Maharshi Valmiki

 

Maharshi Valmiki was the Adikavi, the first poet of the world. He wrote the immortal epic poem called Ramayan, the life story of Lord Rama. His original name was Ratnakar and a robber in a forest by profession.

Once he met Sage Narada and was inspired by him to give up his profession. He took up ascetic life and started living in an ashram, chanting the name of the Lord. One day he saw a pair of beautiful birds on a tree. Suddenly, a hunter came from nowhere and shot down one of them with his arrows. Enraged by this sight, Valmiki cursed the hunter and the curse came in the form of a beautiful Sanskrit Sloka. This was the first poem by Sage Valmiki. He was later advised by Lord Brahma and Narada to record the life story of Lord Rama for the good of the world. This epic is present day Ramayana. Ramayan was written in sanskrit much earlier than Mahabharat and so can be safely dated before 3500 BCE.

Sage Valmiki not only wrote Ramayana, he was infact part of the story himself. He gave shelter to Sitadevi who was left in the forest. Her two sons, Lav and Kush grew up in his Ashram.