Outcaste Shabari (Mythological Monologues #15)

In the endless waiting for The Divine,

I found all the answers to Life

In the mission to serve the Divine, 

My life became paradise.

I-Shabari, an outcast from a tribal village

Had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge

They said, "You are an outcast!

You cannot be a disciple of any sage."

Does a wild flower stop blooming

When people don't love it like a rose?

It blooms where it is planted

Fulfilling the purpose of its life.

Can a seeker of Truth ever give up

When people call her an outcast?

She seeks true knowledge

To give meaning to her life. 

When the pain of ignorance and darkness

Became a scream within me,

My Guru, Sage Matanga arrived

Enlightening me about Dharma.

"Lord Rama will visit you one day.",

My Master said before breathing his last.

Since that day, the only purpose of my life

Has been to wait and serve my Lord. 

Seasons changed; years rolled on

I-Shabari became an old woman

Who cannot walk without a walking stick

Despite aches in my withering body, 

And almost complete loss of vision,

My zest for life was tremendous. 

Early morning, I wake up;

With a walking stick, I go to the forest

Pluck berry fruits for my Lord

Unable to understand 

which ones are sweet,

I taste each fruit 

before putting them in my basket. 

In the endless waiting for The Divine,

I found all the answers to Life

In the mission to serve the Divine, 

My life became paradise.

Each day, I waited for Lord Rama

And retired to bed with the anticipation

Of meeting Him the next day. 

And finally that day arrives!

My Lord visits my humble hut

Instead of the ashrams of Brahman yogis.

I offer him the sweetest berries I plucked

In a handmade bowl of leaves

"Brother, the fruits have been tasted.

They are unworthy of eating.", 

Lakshmana said, breaking my trance.

I fold my hands in shame and regret

The bitter realization dawning on me.

"Lakshmana, nothing can match

the taste of these fruits offered to me with 

boundless love and devotion." My Lord said.

Tears roll down my eyes

At the sight of my Lord's beaming face

As I realize my vision has been restored. 

In the devotion of Lord Rama, 

I found liberation from the duality of life

In the mission to serve God, 

I- Shabari became one with God. 

©Purba Chakraborty

17.04.2020

Note: Shabari is an elderly woman ascetic in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She is an ardently devoted woman who received Lord Rama's Darshan and blessing due to her devotion in him. 

Noble Abhimanyu (Mythological Monologues #14)