सबरी सोइ उठी, फरकत बाम बिलोचन-बाहु। सगुन सुहावने सूचत मुनि-मन-अगम उछाहु॥ मुनि-अगम उर आनंद, लोचन सजल, तनु पुलकावली। तृन-पर्नसाल बनाइ, जल भरि कलस, फल चाहन चली॥ मंजुल मनोरथ करति, सुमिरति बिप्र-बरबानी भली। ज्यों कलप-बेलि सकेलि सुकृत सुफूल-फूली सुख-फली॥ १ ॥ प्रानप्रिय पाहुने ऐहैं राम-लषन मेरे आजु। जानत जन-जियकी मृदु चित राम गरीबनिवाजु॥ मृदु चित गरीबनिवाज आजु बिराजिहैं गृह आइकै। ब्रह्मादि संकर-गौरि पूजित पूजिहौं अब जाइकै॥ लहि नाथ हौं रघुनाथ-बानो पतितपावन पाइकै। दुहु ओर लाहु अघाइ तुलसी तीसरेहु गुन गाइकै॥ २ ॥ दोना रुचिर रचे पूरन कंद-मूल, फल-फूल। अनुपम अमियहुतें अंबक अवलोकत अनुकूल॥ अनुकूल अंबक अंब ज्यों निज डिंब हित सब आनिकै। सुंदर सनेहसुधा सहस जनु सरस राखे सानिकै॥ छन भवन, छन बाहर, बिलोकति पंथ भूपर पानिकै। दोउ भाइ आये सबरिकाके प्रेम-पन पहिचानिकै॥ ३ ॥ श्रवन सुनत चली, आवत देखि लषन-रघुराउ। सिथिल सनेह कहै, ‘है सुपना बिधि, कैधौं सति भाउ’॥ सति भाउ कै सपनो? निहारि कुमार कोसलरायके। गहे चरन, जे अघहरन नत-जन-बचन-मानस-कायके॥ लघु-भाग-भाजन उदधि उमग्यो लाभ-सुख चित चाय कै। सो जननि ज्यों आदरी सानुज, राम भूखे भायके॥ ४ ॥ प्रेम-पट पाँवड़े देत, सुअरघ बिलोचन-बारि। आश्रम लै दिए आसन पंकज-पाँय पखारि॥ पद-पंकजात पखारि पूजे, पंथ-श्रम-बिरति भये। फल-फूल अंकुर-मूल धरे सुधारि भरि दोना नये॥ प्रभु खात पुलकित गात, स्वाद सराहि आदर जनु जये। फल चारिहु फल चारि दहि, परचारि-फल सबरी दये॥ ५ ॥ सुमन बरषि, हरषे सुर, मुनि मुदित सराहि सिहात। ‘केहि रुचि केहि छुधा सानुज माँगि माँगि प्रभु खात॥ प्रभु खात माँगत देति सबरी, राम भोगी जागके’। पुलकत प्रसंसत सिद्ध-सिव-सनकादि भाजन भागके॥ बालक सुमित्रा कौसिलाके पाहुने फल-सागके। सुनि समुझि तुलसी जानु रामहि बस अमल अनुरागके॥ ६ ॥ रघुबर अँचइ उठे, सबरी करि प्रनाम कर जोरि। हौं बलि बलि गई, पुरई मंजु मनोरथ मोरि॥ पुरई मनोरथ, स्वारथहु परमारथहु पूरन करी। अघ-अवगुनन्हिकी कोठरी करि कृपा मुद मंगल भरी॥ तापस-किरातिनि-कोल मृदु मूरति मनोहर मन धरी। सिर नाइ, आयसु पाइ गवने, परमनिधि पाले परी॥ ७ ॥ सिय-सुधि सब कही नख-सिख निरखि-निरखि दोउ भाइ। दै दै प्रदच्छिना करति प्रनाम, न प्रेम अघाइ॥ अति प्रीति मानस राखि रामहि, राम-धामहि सो गई। तेहि मातु-ज्यों रघुनाथ अपने हाथ जल-अंजलि दई॥ तुलसी-भनित, सबरी-प्रनति, रघुबर-प्रकृति करुनामई। गावत, सुनत, समुझत भगति हिय होय प्रभु पद नित नई॥ ८ ॥
Śabarī awoke from sleep, her left eye and arm throbbing. The lovely omens announced a joy beyond even sages’ minds. Her heart held a bliss sages cannot reach, her eyes were wet, and her body thrilled. She prepared the grass-and-leaf hut, filled a pitcher with water, and went to gather fruit. Making beautiful plans and remembering the noble sage’s blessed promise, she was like a wish-fulfilling vine that had gathered every merit, flowered abundantly, and now borne the fruit of joy. (1) “Today my beloved guests Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa will come. Tender-hearted Rāma, protector of the poor, knows what lies in his servant’s heart. Today he will enter and grace my home. I shall worship the one worshiped by Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Gaurī, and the gods. Attaining Raghunātha as my Lord and finding the purifier of the fallen, I shall gain fully in both worlds; Tulsīdāsa will