A woman of the tribe of forest-dwellers. श्री राम , during his life in the forest, gave her salvation.

Former life

शबरी , in her former life, was the only daughter मालिनी of the Gandharva King, चित्रकवच . An erudite scholar, वीतिहोत्र , married her. As he was ever immersed in contemplation of ब्रह्मन् his wife मालिनी , (later शबरी ) kept one hunter, कल्माष , as her paramour, and her husband cursed her thus: "As you have become a lover of the hunter, you turn out to be a hunter-woman."

At the Suburbs of मतङ्ग 's hermitage

मालिनी in tears sought redemption from the curse from her husband, and he told her that she would get absolution from her infamy and the curse from श्री राम . Immediately she was transformed into a hunter-woman and she came to the suburbs of मतङ्गाश्रम . She took a special liking for the place, the reason being that the flowers in the आश्रम possessed a special fragrance. Once while the disciples were carrying a load of flowers for the मुनि ( मतङ्ग ) a few drops of sweat from their bodies fell on the ground, and the मुनि blessed that the trees and creepers, which grew up from the sweat and their flowers would never fade. This is described as follows in Canto 73, अरण्यकाण्ड of वाल्मीकि रामायण .

"Oh! राम ! nobody plucks and wears those flowers. They neither fade nor fall down. While the disciples of मतङ्ग were carrying a load of flowers for him, they sweated on account of exhaustion and some drops of sweat fell on earth which developed themselves into flowers due to the prowess of the guru's तपस् . Even today may be seen there शबरी , who has taken to सन्न्यास and who tends the flowers. She will attain heaven only after seeing you."

शबरी lived for long there serving मतङ्ग 's disciples, performing tapas and learning knowledge about ब्रह्मन् . At the time of the munis giving up their physical bodies they blessed शबरी that without further delay she would meet राम and get redemption from the curse. They also blessed that she would possess divine eyes to see hidden things and also the past and the future. After that she was spending her days awaiting the arrival of राम .

It was the period of the life in the forest of राम and लक्ष्मण . After visiting various आश्रमस् राम at last came to मतङ्गाश्रम . Hearing about राम 's visit शबरी had gathered a lot of fruits. Now, राम and लक्ष्मण came and शबरी received them most respectfully. After herself biting each fruit to test its taste she gave the fruits for them to eat. The left-overs of शबरी appeared as nectar to राम . Then शबरी told राम thus: "When you go a short distance southwards there is the beautiful stream called पम्पा . You cross पम्पा and advance a little further and you will reach mount ऋष्यमूक . On the top of that mountain lives सुग्रीव , son of Sun, and if you enter into alliance with him you will succeed in finding out and getting back सीता after annihilating the enemies. Oh! Lord! my salutations."

After speaking thus, शबरी the great anchorite and chaste woman closed her eyes. Immediately she was transformed into मालिनी , the Gandharva damsel, and all at once a handsome Gandharva prince appeared there in a divine plane. It was वीतिहोत्र , the husband of मालिनी . After saluting श्री राम he took away his wife in a chariot to the Gandharva city. (Kamba Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa) .