Shabari
शबरी
Did Shabari feed Rama berries she had tasted first? Valmiki never says so.
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- Ramayana
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The katha, line by line
Did Shabari feed Rama berries she had tasted first? Valmiki never says so.
क्या शबरी ने राम को जूठे बेर खिलाए थे? वाल्मीकि ऐसा कहीं नहीं कहते।
Shabari's Wait.
शबरी का इंतज़ार।
On the shore of Lake Pampa lived an old female ascetic, Shabari. She served the disciples of the sage Matanga.
पम्पा सरोवर के किनारे एक बूढ़ी तपस्विनी रहती थी, शबरी। वो मतंग रिषि के शिष्यों की सेवा करती थी।
When Rama reached Chitrakuta, those sages went to heaven. As they left, they told Shabari: Rama will come, welcome him.
जब राम चित्रकूट पहुँचे, तब वे रिषि स्वर्ग चले गए। जाते हुए शबरी से कह गए, राम आएँगे, उनका स्वागत करना।
And Shabari kept waiting, through the long years of Rama's exile.
और शबरी इंतज़ार करती रही, राम के वनवास के लंबे बरसों तक।
At last Rama and Lakshmana came. Shabari rose, joined her palms, and touched the feet of both.
आख़िरकार राम और लक्ष्मण आए। शबरी उठी, हाथ जोड़े, और दोनों के चरण छुए।
Shabari said: for you, I have gathered many kinds of forest food.
शबरी बोली, आपके लिए मैंने तरह-तरह का जंगली भोजन जुटाया है।
That is all Valmiki says about her offering. No berry is named, and there is no word about tasting.
उसकी भेंट के बारे में वाल्मीकि बस इतना ही कहते हैं। न बेर का नाम, न चखने की बात।
The story of the tasted berries came centuries later, in a work by Priyadas, around 1712.
जूठे बेरों की कहानी तो सदियों बाद आई, प्रियादास की एक रचना में, करीब सत्रह सौ बारह में।
At Rama's command, Shabari gave herself to the fire, and went to heaven, shining bright.
राम की आज्ञा से शबरी ने ख़ुद को अग्नि को सौंप दिया, और जगमगाती हुई स्वर्ग चली गई।
A berry tasted with love, or years of patient waiting. Which touches your heart more? Write in the comments.
प्यार से चखा एक बेर, या बरसों का धीरज भरा इंतज़ार। आपके दिल को क्या ज़्यादा छूता है? कमेंट में लिखिए।
Follow to learn what the texts really say.
ग्रंथ असल में क्या कहते हैं, ये जानने के लिए फ़ॉलो कीजिए।
Sources
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.69.16, 3.69.19, 3.70.4, 3.70.9, 3.70.24Shabari, the old ascetic at Pampa who served Matanga's disciples.
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.70.10-12The sages rise to heaven and tell her to receive Rama.
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.10.25Ten years of Rama's exile pass; Valmiki gives no count of her years.
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.70.4-6Rama and Lakshmana arrive; she rises with joined palms and clasps their feet.
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.70.13 (episode 3.69.19-3.70.27)Her offering is forest food. No verse names a berry or tasting.
- Priyadas, Bhaktirasabodhini (commentary on Nabhadas's Bhaktamal), stanza 35, c. 1712Shabari tastes the jujube fruits and sets the sweetest aside for Rama.
- Philip Lutgendorf, 'Dining Out at Lake Pampa'Traces the tasted-berry story to Priyadas; the major literary Ramayanas lack it.
- Ramanand Sagar, Ramayan (TV serial)Popular telling in which Shabari tastes each berry.
- Valmiki Ramayana, Critical Edition, Aranya Kanda 3.70.23, 3.70.25-26With Rama's leave, she offers herself into the fire and goes to heaven.