Although the main purpose of Sri Rama Avatar was to annihilate Ravana and establish righteousness in the world, it would seem that His secondary objective was to elevate those exalted souls who had earned His grace by their austerities. Sabari was one such devotee who had purified herself by long penance and was ready to be Liberated by Sri Rama.

Although born in a hunter family, Sabari chose to spend her life serving the sages doing penance in the Matangavana. The sages had sanctified Matangavana by their austerities; as a result the whole place was glowing and illumining all the quarters. In course of time the sages became old and weak and were ready to leave their bodies. As the sages were about to ascend to heaven in the chariots sent to them by the celestial gods, Sabari requested them to take her with them. But the sages asked her to stay in that sacred hermitage and await the arrival of Sri Rama and His brother Sri Lakshmana. They instructed her to honor these guests after which she would be able to enter the heavenly abode meant for her.

Accordingly, Sabari continued to live in that hermitage doing penance and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana. Every day she would collect fruits from the trees on the banks of Pampa river, wash them and keep them ready to entertain her expected guests. In course of time she became old but continued her penance, nevertheless.

While Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana were approaching Rishyamooka hill in order to meet Sugriva and enlist his help in finding Sita, they noticed the sacred hermitage of Sabari. In fact, Sri Rama was looking for this hermitage since the time He learned that Sabari, an old woman, was anxiously awaiting His arrival. As they entered the hermitage, Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana were greeted by Sabari with great excitement and she prostrated before them. Sri Rama lovingly enquired about her welfare, both temporal and spiritual. Sabari replied that by the grace of the sages she had served, her penance has borne fruit, now that she has been able to see Sri Rama. She felt that the glance of Sri Rama had purified her and made her fit to attain salvation.

She then offered to her guests the fruits she had collected to entertain them. Sri Rama partook her offering and told her: "By your austere penance, you have won a place for yourself in heaven. What is more, you have been able to reach the exalted Brahmi state, not easily attained even by great sages. May your desires be granted and may you reach the heavens where the sages are, the sages whom you served faithfully when they were here."

Thereafter, Sabari meditated on Agni, the Fire god and was immediately engulfed in the fire created by herself and became a mass of flames. Out of those flames, she rose up like an angel, prostrated before Sri Rama and ascended to the heavens, while the two brothers stood watching.