As Dussehra approaches, marking the triumph of good over evil with Lord Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana, the festival brings to light many stories from the Ramayana that celebrate devotion, faith, and unwavering love. While Dussehra is often associated with grand spectacles, there’s another story, far simpler but just as profound. It’s the tale of Shabari, an elderly devotee whose deep faith moved Lord Rama to accept her humble offering of half-eaten ber (jujube) fruit.
Shabari Presented Lord Rama With Half-Eaten Ber
Shabari belonged to a hunter’s family. From a young age, she was deeply disturbed by the violence in her surroundings, especially the killing of animals. On the eve of her wedding, when she saw countless animals being prepared for sacrifice, she was overcome with sorrow. She left her family and her village behind, in search of peace and true wisdom.
In her wanderings, Shabari came across the hermitage of Sage Matanga, a kind and compassionate sage. Despite her low caste, Sage Matanga recognised the purity of her heart and took her under his wing, instructing her to serve the ashram. Before Sage Matanga left his mortal body, he gave Shabari a prophetic blessing—Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, would one day come to visit her.
Day after day, year after year, Shabari lived in anticipation. Every morning, she would rise with hope and collect wild berries from the forest, preparing for the day Lord Rama would arrive. Then came the fateful day. Rama and his brother Lakshmana were wandering through the forest in search of Sita. In her eagerness to serve Lord Rama, Shabari presented him with a simple offering—jujube berries (ber) that she had collected. But there was a catch—Shabari had tasted each berry before offering it to Rama.
A Tale Of Faith, Devotion, And Sweet Berries
She bit into each one to ensure that it was sweet, discarding the sour ones. When Lakshmana noticed this, he felt that offering half-eaten fruits to an exiled prince of Ayodhya was not fitting. But Rama stopped Lakshmana from saying anything further. He understood that what Shabari offered was not just fruit but the purest form of devotion.
Smiling gently, Rama took the berries from Shabari and ate them, relishing every bite. To him, it wasn’t the quality of the fruit that mattered, but the spirit with which it was given. Shabari’s love and selflessness made the simplest offering grand in his eyes.
In that moment, the years of waiting, the anticipation, and Shabari’s unwavering devotion culminated in divine fulfillment. Lord Rama, touched by her devotion, blessed her and granted her liberation. Her long life of service, patience, and love for the divine had finally reached its end, and she left her mortal form, ascending to the spiritual realm.
Shabari’s story is a powerful reminder that in the eyes of the divine, it is not one’s status, wealth, or knowledge that matters. What truly counts is the purity of the heart and the love with which one serves. This Dussehra, as we celebrate the victory of good over evil, let us also remember Shabari’s story—a story of unwavering devotion, simplicity, and the triumph of love.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva and Wikimedia Commons
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