A tribal lady who is
a devout follower (bhakta) of the deity Rama in the Ramayana, the earlier of
the two major Indian epics.
Shabari is a member of the Shabaras, and her moniker, which
is essentially the feminine variant of the group's name, gives her a feeling of
anonymity.
During their quest for Rama's abducted wife Sita, Rama and
Lakshmana stop at Shabari's house.
Rama happily accepts her hospitality as a recompense for the
dedication with which it is delivered, despite her low social rank as a tribal.
Shabari tastes each fruit before giving it to Rama in the
Ramcharitmanas, a vernacular retelling of the Ramayana written by the
poet-saint Tulsidas (1532–1623? ), to ensure that he gets only the sweetest—an
act that violates one of the most pervasive ritual taboos prohibiting the
exchange of any food that has come into contact with saliva, especially from
lower to higher status people.
However, because of the affection with which the fruits are
presented, Rama eats them joyously in the narrative.
This episode's message is congruent with a prominent topic
in the Ramcharitmanas, namely, the capacity of devotion to overcome or overturn
societal rules.
Shabari dies a joyful death soon after Rama and Lakshmana's
arrival.
