तौ कबन्धेन तं मागं पम्पाया दर्शितं वने। आतस्थतुर्दिशं गृह्य प्रतीची नृवरात्मजौ॥
Thereupon Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, sons of a kingly father, passing along the way, pointed out by Kabandha, leading to the lake Pampā, proceeded towards the West.
तौ शैलेष्वाचितानेकान् क्षौद्रपुष्पफलट्ठमान्। वीक्षन्तौ जग्मतुर्द्रष्टुं सुग्रीवं रामलक्ष्मणौ॥
They wending their way desirous of seeing Sugrīva, there came within the compass of their vision many trees, grown on the summits of the mountains, blossoming with flowers and abounding in fruits tasting sweet like to honey.
कृत्वा तु शैलपृष्ठे तु तौ वासं रघुनन्दनौ । पम्पायाः पश्चिमं तीरं राघवावुपतस्थतुः॥ तौ पुष्करिण्याः पम्पायास्तीरमासाद्य पश्चिमम्। अपश्यतां ततस्तत्र शबर्यां रम्यमाश्रमम्॥
Passing the night on the summit of a hill those two descendants of Raghu arrived at the western bank of Pampā and espied the pleasant asylum of Savari.
तौ तमाश्रममासाद्य द्रुमैबहुभिरावृतम्। सुरम्यमभिवीक्षन्तौ शबरीमभ्युपेयतुः॥
Getting at that charming hermitage covered on all sides with trees and casting their looks around they beheld that female mendicant-Savari.
तौ दृष्ट्वा तु तदा सिद्धा समुत्थाय कृताञ्जलिः। पादौ जग्राह रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य च धीमतः॥ पाद्यमाचमनीयं च सर्वं प्रादाद् यथाविधि। तामुवाच श्रमणी धर्मसंस्थिताम्॥
No sooner had that one of perfect asceticism beheld those highly intelligent Rāma and Laks maņa than she rose up with folded hands and touching their feet offered them duly water for washing their feet and mouth. Thereupon Rāma spoke to that female ascetic, engaged in religious services.
कच्चित्ते निर्जिता विघ्नाः कच्चिते वर्धते तपः। कच्चित्ते नियतः कोप आहारश्च तपोधने॥ कच्चित्ते नियमाः प्राप्ताः कच्चित्ते मनसः सुखम्। कच्चित्ते गुरुशुश्रूषा सफला चारुभाषिणि ॥ ततो रामः
O you of sweet accents, have you got all hindrances to asceticism removed? Is your asceticism growing stronger every day? O you having asceticism for your wealth, have you restricted your anger and fare? Have you observed the commandments and attained to mental felicity? Have your attendance upon your spiritual guide born fruits?
रामेण तापसी पृष्टा सा सिद्धा सिद्धसम्मता। शशंस शबरी वृद्धा रामाय प्रत्यवस्थिता॥
Being thus accosted by Rāma that old Savarī, of accomplished asceticism and recognised by the Siddhas, approaching Rāma spoke.
अद्य प्राप्ता तपःसिद्धिस्तव संदर्शनान्मया। अद्य मे सफलं जन्म गुरवश्च सुपूजिताः॥
Favoured with your presence my asceticism has attained to its consummation. Blessed is my birth, fruitful is my service to my spiritual guides and accomplished is my asceticism.
अद्य मे सफलं तप्तं स्वर्गश्चैव भविष्यति। त्वयि देववरे राम पूजिते पुरुषर्षभ॥ तवाहं चक्षुषा सौम्य पूता सौम्येन मानद। गमिष्याम्यक्षयांल्लोकांस्त्वत्प्रसादादरिंदम ॥
O best of men, you are the foremost of celestials; worshipping you I attain to the abode of deities. O gentle one, O slayer of foes, O you that do confer honours on men, yourself casting your auspicious looks upon me, consecrated I, by your favour, shall attain to the imperishable land of celestials.
चित्रकूटं त्वयि प्राप्ते विमानैरतुलप्रभैः। इतस्ते दिवमारूढा यानहं पर्यचारिषम्॥
On your setting foot on the mount Citrakūta, the ascetics whom I served, ascending celestial cars of incomparable lustre, departed to heaven.
तैश्चाहमुक्ता धर्मज्ञैर्महाभागैर्महर्षिभिः। आगमिष्यति ते रामः सुपुण्यमिममाश्रमम्॥ स ते प्रतिग्रहीतव्यः सौमित्रिसहितोऽतिथिः। तं च दृष्ट्वा वरांल्लोकानक्षयांस्त्वं गमिष्यसि॥
Those great ascetics, cognizant of virtue, said to me, Rāma shall come to your holy asylum. Do you receive with great reverence that guest together with Laksmana. On beholding him, you shall attain to that best land of the celestials whence none return.
एवमुक्ता महाभागैस्तदाहं पुरुषर्षभ। मया तु संचितं वन्यं विविधं पुरुषर्षभ॥ तवार्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र पम्पायास्तीरसम्भवम्।
O best of men, I was thus told by those great ascetics, and for you I have collected various wild fruits growing on the banks of Pampā.
एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा शबर्यां शबरीमिदम्॥ राघवः प्राह विज्ञाने तां नित्यमबहिष्कृतम्।
Being thus addressed by Savarī, the virtuoussouled Raghava spoke to her conversant with the knowledge of past and future.
दनोः सकाशात् तत्त्वेन प्रभावं ते महात्मनाम्॥ श्रुतं प्रत्यक्षमिच्छामि संद्रष्टुं यदि मन्यसे।
I have heard from Danu, in truth, about your divine authority as well as that of your spiritual guides. If you purpose so I wish to witness it with my own eyes.
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा रामवक्त्रविनिः :सृतम्॥ शबरी दर्शयामास ताबुभौ तद्वनं महत्।
Hearing those accents dropping from Rāma's lips, Sabarī showing to them the vast forest said.
पश्य मेघघनप्रख्यं मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्॥ मतङ्गवनमित्येव विश्रुतं रघुनन्दन।
Do you behold, O Rāghava, this forest, crowded with deer and birds resembling a dense cloud. This forest is known as Matanga's wood.
इह ते भावितात्मानो गुरवो मे महाद्युते। जुहवाञ्चक्रिरे नीडं मन्त्रवन्मन्त्रपूजितम्॥
Here in this forest the pure-souled preceptors sacrificed to fire their persons consecrated by the Mantras as Mantra itself.
इयं प्रत्यक्स्थली वेदी यत्र ते मे सुसत्कृताः। पुष्पोपहारं कुर्वन्ति श्रमादुद्वेपिभिः करैः॥
This is that alter Pratyaksthalī, ascending which my worshipful preceptors used to offer flowers to the deities with hands trembling with toil,
तेषां तपःप्रभावेण पश्याद्यापि रघूत्तम। द्योतयन्ती दिशः सर्वाः श्रिया वेद्यतुलप्रभा॥
Behold, O best of Raghus, this alter of incomparable beauty, by virtue of their asceticism, has been still shedding its lustre on all the sides.
अशक्नुवद्भिस्तैर्गन्तुमुपवासश्रमालसैः। चिन्तितेनागतान् पश्य समेतान् सप्त सागरान् ॥
Behold, again, the seven seas have appeared here in conjunction, at their very thought, worn out with fast and therefore incapable of moving on.
कृताभिषेकैस्तैयस्ता वल्कलाः पादपेष्विह। अद्यापि न विशुष्यन्ति प्रदेशे रघुनन्दन ॥
Even those barks, which they used to place on these trees after ablution have not yet been dried up.
देवकार्याणि कुर्वद्भिर्यानीमानि कृतानि वै। पुष्पैः कुवलयैः सार्धं म्लानत्वं न तु यान्ति वै॥
These flowers, of blue colour which they offered to the deities, being engaged in divine services, have not yet been withered away.
कृत्स्नं वनमिदं दृष्टं श्रोतव्यं च श्रुतं त्वया। तदिच्छाम्यभ्यनुज्ञाता त्यक्ष्याम्येतत् कलेवरम्॥
You have observed this entire forest and heard every thing worth hearing. I purpose now to renounce my body being commanded by you.
तेषामिच्छाम्यहं गन्तुं समीपं भावितात्मनाम्। मुनानामाश्रमो येषामहं च परिचारिणी॥
I wish to approach those pure-souled ascetics, whom I used to wait upon, and whom these asylums belong to.
धर्मिष्ठं तु वचः श्रुत्वा राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे आश्चर्यमिति चाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing with Lakşmaņa the speech of the pious one, Rāma gained an excess of joy and exclaiming, Wonderful it is!
तामुवाच ततो रामः शबरी संशितव्रताम्। अर्चितोऽहं त्वया भद्रे गच्छ कामं यथासुखम्॥
Again spoke to Savarī of keen austerities-0 gentle one, I have been worshipped by you. Do you repair at your ease and pleasure.
इत्येवमुक्ता जटिला चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरा। अनुज्ञाता तु रामेण हुत्वाऽऽत्मानं हुताशने ॥ ज्वलत्पावकसंकाशा स्वर्गमेव जगाम ह। दिव्याभरणसंयुक्ता दिव्यमाल्यानुलेपना ॥ दिव्याम्बरधरा तत्र बभूव प्रियदर्शना। विराजयन्ती तं देशं विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा॥
Being thus addressed and ordered by Rāma, Savarī, wearing matted locks, rags and the skin of an antelope, surrendered herself to fire and rose high up in the welkin like to blazing fire. Adorned with celestial ornaments, wreathed with celestial garlands, sprinkled with sandal-paste and wearing celestial cloth she appeared of exquisite grace and lighted up the quarters like to lightning.
यत्र ते सुकृतात्मानो विहरन्ति महर्षयः। तत् पुण्यं शबरीस्थानं जगामात्मसमाधिना॥
By virtue of her devout meditation, Savarī repaired to that holy region where dwelt her spiritual preceptors-the pure-hearted ascetics.