Maharshi valmiki : Journey from being a Robber Ratnakar to Maharishi Valmiki !

“To be happy always is something which is difficult to achieve. That is to say, happiness and sorrow alternate in one’s life and there cannot be uninterrupted happiness alone.”

 — maharshi valmiki

Valmiki’s real name was Ratnakar. He was the son of Prachetasa, a sage. Before this Valmiki was a robber by profession. Later with the teachings of Maharshi Narad he became a Rushi. Valmika in Devanagari means “ant- hill” .

How he became valmiki?

Once when he was a very young boy, he had gone to the forest playing and was lost in the forest. His parents searched for him but could not trace him. They thought that the boy has been eaten by some wild animals. An hunter and his wife took the child and brought up the child as if their child. He was taught of the hunting and he learnt it fully. Later, the boy grew young and he was married to a girl from another hunter family. He got children also. When Ratnakar’s family grew with the addition of children, he felt it uneasy to maintain his family with the little income. So, he took to a new profession of Robbery and went on attacking the people for money.One day Maharshi Narad who was singing in praise of Srihari with Mahati named Veena, was passing nearby. Ratnakar, the hunter saw him, attacked him, shouted And demanded whatever he has, lest he shall brake his Head. Narada was not frightened and told him that he Has only the Veena, which he offered to give. Ratnakar saw the smiling, innocent face of Narada who Was never frightened and was astonished at this. On Seeing Narad’s face, Ratnakar’s cruel mind also Melted with kindness. Narad Maharshi sat beneath a Tree and was singing Harinam sankeertan. Narad Maharshi told Ratnakar that Robbering and Killing of animals is sinful job and asked him to give up That profession. Narad Maharshi told him to ask his Parents, wife and children as to what profession – Robbery is a sin or not? Ratnakar thought Narad Maharshi is trying to escape from him by sending him to His parents and tied Narad with a rope to a nearby tree And went to his house. Valmeeka(the ant-hill) cleared the ant-hill and blessed Ratnakar to be a Maharshi. Ratnakar came out of the Valmeeka . That is why he is called as “Valmiki”. Who told Valmiki the story of Sri Ramachandra? One day Narad Maharshi met Valmiki and told him the Entire story of Sri Ramachandra – Dasharath’s Putrakamesti yaga, Ramachandra’s birth, his education, His journey with Vishwamitr and his killing of Tataki, Subahu, his step-mother Kaikeyee’s order to go to Forest, killing of Rakshaas there, missing of Seeta Devi, Meeting of Hanumanth-Sugreev, his journey to Lanka In search of Seeta Devi, killing of Ravan-Kumbakarn, And finally getting back to Ayodhya, ruling of