An old brahmin came to Rama, carrying his dead child. "This is your fault!" he said to Rama. "Things are out of control. My son has died before me."
Not sure what to do, Rama sought advice from Narada. "There is a low-born man practicing austerities in the forest," Narada said. "He is a shudra, the lowest caste, and a shudra should not aspire to gain heaven by practicing austerities. His name is Shambuka, and you must stop him."
Rama found Shambuka in the forest and beheaded him.
At that very instant, the dead brahmin boy came back to life.
Inspired by: Valmiki's Ramayana.
Notes: This is from the Uttara Kanda (Book 7), sarga 64 and following. Narada explains that in the first age, the brahmins were ascetics, and in the second age, the kshatriyas aspired to become ascetics, and in the third age, vaishyas would do so; only in the Kali Yuga would shudras have such aspirations.
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