Killing of Sambuka

Abstract

The episode in the final book of Valmiki’s Ramayana, in which Rama executes a Sudra ascetic named Sambuka, has garnered critical discussion and creative reimagining over the centuries since it was composed. This paper situates the episode as a late addition of the Uttarakanda and its place therein, considering relevant semantic developments of the terms dharma and tapas, and changes in the rigidity of caste boundaries that allegedly took place during this time. Analysis of both pre-modern and modern creative engagements with the Sambukavadha reveal adjustments to the ways in which Rama, Sambuka, and the Brahmana advisors are portrayed and the values and concerns that these changes reflect in the corresponding social and cultural milieux. Finally, the episode as it appears in Anand Neelakanthan’s mythical novel, Asura: Tale of the Vanquished: The Story of Ravana and His People, is considered as recent addition to the living storytelling tradition.