प्रस्थितौ त्वं व्रजस्वेति वाक्यमूचतुरन्तिके। गम्यतां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थमिति तावब्रवीत् स च
As he stood nearby in the sky, the two—Rama and Lakshmana—said to him, 'Go forth, proceed!' And he replied, 'Go, so that your purpose may be accomplished.'
सुप्रीतौ तावनुज्ञाप्य कबन्धः प्रस्थितस्तदा
Then, having received their permission, Kabandha, well pleased, departed.
स तत् कबन्धः प्रतिपद्य रूपं वृतः श्रिया भास्वरसर्वदेहः। निदर्शयन् राममवेक्ष्य खस्थः सख्यं कुरुष्वेति तदाभ्युवाच
That Kabandha, having assumed his true form, his entire body radiant and adorned with splendor, appeared in the sky before Rama and said, 'Make friendship!'
thumb|चतुःसप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे चतुःसप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥३-
In the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Aranya Kanda, the seventy-fourth sarga (chapter).
तौ कबन्धेन तं मार्गं पम्पाया दर्शितं वने। आतस्थतुर्दिशं गृह्य प्रतीचीं नृवरात्मजौ
Then, having been shown the path through the forest near Lake Pampā by Kabandha, the two princes, sons of the best of men, set out westward.
तौ शैलेष्वाचितानेकान् क्षौद्रपुष्पफलद्रुमान्। वीक्षन्तौ जग्मतुर्द्रष्टुं सुग्रीवं रामलक्ष्मणौ
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, as they went, beheld many mountains covered with honey, flowers, and fruit-bearing trees, seeking to find Sugrīva.
कृत्वा तु शैलपृष्ठे तु तौ वासं रघुनन्दनौ। पम्पायाः पश्चिमं तीरं राघवावुपतस्थतुः
Having made their camp on a mountain slope, the descendants of Raghu approached the western shore of Lake Pampā.
तौ पुष्करिण्याः पम्पायास्तीरमासाद्य पश्चिमम्। अपश्यतां ततस्तत्र शबर्या रम्यमाश्रमम्
Reaching the western bank of the beautiful Pampā lake, they saw there the delightful hermitage of Śabarī.
तौ तमाश्रममासाद्य द्रुमैर्बहुभिरावृतम्। सुरम्यमभिवीक्षन्तौ शबरीमभ्युपेयतुः
Arriving at that hermitage, surrounded by many trees and exceedingly lovely, they gazed upon it and approached Śabarī.
तौ दृष्ट्वा तु तदा सिद्धा समुत्थाय कृताञ्जलिः। पादौ जग्राह रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य च धीमतः
Seeing them, the accomplished ascetic rose, joined her palms in reverence, and took hold of the feet of Rāma and wise Lakṣmaṇa.
पाद्यमाचमनीयं च सर्वं प्रादाद् यथाविधि। तामुवाच ततो रामः श्रमणीं धर्मसंस्थिताम्
She offered water for washing the feet and for sipping, all according to proper custom; then Rāma spoke to the devoted ascetic, established in righteousness.
कच्चित्ते निर्जिता विघ्नाः कच्चित्ते वर्धते तपः। कच्चित्ते नियतः कोप आहारश्च तपोधने
Are obstacles overcome for you? Is your austerity increasing? Is your anger restrained, and your food regulated, O possessor of ascetic wealth?
कच्चित्ते नियमाः प्राप्ताः कच्चित्ते मनसः सुखम्। कच्चित्ते गुरुशुश्रूषा सफला चारुभाषिणि
Are your vows maintained? Is your mind at peace? Has your service to your teachers borne fruit, O gentle speaker?
रामेण तापसी पृष्टा सा सिद्धा सिद्धसम्मता। शशंस शबरी वृद्धा रामाय प्रत्यवस्थिता
Questioned thus by Rāma, the ascetic woman, accomplished and honored by the accomplished, Śabarī, elderly and steadfast, spoke to Rāma.
अद्य प्राप्ता तपःसिद्धिस्तव संदर्शनान्मया। अद्य मे सफलं जन्म गुरवश्च सुपूजिताः
Today, by seeing you, I have attained the fruit of my austerities; today my birth is fulfilled and my teachers are well-honored.
