How did Valmiki get inspired to write the Ramayana? One day, in Valmiki's ashram, the sage Narada arrived. Valmiki, at that time, was conversing with his disciples, but as soon as he saw the guest arriving at his ashram, he immediately stood up to show respect. After greeting Narada and seating him comfortably, Valmiki washed his feet, showing him proper reverence. After exchanging pleasantries, Valmiki said, "O Narada, the knower of truth among all, please tell me, who is the greatest among all the great men on earth? Who is the most knowledgeable and powerful? Who is the most beautiful? Who is generous, truthful, grateful, and most intelligent? Whose character is impeccable and who is always engaged in the welfare of others? Who is never touched by anger or hatred, yet whom even the gods fear? Who has the power to protect every living being in all three worlds? Who is always accompanied by the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi? Who is the repository of all wealth?"
Narada replied, "O great sage, there is a king named Rama who was born as the son of Maharaja Dasharatha in the Ikshvaku dynasty. He is the embodiment of all virtues. He is the repository of all riches and the master of limitless powers. His strong arms reach down to his knees, his neck is adorned with three lines like a conch shell, and his chest and shoulders are broad. His head is majestic, and his eyes are large. His complexion is like a dark cloud illuminated with greenish brilliance, and he shines brightly. He is of moderate height, and his limbs are well-proportioned and graceful. His wisdom is unfathomable, he is extremely disciplined, his speech is profound, and he is exceedingly clever.
"In wielding weapons, Rama is unparalleled, he is the knower of all the Vedas, he strictly follows religious principles, and he is the standard-bearer of the varnashrama system. On one hand, he annihilates all enemies, and on the other hand, he is the shelter provider for surrendered souls. His resolve is unwavering, and his memory is flawless. He is wise, compassionate, and as majestic as the ocean. In battle, his valor is like that of the best warriors; all living beings love him, and he remains impartial to both friends and foes.
"Rama's strength is like that of Mount Himalaya. His power and courage are equal to Lord Vishnu's. In beauty, he surpasses even the full moon. His patience is as vast as the earth, and his anger is like the fierce fire that consumes the entire universe. The truth is, Rama alone sustains the entire universe, and being an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he is equal in all respects to him."
Thus, Narada briefly introduced Lord Rama's life and told Valmiki that he is the perfect embodiment of an ideal ruler governing his subjects at present. Narada said, "In Lord Rama's kingdom, no one suffers from illness or mental anguish. All people are extremely happy and prosperous, and they have no fear of thieves, poverty, or hunger. Food, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are abundantly available in all towns and villages. In fact, the people in Lord Rama's kingdom are as virtuous and content as those in the Satya Yuga. There are no natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, or famines. All women are extremely pure, and they never have to suffer the pain of widowhood. Before returning to his abode in the spiritual realm, Lord Rama will rule the earth for 11,000 years."
After Narada left, Valmiki, along with his disciple Bharadwaja, went towards the banks of the Tamas River. Sitting on the riverbank, Valmiki deeply contemplated the profound words spoken by Narada. Suddenly, his attention was drawn to a pair of cranes singing joyfully in the midst of their love play in the jungle. Suddenly, a wicked hunter from the Nishada tribe emerged from his hiding place and shot an arrow. The arrow struck the male crane, causing him to cry out in pain and fall to the ground. Seeing his companion writhing in agony and bleeding, the female crane was filled with indescribable sorrow.
Witnessing this, Valmiki's heart filled with anguish, and he perceived the hunter as sinful. Overwhelmed by anger, the sage cursed the hunter, saying, "O killer of birds, you will never find peace for countless lifetimes. For mercilessly killing an innocent creature who was enjoying life with his mate, this is your punishment." However, as soon as the curse left his mouth, Valmiki experienced a profound realization. He wondered why he couldn't control his anger. Being a enlightened soul, he knew well that all living beings are helplessly driven by the three modes of material nature. Thus, Valmiki regretted that he had cursed the hunter. But at the same time, he marveled at how the words of his curse had flowed in perfect poetic meter, indicating to him that this incident was a prelude to the emotional expression of the life story of Lord Rama, which he had been contemplating since his meeting with Narada.
Valmiki said to Bharadwaja, "From my sorrow emerged four verses in a very beautiful meter, each consisting of eight syllables. A remarkably poignant verse emerged from my grief, showing that without compassion, no genuine poetic expression is possible."
Afterward, Valmiki bathed in the Tamasa River and then returned to his hermitage. Sometime later, while sitting calmly and contemplating the curse he had bestowed upon the hunter, Valmiki saw Lord Brahma approaching from his celestial abode. Astonished, Valmiki rose from his seat with great reverence to welcome the secondary creator of the universe, emerging from the navel of Lord Vishnu.
As Brahma appeared before Valmiki, the sage bowed humbly and paid his respects. Then, according to his supreme ability, Valmiki praised Brahma with great reverence. After receiving the respectful homage, Brahma, who understood the thoughts of every living being, said to Valmiki: "O virtuous sage, do not lament the words spoken in anger that resulted in the curse upon the hunter. Those words were not your own but mine, uttered through your mouth by my will, so that I could inspire you to undertake a great task. Now is the time for you to compose the life story of Lord Rama. It will encompass all the spiritual exploits of the Lord for the welfare of all beings."
"My dear Valmiki, relinquish your anxiety. By the power of my boon, you will attain a divine vision through which you will clearly see all things in your heart about which you have no knowledge. With my blessings, you will compose a flawless Ramayana." After bestowing this boon upon Sage Valmiki, Brahma mounted his divine swan chariot and departed, leaving all the beings who witnessed his departure filled with wonder.
Thereafter, immersed in deep spiritual meditation, Valmiki began to perceive clearly all the events related to the incarnation of Lord Rama on Earth. (It may seem surprising, but just as we can watch current events on television today, Valmiki was able to witness the entire life of Lord Rama as it unfolded.)
Valmiki composed the Ramayana in 24,000 verses. After completing this epic, he pondered upon whom to teach it so that it could be retained in memory and gradually spread throughout the world. (At that time, printing presses had not been invented, or rather, people's memories were so sharp that writing seemed an unnecessary task.) As Valmiki contemplated this, Lava and Kusha arrived and respectfully touched his feet, as they did every day. These twin boys, adorned like sages, were the sons of Lord Rama and Sita, born during her exile and raised under the care of Valmiki.
Seeing the twin boys, Valmiki realized that
they were the most suitable recipients to receive his epic. Subsequently,
Valmiki meticulously taught the entire Ramayana to Lava and Kusha. Once they
had memorized it thoroughly, Valmiki recited it for the first time in an
assembly of learned Brahmins. The Brahmins experienced immense spiritual joy
listening to the exploits of Lord Rama. After highly praising Lava and Kusha,
the Brahmins bestowed abundant gifts upon the twin brothers. From that day
onward, Lava and Kusha embarked on a journey to recite the Ramayana in all
corners of the earth.
