Bhakti

This is a wonderful story of Shabari, who, being so simple and naive, achieved unison with the Supreme Lord Narayana. There is no reason why we cannot become like Shabari once we fully understand this story and tread on the same paths as she did.

In the Ramayana, there is an incident involving a woman named Shabari, who belonged to a very low caste of tribal people known as the “Bheels.” The Bheels were basically hunters, and when Shabari reached marriageable age, she was to be wedded to an excellent hunter. One day, it so happened that she saw her future husband killing a few birds and animals, and then her conscience, or rather the vivek (in Hindi), suddenly awakened. She realized that she would be spending the rest of her life amidst such killings and bloodshed. She ran away, running harder and harder until she came to a place inhabited by about 2500 saints. When she saw them, she sought shelter with each one of them, but everyone refused as nobody wanted the social problem of keeping a woman with them. Finally, she came to a saint called Matang Rishi.

Matang Rishi gave shelter to Shabari, resulting in a public outcry from all the other saints. But Matang Rishi did not deter. Near Maharshi’s hut, there was a pond where all the saints used to bathe. Shabari used to clean the pathway leading to the pond very early in the morning with the sole intention that no thorns, stones, etc., should prick the feet of the saints going to the pond. (Please note that Shabari was doing all this only for the benefit of others; she had no personal gain in mind while doing that).

Each day, the saints wondered who cleaned the pathway, but nobody knew the answer. Slowly, Shabari became very active in Guru Seva and by now was a strong and sincere disciple of Matang Rishi, her Guru. One day, Matang Rishi called Shabari to his bedside and told her that his body was about to give up and that she was a very near and dear disciple to him. He also said that Lord Narayana is on this earth in the form of Lord Rama. As his end was very close, he would not be able to see the Lord in this life, but he promised her that she would be able to see the presence of the Lord. He asked her to stay in the hut at any cost. Then Maharshi breathed his last.

Shabari continued to stay in the same hut, and one day, Lord Rama came to that area and, ignoring all the 2500 Rishis, came directly to the hut of Shabari and sat down. All the other saints were dumbfounded. They all knew that Lord Rama was an Avataar (form) of Lord Narayana, but how come He ignored all of them and went into the hut of such a low-caste woman like Shabari?

Then Lord Rama said:

Sun Shabari, mama bhamani bhaata

Bhamani means ‘lover.’ Lord Rama is saying, “Shabari, you’re my beloved.” Hearing this, Shabari felt shy and quickly covered her head with a ghoonghat (cloth covering the head), as in Hindu tradition, a wife is supposed to cover her head. Then she looked surprisingly at Lord Rama. Understanding her mind and debating about this relationship, Lord Rama quickly added:

Tor mor bhakti kar nata

This means, “Hey Shabari, the relationship between you and me is one between the Lord and His devotee, i.e., one of devotion and nothing else.” Shabari was confused and asked the Lord why He was saying there is devotion in her for Him, as she never prayed to Him directly or was very religious. Lord Rama replied:

Pratham bhakti santan kar sanga, dwiteeya bhakti mama katha prasanga

This means, “Your first bhakti (devotion/worship) towards me started when you came into the company of the saints, and your second bhakti started when you used to hear the stories Matang Rishi used to relate about the Lord, and also when you listened to the Rishi chanting the Shlokas/Mantras (hymns) in the glory of the Lord.”

Triteeya bhakti mama padrad seva

“Hey Shabari, your third bhakti was when you used to wash my feet and drink the water.” Shabari was startled and asked the Lord how He could say such a thing when she had never washed His holy feet before. The Lord answered that she used to wash her Guru Matang Rishi’s holy feet every day, and that was equivalent to washing His feet.

Chaturtha bhakti amaan

Amaan means not to expect respect, attention, etc. “Hey Shabari, you always served your Guru without expecting any praises or rewards from Him. You were always very humble, and your devotion was only one-sided, i.e., without any encumbrances or expectations. This was your fourth bhakti.”

