Shabari

Shabari (Sanskrit: शबरी) is an elderly woman ascetic in the later versions of the Hindu epic Ramayana. She is described as an ardently devoted woman who received Rama's darshan and blessing due to her Bhakti to him.

Shabari was a rishi's daughter. According to Krishna Dutt ji she was seeker of knowledge and wanted to know the meaning of Dharma.After days of traveling, she met Sage Matanga at the foot of the Mountain Rishyamukha and accepted him as guru, serving him with devotion. When her guru Matanga was about to die, Shabari— now an elderly lady— stated that after serving him throughout her life, she now sought to reach for herself the same "abode of peace" which Matanga reached. Thereupon, the sage said that by the virtue of her seva (service), Lord Ram shall give her darshan and asks her to wait for his arrival. Saying thus, the sage sitting in lotus posture attains Mahasamadhi. As per her guru's words, Shabari waits for the arrival of Ram.

Everyday Shabari would go out of her ashram, with the help of a walking stick and pluck berry fruits for Lord Ram. She would pluck a fruit, first taste it, and if it was sweet she would put it in her basket and discard the bitter ones. She wanted to give the good and sweet fruits to Ram. The thought never came to her that she should not taste it before it was offered to a deity. Traditional writers use this narrative to indicate that in bhakti, faults are not seen by the deities. Thus collecting a few fruits, Shabari went back to the ashram and eagerly anticipated Lord Ram's arrival. Shabari is commonly used as a metaphor for an endless wait for God.

According to the scriptural account, even though hundreds of other yogis were waiting to receive Rama in their ashrams, Rama went only to Shabari's ashram because of her sincere devotion. On seeing Rama, Shabari became ecstatic and said, "There were so many exalted yogis waiting for your darshan, but you came to this unworthy devotee (...) This clearly shows that you will neither see whether a devotee lives in a palace or humble hut, whether he is erudite or ignorant (...) neither see caste nor color. You will only see the true bhakti (...) I do not have anything to offer other than my heart, but here are some berry fruits. May it please you, my Lord." Saying so, Shabari offered the fruits she had meticulously collected to Rama. When Rama was tasting them, Lakshmana raised the concern that Shabari had already tasted them and were, therefore, unworthy of being eaten. To this, Rama said that of the many types of food he had tasted, "nothing could equal these berry fruits, offered with such devotion. You taste them, then alone will you know. Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I partake it with great joy." Lakshman did not taste the fruits. He brought them to his mouth but threw them aside considering them as impure. Pleased with Shabari's devotion, Rama blesses her with his vision. Rama notices the donas, or bowls, of handmade leaves in which she had offered the fruits and is impressed by the hard work Shabari has gone through to make them and, hence, blesses the tree so that the leaves naturally grow in the shape of a bowl. Shabari also tells Rama to take help from Sugriva and where to find him. The Ramayana says that Shabari was a very bright and knowledgeable saint.

...
Wikipedia