gain a third reward by singing his virtues.” (2) She prepared beautiful leaf bowls full of roots, tubers, fruits, and flowers, unequalled, sweeter than nectar, and pleasing to the eyes. Like a mother bringing everything for her own child, she steeped them, as it were, in a thousandfold nectar of lovely affection. One moment inside and the next outside, she watched the road with a hand above her brow. Recognizing Śabarī’s vow of love, the two brothers came. (3) Hearing of their approach, she went forward; then, seeing Lakṣmaṇa and Raghurāya coming, she became weak with love and said, “Creator, is this a dream or true feeling?” Gazing at the princes of Kosala’s king, she grasped the feet that remove the sins of surrendered people in mind, speech, and body. Though she thought herself a vessel of little fortune, an ocean of delight surged within at such gain. Rāma hungers only for loving feeling, and with his younger brother he honored her like a mother. (4) She spread a carpet of love beneath their feet and offered excellent arghya with the water of her eyes. Leading them to the hermitage, she gave them seats after washing their lotus feet. She worshiped those feet and relieved their weariness from the road. In fresh leaf bowls she arranged fruits, flowers, shoots, and roots. The Lord ate with his body thrilled, praising their flavor as if nurturing her reverence. By Śabarī’s four kinds of fruit Rāma burned the four worldly goals and gave her the fruit of devoted service. (5) The gods rained flowers and rejoiced; delighted sages praised and marveled: “With what appetite and hunger the Lord and his brother repeatedly ask and eat! The Lord who enjoys all sacrifices is eating and asking, and Śabarī keeps giving.” Śiva, the Siddhas, and Sanaka and the other recipients of fortune praised her with bodies thrilled. The sons of Sumitrā and Kauśalyā are guests of fruits and greens today. Hearing and understanding this, Tulsīdāsa, know that Rāma is mastered by stainless love alone. (6) Raghu’s Lord rinsed his mouth and rose. Śabarī bowed with joined hands: “I offer myself again and again; today you fulfilled my cherished longing. You completed my heart’s desire, both my worldly welfare and highest good. I was a storehouse of sins and faults, but by grace you filled me with joy and auspiciousness.” Ascetics, Kirāta women, and Kolas placed the Lord’s tender enchanting form within their hearts, bowed, received leave, and departed guarding the supreme treasure they had gained. (7) After gazing upon both brothers from head to foot, Śabarī told them all she knew of Sītā. Again and again she circumambulated and bowed, never sated with love. Keeping Rāma in her heart with deepest affection, she went to Rāma’s abode; Raghunātha then offered water for her with his own hands as for a mother. Singing, hearing, and understanding Tulsīdāsa’s verse, Śabarī’s surrender, and Raghu’s Lord’s compassionate nature makes devotion to the Lord’s feet ever new in the heart. (8)