Sri Rama’s first instructions were to Shabari. Who was Shabari? Shabari was a devout and pious woman, who lived in the forest. She was waiting for Rama’s arrival as she wished to learn what the true meaning of Dharma was. She was told by her Guru Matanga that she would be blessed by Rama. While praying for Rama’s visitation, she grew old.

Then Rama and Lakshman arrived in the forest in their search of the abducted Sita. She was overjoyed. She washed their feet and gathered berries for them to eat. She tasted each berry, before offering them to Rama and Lakshman. Lakshman was upset by this action, but Rama told him that it showed Shabari’s love as she wanted to make sure that the berries were sweet and not toxic.

Rama told Mata Shabari:

Prathama Bhagwati santanha kara sanga.

The company of saintly people is the first kind of bhakti. Who are saintly people?

Santa hyridaya navanita samana.

Those whose hearts are as tender as freshly churned butter. One whose heart is hard as stone, cannot be a good human being. One who has no empathy or compassion is not a saintly person. A selfish and petty person is remains self-centered and greedy.

Sat purusha

An individual, whose pranas are balanced and pure, which means no negativity is stored, and is totally in the service of the needy. Such a person is called a sat purusha, a good person.

Finally, one who walks the path of truth is called a Bhakti sadhaka. Such a being follows and practices truth in its absolute sense. Mata Shabari was such an example. Listening to the stories about saints and thinking that they were wonderful and feeling good about it, is not enough.

One has to absorb what one has heard and must try to replicate what one has imbibed into one’s daily life. It is a cobbled way full of sharp, stones and thorns. It is easy to be forgetful and to start thinking about oneself and being complacent. To be on the road of self-awareness one has to be consistently thinking about the Divinity.

Aim Hrim Klim