अद्य मे सफलं तप्तं स्वर्गश्चैव भविष्यति। त्वयि देववरे राम पूजिते पुरुषर्षभ
Today my practiced austerity is fruitful, and I shall attain heaven as well, for you, Rāma, best of men and god among men, have been worshipped here.
तवाहं चक्षुषा सौम्य पूता सौम्येन मानद। गमिष्याम्यक्षयांल्लोकांस्त्वत्प्रसादादरिंदम
By your gracious glance, gentle one, I am purified, O bestower of honor; by your favor, O subduer of foes, I shall go to the eternal worlds.
चित्रकूटं त्वयि प्राप्ते विमानैरतुलप्रभैः। इतस्ते दिवमारूढा यानहं पर्यचारिषम्
When you arrived at Citrakūṭa in radiant chariots, from there I ascended to heaven, having served you.
तैश्चाहमुक्ता धर्मज्ञैर्महाभागैर्महर्षिभिः। आगमिष्यति ते रामः सुपुण्यमिममाश्रमम्
By those great sages, knowers of righteousness and highly fortunate, I was told: 'Rāma will come to your supremely holy hermitage.'
स ते प्रतिग्रहीतव्यः सौमित्रिसहितोऽतिथिः। तं च दृष्ट्वा वरांल्लोकानक्षयांस्त्वं गमिष्यसि
'You must welcome him as a guest, together with Saumitri; and having seen him, you will attain the highest, eternal worlds.'
एवमुक्ता महाभागैस्तदाहं पुरुषर्षभ। मया तु संचितं वन्यं विविधं पुरुषर्षभ
Thus addressed by the great sages, O best of men, I have gathered various forest offerings, O best of men.
तवार्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र पम्पायास्तीरसम्भवम्। एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा शबर्या शबरीमिदम्
For your sake, O tiger among men, born on the banks of Pampā, thus addressed, that righteous soul, Śabarī, spoke these words.
राघवः प्राह विज्ञाने तां नित्यमबहिष्कृताम्। दनोः सकाशात् तत्त्वेन प्रभावं ते महात्मनाम्
Rāghava asked her, who was always excluded from society, about the true power of those great souls who had come from the lineage of Danu, as she knew well.
श्रुतं प्रत्यक्षमिच्छामि संद्रष्टुं यदि मन्यसे। एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा रामवक्त्रविनिःसृतम्
I have heard of it, but I wish to see it directly, if you permit; when these words had issued from Rāma's lips,
शबरी दर्शयामास तावुभौ तद्वनं महत्। पश्य मेघघनप्रख्यं मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्
Śabarī showed both of them that great forest: 'Behold, dense as a rain cloud, teeming with beasts and birds.'
मतङ्गवनमित्येव विश्रुतं रघुनन्दन। इह ते भावितात्मानो गुरवो मे महाद्युते। जुहवांचक्रिरे नीडं मन्त्रवन्मन्त्रपूजितम्
'This is the forest of Mataṅga, renowned as such, O delight of the Raghus; here, my noble-minded teachers of great splendor performed sacrifices, building a sacred altar, worshipped with mantras.'
इयं प्रत्यक्स्थली वेदी यत्र ते मे सुसत्कृताः। पुष्पोपहारं कुर्वन्ति श्रमादुद्वेपिभिः करैः
'This is the altar facing east, where my honored teachers, with hands trembling from exertion, offered flowers as tribute.'
तेषां तपःप्रभावेण पश्याद्यापि रघूत्तम। द्योतयन्ती दिशः सर्वाः श्रिया वेद्यतुलप्रभा
'By the power of their austerity, O best of the Raghus, even now the altar shines with incomparable brilliance, illuminating all directions.'
अशक्नुवद्भिस्तैर्गन्तुमुपवासश्रमालसैः। चिन्तितेनागतान् पश्य समेतान् सप्त सागरान्
'Unable to go further, exhausted by fasting and weariness, they mentally summoned the seven seas, which gathered here—behold them.'
कृताभिषेकैस्तैर्न्यस्ता वल्कलाः पादपेष्विह। अद्यापि न विशुष्यन्ति प्रदेशे रघुनन्दन
'After their ritual baths, they placed their bark garments on these trees; even now, O delight of the Raghus, they have not dried out in this place.'