Character of the Valmiki Ramayana
Shabari
शबरी
An aged ascetic disciple of Matanga who waits for Rama; later tradition adds berries she tasted first.
Embodies
- Devotion — Love that asks for nothing in return — the Ramayana's beating heart.
Questions to explore
- Why do later tellings add the tasted berries?
- What makes her the model of loving devotion?
