Rama Eats Shabari's Forest Offering and Praises It Again and Again
Aranya Kanda, Doha 34
Doha 34 · Movement 2 of 2
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Shabari gathers the food of the forest and brings it before Rama. Roots, tender tubers, and fruits carry their natural sweetness into the small hermitage. These are the gifts available to her hands, and she places them before the Lord she has waited to receive.
Rama accepts the offering with love. He eats what Shabari has brought and praises it. Then he praises it again. The repeated words fill the dwelling, turning the simple forest fare into a feast honored by the Lord of the Raghu line.
Nothing else is added to enlarge the moment. Shabari offers, Rama receives, and love passes openly between them through roots, tubers, fruit, and praise. The sweetness named by the verse belongs to the food, but its radiance comes from the welcome in which giver and guest meet.
Rama tastes the forest gift, and the hermitage hears his praise once more.
Read the passage from the Manas
कंद मूल फल सुरस अति दिए राम कहुँ आनि। प्रेम सहित प्रभु खाए बारंबार बखानि।।34।।
She brought the most delicious kanda, moola, and phala, roots, tubers, and fruits, and offered them to Rama. Prabhu ate them with prema, praising her offerings again and again.