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Shri Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the protagonist of one of the two greatest Sanskrit epics, The Ramayana. Dasharatha, the father of Shri Rama was one of the great warriors and kings of Bharat. Ayodhya was Dasaharatha’s capital city. Dasharatha had 3 wives, Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. But none of his wives could provide Dasharatha with an heir until Kausalya, his first wife gave birth to Sri Rama. Later the other two wives also gave birth to more sons. But Sri Rama was the most favourite son of Dasaharatha.
Long ago, when Dasaharatha fought in a war, to which he took Kaikeyi, his favourite wife along with him. Dasharatha was badly injured in the war and fighting death. Kaikeyi saved Dasahratha’s life to which Dasharatha agreed to fulfil any of the two wishes she asks. When Dasharatha decided to coronate Rama to his throne, Kaikeyi grew jealous of Kaushalya, who was going to be the queen and decided to use the two wishes she was granted. Kaikeyi asked Dasharatha, to give the throne to her son, Bharata, further she demanded that Rama must go on an exile for 14 years to the forest. Laksmana, Rama’s younger brother and Sita, his wife joined him. But things did not go as Kaikeyi imagined. Dasharatha died after a few days and Bharata denied the throne saying it belonged to his elder brother Rama. He also blamed Kaikeyi for his father’s death and decided to never call her his mother again.
Shabari, a young daughter of a hunter who belonged to Nishadha tribal community was a kind hearted woman. Shabari’s father planned to get her married and hunted thousands of goats and sheep for her marriage dinner feast. Shabari was devasted by the thought of killing so many animals. So she fled into the jungle to avoid it. She spent long years searching for a Guru to gain Brahma Jnana (ultimate wisdom). She was rejected by all the Gurus as she belonged to a lower caste, the Nishadas. They thought she wasn’t worthy of their teachings. Finally, she reached the hermitage of Sage Matanga who was impressed by her inundate interests in attaining the true wisdom. He took her as his disciple and student in spite of all the other Yogis and Sages looking down on him for taking in an outcaste as a student.
Sage Matanga took in Shabari and told her to clean, take care and look after the hermitage. “It will do well for you”, he said. Shabari lived with the Sage in his hermitage, cleaned and looked after the hut and the Sage. She even took care of the cows. The other Sages looked at Sage Matunga as an impure one. But the Sage did not care, for he knew well that the gods are never against the people who help the needy, no matter their caste.
Unfortunately Sage Matunga decided it was time for him to leave his body. He asked Shabari if she wanted him to do anything for her one last time to which she asked him to take her along with him to the highest abode he was going to. Shabari simply could not imagine living without her beloved Guru. But Matanga refused. He said to her that she has to wait until the day when the great Lord Shri Rama visits her. He knew Shri Rama would come to visit Shabari. “Then you can join me”, he said. Shabari agreed to her Guru’s advice and promised to stay and devote her life to serve Shri Rama when the almighty visits.
Shabari waited for Shri Rama for years with utmost anticipation and eager. Her keenness and devotion did not lessen even a tiny bit in all the years. One story about Shabari is very well-known among the Indians – Shabari used to collect berries and all kinds of fruits every day expecting the arrival of her beloved Lord. Many years passed and Shabari grew older with time.
Shabari once went to Pampasar, a serene, beautiful lake just outside the Sage Matunga’s hermitage where she took shelter, to collect water. A Sage sitting close by meditating and chanting mantras saw the old Shabari collecting water. He got angry on seeing an outcaste collecting water from the lake he was using the water from and sitting beside. Out of his fury he threw a stone at old and helpless Shabari which made her bleed. Her blood covered the whole lake and the water turned into blood. The Sage made a big scene yelling that a drop of Shabari’s outcaste blood has turned the whole lake into blood. The other Sages joined him and blamed Shabari for turning the only source of water they had into impure red blood of hers. Shabari ran back to ashram and cried in pain.
The Sages were left with no water, to drink or to perform spiritual rites. The Sages meditated days log, performed all kind of Yajnas. They even brought the Yamuna water, Ganga water and poured it into the lake but was of no use. The lake still remained to be blood red. One of the Sages suggested that Lord Shri Rama was wandering around in the forest and that they must ask for his help. They started praying for Shri Rama. They meditated for many a days and finally Shri Rama agreed to help them and came to Pampasar.
When Shri Rama arrived at Pampasar the Sages requested him to clean his feet in the lake thinking that would turn the blood into water but it was in vain. Then they asked the Lord to take a dip in the lake which he did but still there was no effect. They tried a lot of other things, including asking the Lord to drink the blood and spit it back into the lake. Nothing worked. Then Shri Rama asked the sages about the cause for the water in the lake turning to blood. One of the sages explained to him about how one of the sages threw a stone at Shabari and she bled into the lake. Rama after listening to this was surprised. He knew Shabari to be his greatest devotee and realized it was the blood from his heart that has filled up the lake and hence he was unable to turn it back into water. He then summoned for Shabari to be brought him. When Shabari heard that she was summoned by the great Lord Shri Rama, she sprinted with excitement towards the lake which made the dust on her foot to be thrown into the lake and the lake turned into water again.
Shri Rama then explained to the Sages that Shabari was his greatest devotee and hence only the dust on her foot could clean up the blood from his heart. All the Sages were greatly shocked and ashamed of their ill treatment of Shabari in the past. Shabari then begged Shri Rama to go to her humble abode. Shri Rama went along with Lakshmana to Shabari’s Ashram. Shabari served Shri Rama the berries she had collected with utmost love. Shri Rama ate all the berries and said to Lakshmana those were the sweetest berries he’s eaten because it was served with great love by his ultimate devotee.
Rama then told Shabari to ask any wish and it shall be granted. Shabari asked Rama to unite her soul with the soul of her beloved Guru Sage Matunga. Shri Rama blessed Shabari with her wish and Shabari’s body disappeared and her soul united with Sage Matunga’s.
