Sabari in Valmiki Ramayana
Here is an interesting Twitter post with the same question.
Out of 83 votes polled, 72.3% (60 out of 83) voted YES and 27.7% (23 out of 83) voted NO.
Now, we will see whether there is a mention of Sabari in Valmiki Ramayana or not.This question got very less traction. So, posting again.
— The PhoenixЁЯРж (@3011_ajit) January 3, 2024
I request to those who come across this post to RT for maximum reach.ЁЯЩП
Was Sabari mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana or not?
Balakanda Sarga-1 of Ramayana starts with Sage Narada narrating the characteristics of Lord Rama to Valmiki and in the process of explaining the characteristics, Sage Narada mentions all the important events in Lord Rama's life.
One such event was the killing of Kabanda,
рдоाрд░्рдЧрдоाрдгो рд╡рдиे рд╕ीрддां рд░ाрдХ्рд╖рд╕ं рд╕рди्рджрджрд░्рд╢ рд╣ ।
рдХрдмрди्рдзрди्рдиाрдо рд░ूрдкेрдг рд╡िрдХृрддं рдШोрд░рджрд░्рд╢рдирдо् ।।1.1.55।।
Meaning: This sloka says that Rama who is searching for Sita in Dandakaranya has seen a Rakshasa Kabanda who was deformed in shape and dreadful in his deeds.
So, why do we quote Kabanda here? Because he was the one who mentioned Sabari to Lord Rama while attaining moksha in the hands of Lord Rama.
рддं рдиिрд╣рдд्рдп рдорд╣ाрдмाрд╣ुрд░्рджрджाрд╣ рд╕्рд╡рд░्рдЧрддрд╢्рдЪ рд╕: ।
рд╕ рдЪाрд╕्рдп рдХрдердпाрдоाрд╕ рд╢рдмрд░ीं рдзрд░्рдордЪाрд░िрдгीрдо् ।।1.1.56।।
рд╢्рд░рдордгीं рдзрд░्рдордиिрдкुрдгाрдорднिрдЧрдЪ्рдЫेрддि рд░ाрдШрд╡ ।
Meaning: Rama with his prodigious arms killed Kabanda. While Kabanda is engulfed with flames and about to attain moksha, he says, "Oh Raghava, there is a female ascetic by the name of Sabari who is proficient in performing austerities and religious duties. You may visit her".
Thus Sabari was mentioned by Kabanda in the first Sarga of Balakanda.
Did Rama visit her? Yes, it was mentioned in Aranya Kanda Sarga 74. Aranya Kanda, Sarga 74 starts with the mentioning of Kabanda.
рддौ рдХрдмрди्рдзेрди рддं рдоाрд░्рдЧं рдкрдо्рдкाрдпा рджрд░्рд╢िрддं рд╡рдиे।
рдк्рд░рддрд╕्рдерддुрд░्рджिрд╢ं рдЧृрд╣्рдп рдк्рд░рддीрдЪीं рдиृрд╡рд░ाрдд्рдордЬौ।।3.74.1।।
Meaning: As told by Kabanda, Lord Rama and Lakshmana went westwards towards Pampa.
And they reached the hermitage of Sabari.
рддौ рдкुрд╖्рдХрд░िрдг्рдпाः рдкрдо्рдкाрдпाрд╕्рддीрд░рдоाрд╕ाрдж्рдп рдкрд╢्рдЪिрдордо्।
рдЕрдкрд╢्рдпрддां рддрддрд╕्рддрдд्рд░ рд╢рдмрд░्рдпा рд░рдо्рдпрдоाрд╢्рд░рдордо्।।3.74.4।।
Meaning: On the west bank of Pampa, they reached the hermitage of Sabari.
Now that we are clear that Sabari was very much an integral part of Valmiki Ramayana, let's look at the other aspect of the popular story about Sabari propagated through our serials and movies.
What is that popular aspect? Sabari ate the fruits to test their taste and then offered them to Rama.
This is a false narrative and was created just to give a cinematic effect in the name of creative liberty.
In Valmiki Ramayana, it was mentioned that Sabari offered fruits to Lord Rama and Lakshmana, but without tasting them. It was never mentioned anywhere in the epic.
Here is the sloka which mentions that Sabari offered fruits to Lord Rama and Lakshmana.
рдордпा рддु рд╡िрд╡िрдзं рд╡рди्рдпं рд╕рдЮ्рдЪिрддं рдкुрд░ुрд╖рд░्рд╖рдн।
рддрд╡ाрд░्рдеे рдкुрд░ुрд╖рд╡्рдпाрдШ्рд░ рдкрдо्рдкाрдпाрд╕्рддीрд░рд╕рдо्рднрд╡рдо्।।3.74.17।।
Meaning: Sabari is saying, "Oh best of the humans Lord Rama, I collected the different kinds of fruits that are grown on the banks of Pampa for you and Lakshmana".
From this, it is clear that Sabari offered the fruits, but did not taste any of them as shown in serials and movies.
So, what happened to Sabari after Lord Rama and Lakshmana visited her hermitage?
рдЗрдд्рдпुрдХ्рддा рдЬрдЯिрд▓ा рд╡ृрдж्рдзा рдЪीрд░рдХृрд╖्рдгाрдЬिрдиाрдо्рдмрд░ा।
рддрд╕्рдоिрди्рдоुрд╣ूрд░्рддे рд╢рдмрд░ी рджेрд╣ं рдЬीрд░्рдгं рдЬिрд╣ाрд╕рддी।।3.74.32।।
рдЕрдиुрдЬ्рдЮाрддा рддु рд░ाрдоेрдг рд╣ुрдд्рд╡ाрдд्рдоाрдиं рд╣ुрддाрд╢рдиे।
рдЬ्рд╡рд▓рдд्рдкाрд╡рдХрд╕рдЩ्рдХाрд╢ा рд╕्рд╡рд░्рдЧрдоेрд╡ рдЬрдЧाрдо рд╕ा।।3.74.33।।
рджिрд╡्рдпाрднрд░рдгрд╕ंрдпुрдХ्рддा рджिрд╡्рдпрдоाрд▓्рдпाрдиुрд▓ेрдкрдиा।
рджिрд╡्рдпाрдо्рдмрд░рдзрд░ा рддрдд्рд░ рдмрднूрд╡ рдк्рд░िрдпрджрд░्рд╢рдиा।।3.74.34।।
рд╡िрд░ाрдЬрдпрди्рддी рддं рджेрд╢ं рд╡िрдж्рдпुрдд्рд╕ौрджाрдоिрдиी рдпрдеा।
рдпрдд्рд░ рддे рд╕ुрдХृрддाрдд्рдоाрдиो рд╡िрд╣рд░рди्рддि рдорд╣рд░्рд╖рдпः।।3.74.35।।
рддрдд्рдкुрдг्рдпं рд╢рдмрд░ी рд╕्рдеाрдиं рдЬрдЧाрдоाрдд्рдорд╕рдоाрдзिрдиा।
The above slokas mention that Sabari emancipated her body from all worldly deeds with the contention of being visited by Lord Rama and Lakshmana. Thus she reached the heavens, the abode of righteous people, where she looked like a streak of lightning.
*****That's the story of Sabari from Valmiki Ramayana*****
***Jai Shree RamЁЯЩП***
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