Mantra jaap dridh vishwaasa, pancham bhakti soyi ved prakaasha

“Hey Shabari, you used to recite the Vedas and Upanishads, etc., and I am very happy about that.” Shabari queried, “My Lord, I don’t know how to read and write, I have no connection whatsoever with the scriptures, and how are you now telling me that I used to chant all the mantras?” The Lord said, “Look, your Guru had given you the Guru Mantra. You always chanted the Guru Mantra with firm devotion and belief that the mantra contained all the universes in it, isn’t it true?” Shabari agreed, and the Lord said, “If you chant the Guru Mantra with firm devotion and belief, then it is the same, if not more, than reciting all the scriptures in this universe. This was your fifth bhakti.”

Swapna na dekho pardosha, yatha laabh santosha

“You never thought ill or found fault with anyone, even in your dreams, and you were always satisfied with whatever you got and whatever conditions life offered you.”

Then the Lord again said, “I am very impressed with the way you have been worshipping me, you have always remembered me.” To this, Shabari queried again, “My Lord, I never worshipped you, I only worshipped my Guru,” to which Lord Rama replied:

Mote adhik sant kar lekha

“You always worshipped your Guru and respected your Guru more than me.” To which Shabari said, “Yes.”

Lord Rama then said again:

Mai santan ko daas, sant mere mukut mani

“I am the servant of the saints, and the saints are the jewels in my crown.”

The Lord Narayana Himself in the form of Lord Rama said that He is the accredited servant of the saints.

Conclusion: “Saints are above the Supreme Lord Himself.” Come one and all, let’s surrender ourselves completely onto the Lotus Feet of our Param Poojya Guruji Maharaaj. Therein lies our salvation.

Summary

The story of Shabari, a simple and devout woman from the low-caste Bheel community, illustrates the power of devotion and the grace of the Supreme Lord. Shabari, troubled by the bloodshed and killings associated with her tribe, sought refuge with the sage Matang Rishi, who took her under his wing despite the objections of other saints. Shabari dedicated her life to selfless service, cleaning the paths for the saints and serving her Guru with unwavering devotion. Upon the death of Matang Rishi, he assured her that Lord Narayana, in the form of Lord Rama, would visit her. True to his words, Lord Rama visited Shabari’s humble abode, ignoring the other saints, and revealed that her acts of devotion—her service to her Guru—were, in fact, acts of worship to Him.

Important Points

1. Shabari’s Transformation: Shabari’s conscience awakens when she witnesses the violence in her tribe, leading her to seek a life of devotion.
2. Matang Rishi’s Acceptance: Despite societal objections, Matang Rishi takes Shabari under his wing, showcasing true spiritual compassion.
3. Selfless Service: Shabari’s actions, such as cleaning paths for the saints, are motivated purely by selfless devotion without expecting rewards.
4. Guru-Bhakti: Shabari’s devotion to her Guru, Matang Rishi, is equated to devotion to the Supreme Lord, illustrating the principle that serving the Guru is akin to serving God.
5. Lord Rama’s Visit: Lord Rama visits Shabari, acknowledging her devotion and humility, thus demonstrating that true devotion transcends caste and social status.
6. Forms of Bhakti: Lord Rama outlines the different forms of Shabari’s devotion, from serving saints to reciting her Guru Mantra with faith, each form contributing to her spiritual growth.
7. Contentment and Purity: Shabari never harbors ill thoughts and is always content with her circumstances, reflecting the qualities of an ideal devotee.
8. Guru’s Supremacy: The story emphasizes that the Guru is considered even higher than the Supreme Lord, as the Lord Himself is the servant of saints.
9. Humility and Unconditional Love: Shabari’s humility and unconditional love for her Guru and the Lord are central to her spiritual success.
10. Saints as Crown Jewels: Lord Rama declares that saints are the jewels in His crown, underlining the supreme importance of saints in spiritual life.