Story of Valmiki – First Sanskrit sloka writer

Valmiki is considered ‘Adikavi’ and the Hindu Epic ‘Ramayana’ composer. He was the first poet who wrote Sanskrit Shloka. He was born into a sage family but grew up in a hunter’s family. His father’s name was Prachetasa. His parents called him Ratnakara. When he was young, he went into the forest and failed to return home. When he is roaming in the woods, a hunter discovers the story and takes care of him. He grew up according to the customs of the hunter and got married. To him, hunting was not enough to feed his family. So he started robbing the people from one village to another through the forest. If the people opposed him, he even killed them without mercy.

As God’s grace, one day, Narada Mahamuni came across him. Then the robber tried to frighten Narada into robbing. Then Narada asked him, Are your family members ready to partake in the sins? Then he went home and asked each family member the same question. Then all the family members refused to accept his sins.

Then Ratnakara realized that no one would share his sins and himself only responsible for all his sins. He returned to Narada, wanted him to show a path, and begged to glorify his life. So Narada advised him to do ‘tapas’ and chant the name of Rama as soon as he closed his eyes and intensely concentrated on the chanting of Lord Rama and lost his physical consciousness. He did like this for many days, even though he had neither food nor sleep. At last, the ant hill also grows all around him.

One day Narada Muni came that way and cleared the ant hill. Still, Ratnakara was unconscious of what was happening around him in his deep tapas. Then Narada chanted the holy name of Lord Rama in the ears of Ratnakara. Then Ratnakara opened his eyes and saw Narada Muni. From there, he saluted Narada and touched his feed. Then Narada lifted him and said that now you are the Brahmarshi and called him by a new name, ‘Valmiki’, which means the ant-hill.

One day Valmiki was on the banks of River Ganga and heard the sweet chirping of Krouncha birds – male and female were romancing. Suddenly an arrow hit the male bird, and they fell blee, ding at heart. Soon the hunter came there to collect the dead bird. The female bird starts crying; this makes Valmiki very sad and angry. Then in Sanskrit, he cursed the hunter the first Sloka, which means, ‘Not only human beings, even birds and animals also not be hurt during romancing.

He was intense in lamentation about the incident. Meanwhile, Lord Bramha came to him and asked him to write the life story of Rama and Sita. Later the tale became famous as Ramayana is the most glorious story and history of the Hindu people.