Shabari was an ascetic living in an ashrama near a mountain in South India. She lived a life of devotion and purity and was a disciple of Rishi Matanga. Her guru had blessed her that she will meet Rama, her chosen form of God in her life time itself. After her guru”s passing away, she continued to live in that ashrama, patiently waiting for the arrival of Sri Rama. Her daily routine consisted of getting up early in the morning, ablutions, meditation and prayer, followed by cleaning the ashrama pathway and decorating it with flowers. Everyday she swept clean the path and decorated it with flowers in expectation that Rama, her beloved Lord, might arrive any day.
Waiting for the Lord was Shabari’s main form of tapas—for years. By the time Rama reached her ashrama, during his search for Sita who had been abducted by the demon king Ravana, Shabari was an old woman. Though old in years, she was young in spirit and eagerly carried on all activities of her chosen life with enthusiasm and sincerity. When Rama finally arrived at her place and blessed her with his presence, she was overwhelmed with joy and devotion. Rama asked her whether her tapas of several years bore any fruit. She replied with contentment and joy, “My life is now blessed for I have seen you.”
Moral of the story:
To sum up, one should be patient but ever ready, it is as essential as starting the spiritual journey.