Brahman Hatya - possible for God of the universe?

As you all know, after the battle of Lanka and Ram, Lakshman, Sita are on their way back to Ayodhya, Ramji performs a puja to Lord Shiva to rid himself of Brahman Hatya for killing Ravan. (There are different versions of this story....some claim he did it before fighting with Ravan and some say he did the puja afterwards).

Very nice question. For setting example Janaki. I am sure about it in my mind (I mean I am clear about it as per my theory without two minds). I think you also have the same opinion. Not only the point of being GOD not affected by any sin, I would go even beyond in my logic and understanding and interpretation that even HE as a human had no reason to be affected by the sin because Ravan was no longer a Brahmin. He was Brahmin by birth but these classifications are not by birth but by principles of karma. Purely functional/professional classification. As per Manusmruti, if a Brahmin doesn't follow the daily rituals and duties of a Brahmin and falls below in behaviour/character as per the standards of the Varna, he should be outcast (demoted) and he has to undergo certain Praayaschit rituals or penance to keep himself still in the category of a Brahmin after a sin. Ravan was a continuous sinner so no question of calling him a Brahmin. So I personally can't totally believe logically in these mytho stories or even if I believe, I believe in them to be the actions done just for setting an example without any other need for himself.

Edited by ShivangBuch - 24 November 2010 at 5:48am

superb discussion post

although I cannot point to the right answer to this one but I think the fact that Ramji was a God no one knew in the actual story so I think in one part he was asking for forgiveness to set an example..and another way i think of it is that no matter how big the creation/creator we all need to stand ardent w/ our values and morals

Well Shri Ram came to the earth to give an example to humans on how to live. Nothing he ever did was worth repenting, he never committed a sin. But if he didn't do this, then there would be people committing that sin, feeling fully justified as "that was what Ram had done." So I guess it was simply to set an example to others.
Also another point is that he might have been affected by this. I mean, even though God is beyond paap and punye, he still is trapped in maya when he is incarnated as a human being. And even though he freed the earth from Ravan, that karma might have not left him until he performed that puja. I mean, even though Shri Krishna conducted the Mahabharat for the good of man kind, and he himself is God and above Maya, Gandhari cursed him that he would have to die and Krishna accepted that. So basically, God, when incarnated as man, needed to live with the working principles of the world.

Did that make any sense? :D I sometimes go on and on without a point. And I don't want to upset anyone if their beliefs are otherwise.


Edited by AishuJSKfan - 24 November 2010 at 11:51am

You know even Shiva was once burdened by the sin of Brahman Hatya...Very few people know that Brahma was born with 5 heads...His 4 heads, pointing North, East, West and South, symbolized purity, chastity, knowledge and love...But his fifth head, at the center, symbolized lust, desire, ego, ignorance and arrogance - precisely all the negative qualities of living beings...

With time, Brahma's fifth head began to dominate other 4 heads and under the influence of this head, he started tampering with the Vedas and he started scripting his own 5th Veda which was actually an Anti-Veda ; it denounced all the Vedic knowledge and induced evil rituals and dark magic...Vishnu asked Brahma to refrain from his behaviour...But Brahma took no notice...

At this Mahakaal (Shiva) appeared before Brahma and ordered him to stop at once, Brahma laughed at him and declared himself as the Supreme one...Mahakaal severed Brahma's fifth head with his Trishul and burnt the Veda which Brahma was writing...From that time, Brahma has only 4 heads and 4 Vedas..

Now since Brahma was the first and highest of Brahmins, and Mahakaal had killed a Brahmin, he imposed upon himself a punishment...According to the Vedas, anyone who kills a Brahmin will die out of starvation...So Shiva started wandering about the three worlds with Brahma's severed head, begging for food...Since Shiva was hungry, the universe too was starving...Food disappeared from the universe..Vishnu prayed to Parvati/Shakti to salvage the situation...Shakti promised to help...She manifested as Devi Annapurna, with a never ending supply of food, and fed Shiva and thus saved the universe...

(After this incident, Lord Vishnu manifested in Dwaparg Yug as Sage Vyasa and re-edited the 4 Vedas, which Brahma had distorted, so that Vedic knowledge and practices could be reestablished. That is why he's known as Veda Vyasa...The part of the life that Shiva snuffed out of Brahma, manifested as Kali (not the Goddess)..Kali is the evil spirit, who dominates the present Yuga)

Rama was born as a common man and that is why he had placed upon himself all the restrictions of a common man..Both Vishnu and Shiva are limitless and boundless..But still, to set an ideal example, they allow themselves to be bound by the laws of nature which they themselves had laid down...

Jai Sat-Chit-Anand

Thanks Rehan nice infoo.......

Janu : Lord Vishnu in Ram roop took birth just not to kill ravan to set an example for ppl so He's known as Puroshotam (The Great Man)
same he did when performed Shiv Pooja.. He set an example for others that Brahmin hatya is Sin... but how cud he ignore death/ killing of an evil..


Edited by ...PARiNA... - 26 March 2011 at 5:42am

Ram was unaware of the fact that he was an incarnation and he is actually Lord Vishnu. So He acted in the same way a normal human being would have done. But Ravan himself calls a Rakshs and he was Brahmin only by birth. He himself have resulted in the death of many Brahmins. But Ram being "Maryadapurushotham" he wanted to get rid off all the sins and performed the Shiv pooja.

lakshmin42 : Ram ji was aware that He is Shri Vishnu ... !!