Ramayana stories - Devotion

Sabhari was born in a hunter’s family. His father use to hunt animals and feed them. One day at her wedding she realized that hunting and eating animals is a sin she soon ran away from home and hide herself in the forest. She reached a sage named Matanga in the ashram. He welcomed her happily. She started living with him. She daily use to clean the ashram, bring flowers for god and other menial tasks etc where carried out by her. After completion of all these works she used to spend every second in the meditation of Lord Rama.

Days passed, it was time for Matanga to leave his soul. At that time sabhari was beside him and asked him to take her out of all these relations. So, he said I am not fortunate to see the lord and leaving my soul without seeing the lord but you lucky women you have an opportunity to meet god in the form of Rama. A day comes, when Rama comes to your door steps.  Then you can gain deliverance in his hands. Stay in this ashram and wait for Rama who comes along with his brother laxmana in search of his lovable wife sita. Give him a good hospitality. The sage left his soul in peace while telling the story of Rama to sabhari.

Sabhari use to perform her daily menial tasks and keeping everything ready for the arrival of Rama. Daily she uses to wake up early in the morning and wait from morning till evening for Rama’s arrival. Her daily routine is to collect berries and fruits from the forest for Rama. She used to taste every single berry that was bought for Rama and kept the sweetest fruits aside. She use to removes all the thorns, small bushes in an around his ashram so that Lord Rama doesn’t get hurt.  Thus she spent many years doing this way.

A day arrived when rama and laxmana came to her ashram while searching sita who had been kidnapped by Ravana.  Seeing the lord rama, sabhari felt happy and her eyes glowed at that moment and she welcomed Rama happily into her ashram.

She says, Oh! Lord Rama, i was waiting for your arrival from years.

She gave him water to wash his feet and offered him the berries after tasted by her. Whichever she finds the sweetest she gave it to Rama.

Lakshama felt shocking by seeing this because sabhari is offering the berries after being tasted by her instead of fresh ones. Rama ate all the berries that were offered by sabhari with love. He blessed her for her devoutness.

Sabhari desire was full filled at last by meeting Rama. And she asked him to relieve her from this world and entered in to the fire. Once she entered the fire she got transformed into a beautiful young lady. She relieved herself from this world in the hands of lord Rama and met her guru and lord in the heaven. 

From this lesson we can learn that they is no need to do yagna and meditation to reach lord Rama,  pure devotion is required to reach him.