Upaniṣads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.19
॥
Devanāgarī
विचेरतुस्तदा भूमौ देवीं संदृश्य चासुरम् । हत्वा कबन्धं शबरीं गत्वा तस्याज्ञया तया
Transliteración (IAST)
viceratustadā bhūmau devīṃ saṃdṛśya cāsuram | hatvā kabandhaṃ śabarīṃ gatvā tasyājñayā tayā
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
विचेरतुः तदा भूमौviceratuḥ tadā bhūmauthen the two wandered over the earth; and the two of them roamed the land
देवीम् संदृश्य च असुरम्devīm saṃdṛśya ca asuramseeking the goddess, and the demon; looking for the goddess, and the asura
हत्वा कबन्धम् शबरीम्hatvā kabandham śabarīmhaving slain Kabandha, to Śabarī; having struck down Kabandha, to Śabarī
गत्वा तस्या आज्ञया तयाgatvā tasyā ājñayā tayāhaving come, at her command; having appeared, by her word
Traducción
Then the two of them wandered over the earth, seeking the goddess; and, having slain the demon Kabandha, they came to Śabarī, and by her word…
Versión
82c6899d8581 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 5:15:19 UTC
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The tale goes fast — whole books of the Rāmāyaṇa fit into half a verse — but the choice of what is mentioned is not accidental.
Two are named: Kabandha and Śabarī. Kabandha is the headless monster with eye and mouth in the middle of his trunk; slain by Rāma, he was freed of his curse and regained his former shape. One more confirmation of the thought that death at His hand is deliverance.
And Śabarī is a woman of the forest tribe, an aged anchoress, whom tradition remembers because she waited for Rāma all her life. Out of the whole southern part of the narrative the book has chosen precisely her.
And next stands that for which she is named: tasyā ājñayā — “at her command”. The word ājñā means neither advice nor request, but “order, injunction”.
The Highest, of whom four verses ago it was sung that He is the beginning of the Vedas and the form of the Ātman, goes on at the word of an old forest woman.
The Vaiṣṇava tradition has always pointed to this place as its own. He who is above all obeys the one who is beneath all — if that one loves Him. Hence further in the tale He will seek help from monkeys.