195 Witnessing Ram’s deed, the gods rejoice, declaring, “By thy grace, this Shudra will not be able to attain heaven!” They then proceed to grant Ram a boon, which he uses to bring the brahman’s son back to life.3 After the murder of Shambuka, Ram visits the hermitage of the renowned sage, Agastya, who says, “The Gods tell me that thou hast come here after slaying the Shudra and, by this act of justice thou hast restored the son of a brahmin to life!”4 The sage then praises Ram’s divinity. The insertion of this episode seems to be an obvious brahmanical maneuver , meant to give several distinct messages. Foremost among these is the point that all religious practice, even asceticism done alone in the jungle, is firmly under the authority of the brahmanical hierarchy. Attempts by the low caste to engage in religious practice, even as ascetics, portend misfortune, and thus are legitimately to be dealt with by the authorities in a very severe manner. The duty of the low caste is to serve the higher castes, and the whole kingdom is benefited by their doing only this. When we contemplate the role that the epics and Puranas have played and continue to play in the life of the Hindu, it becomes evident that such brahmanized additions provide the rationale for suppression of and violence against the low caste that have been an integral part of the history of India. The tale also presents justice entirely in terms of brahmanical law and benefit, and it warns all those in authority of the consequences of not requiring adherence to such laws by all their subjects. Finally, the implication is made that a definite sign of righteousness in a kingdom is the prosperity of brahmans. It is interesting, as well as significant, to note that there are several tales in the Puranas of humans doing tapasya to attain the level of the gods. In...