Valmiki was the author of one of India’s epic Ramayana. There is an interesting story behind him.There was a young man that could not in any way support his family. He was strong and vigorous, and finally become a highway robber; he attacked persons in the street and robbed them. With that money he supported his father, mother, wife, and children. This went on continually, until one day a great sage called Narada was passing by, and the robber attacked him. The sage asked him,” Why are you going to robe me? It is great sin to rob human being and kill them. What do you incur all this sin for?”
The robber said,” Why, I want to support my family with this money.”
“Now” said the sage, “do you think that they take a share of your sin also”
“Certainly they do”
“Very good, make me safe by tying me up here, while you home and ask your people whether they will share your sin the same way as they share the money you make.”
Then the man accordingly went to his father and asked,” Father, do you know how I support you?”
He answered,” No, I do not “
“I am a robber and I kill persons and robe them” “What! You do that my son? Get away! You outcast!”
Then he went to his mother and asked her,” Mother, do you know how I support you?”
“No “she replied
“Through robbery and murder.”
“How horrible it is!” She cried
“But, do you part take in my sin?” asked son
“Why should I? I never committed a robbery.” Answered the mother
Then he went to his wife and questioned her, “ Do you how I maintain you all?”
“No “she replied
“Why, I am a highwayman, and for years have been robbing people; that is how I support and maintain you all. And what I now want to know is, whether you are ready to share in my sin.
“By no means. You are my husband and it is your duty to support me”The eyes of the robber were opened.
“That is the way of the world –even my nearest relatives, for whom I have been robbing, will not share in my destiny.”
He came back to the place where he had bound the sages, unfastened his bonds, fell at his feet, recounted everything and said “Save me! What can I do?”
The sage said, “Give up your present course of life .You see that none of your family really loves you, so give all these delusions. They will share your prosperity; but the moment you have nothing, they will desert you. There is none who will share in your evil, but they will all share in your good”
Then the sage taught him how to worship. And this man left everything and went into a forest. There he went on praying and meditating until he forgets himself so entirely that the ants came and built ant-hills around him and he was quite unconscious about it.
After many years had passed, a voice came saying, “Arise, O sage!”
Thus aroused he exclaimed,” Sage, I am a robber!”
“No more robbers,” answered the voice, “a purified man, and your old names gone. Your meditation is so deep and great that you didn’t remark the ant-hills which surrounded you, hence your name will be Valmiki-he that was born in the ant-hill.” So he came a sage.And this is how he becomes the poet.
One day he was going to bath in holy Ganga, he saw a pair of doves wheeling round and round and kissing each other. The sage looked up and was pleased at the sight, but is seconds an arrow whisked past him and kills the male dove. As the dove fell down on the ground, the female dove went on whirling round and round the dead body of its companion.In a moment the sage the poet become miserable and looking round and, he saw the hunter.
”Thou art a wretch,” he cried, “without the smallest mercy! Thy slaying hand would not even stop for love!”“What is this? What I am saying?”The poet thought himself,” I have never spoken in this sort of way before.”And then a voice came: “Be not afraid. This is Poetry that is coming out of your mouth. Write the life of Rama for the benefit of the world.” And it was after that he wrote the beautiful Ramayana, The Life of Rama.
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