Valmiki

Valmiki

Once upon a time there was a extremely efficient hunter. He used to kill lot of animals and feed his family. One day Sage Narada met this hunter. Sage Narada told him hat it was a sin to kill animals that did not do him any harm. Then the hunter replied that he was doing it only to feed his family. He also felt that the amount of sin will not be much because it would be shared between his family members. Sage Narada wanted the hunter to find out whether his family members who shared the income were willing to share his sin. The hunter felt that would but decided to find out. To his surprise he found that none of his family members including his wife was willing to share the sin that he is committing. The hunter went back to Sage Narada and told him, “Sir I do not want to commit any more sin. Kindly help me to get pardon for all the sins committed by me. Sage Narada told,” The only way I know is to chant the names of “Rama””. Though the hunter tried to repeat the name “Rama”, somehow he was not able to do it. Then Sage Narada advised hi to shot the name “Mara”. The hunter started to repeat “Maraa, Maraa”. Slowly what he repeated it fast it became, “Rama, Rama,” He forgot all his surroundings while chanting. Slowly an ant hill rose all round him. Narada who again visited the forest woke him up and told him that he has got rid of all his sins. He also named him Valmiki after the ant hill which was called Valmeeka in Sanskrit. Valmiki became a great scholar due to his devotion. He wanted to write an epic based on a great man. Sage Narada then told him the story of Rama and requested him to write it. Valmiki wrote the story of Rama. It was called Ramayana. Valmiki was the first poet to write an epic in Sanskrit and he was called “Adhi Kavi.”