1. Did Ram eat the fruit tasted by Shabri ?
   One is prompted to ask the question why Shudras are treated with contempt if, as claimed earlier, Ram ate the fruit offered by Shabri (a Shudra woman)?
   We want to know in which of the 'Ramayans' the above episode occurs? Surely, there is no mention about Ram's eating the defiled fruit in 'Anand Ramayan', 'Manjul Ramayan' or 'Tulsi Ramayan'. The mention of Shabri's low origin does occur in 'Adhyatm Ramayan'. But it does not say anything about Ram's eating the plum she offered, after tasting it herself first.
   In 'Ramacharit Manas,' the following reference to Shabri occurs in 'Aranya Kand'. When Ram steps into Shabri's hut, she is reminded of Sage Matanga's prediction that Ram would one day visit her hut. Seeing the two brothers (one is dark and the other is fair) with lotus-like eyes, long arms, matted hair and adorned with garlands, Shabri fell at their feet Overwhelmed with love and devotion, she could not utter a word. Instead she prostrated at their feet again and again. Then after washing their feet and offering them honourable seats, she brought lot of fruits and roots for the distinguished guests.
   It becomes clear from this that the question of Ram's taking fruit tasted by a Shudra woman does not arise. Moreover, the Shastras do not put any restrictions on accepting fruits and roots etc. from low caste people. Therefore, by accepting the fruit offered by Shabri, Ram neither antagonised the Shastras nor did he do anything radical.

This being the fact, there are people who claim that in Hindu scriptures, Shudras are treated with equality and love. But apparently those who claim thus have either not read the scriptures properly, or want to keep the Shudras in eternal subjugation, or dare not raise a voice against the inhuman attitude of the Shastras, or want to interpret this discriminating attitude as friendly.