A child , named Ratnakar while playing with his friends, was lost in a jungle. He was found by a hunter who brought him up. Ratnakar also became a hunter when he grew. On attaining adulthood, he was married to a girl from another hunter's family and had children. Later, he found it very difficult to feed his family by hunting and in order to survive, he took to robbery. He used to attack whosoever passed through the jungle and rob him of his belongings. One day a famous sage (ऋषि), Narada was passing through the jungle singing his favorite devotional song; Narayana Narayana.... Narayana and playing Veena (a musical instrument) in praise of Lord Vishnu (Narayana). Ratnakar interrupted Narada on his way and raising his arm holding an axe asked him to hand over all his belongings else he would kill him. Narada said that he was a sage and does not have anything to offer. Narada was very calm and did not even offered any resistance. Seeing this, Robber Ratnakar asked him why he was not afraid of him as he appears fearless. Narada said that he fears none but Lord Narayana only. Narada said on the other hand , the robber appears to be fearful. The robber said he was not afraid of anybody and he can kill the sage without any fear. Narada said that the robber was not speaking the truth as he was living & hiding in jungle out of fear of being caught. Narada also questioned him why he was committing sins of harming innocent people and robbing them. Ratnakar replied that he has to survive in the jungle and also has to support his a family, a wife, children and old father at home. To this reply, Narada questioned the robber whether his family would also share his sins of killing innocent people & robbing them since he was committing these sins to support his family. The robber said; why not, they have to share the sins too as he his committing the crimes to support them. Narada asked him to go back and check with his family members if they too share his sins. Narada also said he will wait for him to return with the answer and promised not to leave the place. On getting this promise, Ratnakar left for his home in the jungle.
As he reached his home, everybody was surprised for his early return and asked him why he has returned so early. Ratnakar asked his wife if she shares his sins of murders & robbery. She said that she as a wife, has committed to share his happiness and misery as her duty of being his wife but not his sins. He asked the same question to his children and the old father and they too said that they do not share his sins. Ratnakar got deeply disappointed and with a sad face, returned to the place where the sage Narada was waiting for him.
Seeing him returned with a sad face, Narada asked him why he was looking so sad. Ratnakar narrated the whole story that nobody is prepared to share his sins. Narada taught him the lesson that for any good or bad Karma (acts), only the person committing the karma is responsible and only he/she is entitled to get the fruits of such karma. Narada also taught him the sacred verse (मंत्र) of Rama Nama (राम नाम मंत्र) and instructed him to do meditation on it as repentance. The robber was reformed and with deep devotion he sat in meditative pose and started singing " Ra.....Mara, Mara, Mara .... the reverse of Rama, Rama, Rama ...as he was unable to pronounce the holy name properly in the begining. It is said that Ratnakar meditated sitting on the same place for years together and as a result, his body got completely covered by an anthill. The sage Narada came to see him after many years and hearing the name of Lord Rama from within the anthill, uncovered his body. When Ratnakar came to his senses, Narada said that his penance has paid off and the God was pleased with him. Narada honoured Ratnakar with a title of Brahmarshi and given him the name, Valmiki, since he was reborn from the Valmika (the ant hill). The robber Ratnakar became the great sage Valmiki who founded his ashram (hutment) at the banks of River Ganga.
Valmiki later wrote the great Indian Epic Ramayana in Sanskrit which narrates the struggle of the divine prince Lord Rama who rescued his wife Sita, kidnapped by the demon king Ravana and performed his duties as an ideal king of Ayodhya. Valimki is also revered as the Adi Kavi (आदि कवि), the first poet.
Ramayana is a holy book of Hindus in India which depicts ideals to mankind; to perform ones duties as the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king. The governance system established during the period of Lord Rama is called Rama Rajya ( राम राज्य) where all are equals, with equal opportunities & justice. It sets an ideal for the modern society and politicians to imbibe the values into their lives for eternal peace, harmony & true happiness. In India, even today when the people talk of good governance, they recall the Rama Rajya.
As he reached his home, everybody was surprised for his early return and asked him why he has returned so early. Ratnakar asked his wife if she shares his sins of murders & robbery. She said that she as a wife, has committed to share his happiness and misery as her duty of being his wife but not his sins. He asked the same question to his children and the old father and they too said that they do not share his sins. Ratnakar got deeply disappointed and with a sad face, returned to the place where the sage Narada was waiting for him.
Seeing him returned with a sad face, Narada asked him why he was looking so sad. Ratnakar narrated the whole story that nobody is prepared to share his sins. Narada taught him the lesson that for any good or bad Karma (acts), only the person committing the karma is responsible and only he/she is entitled to get the fruits of such karma. Narada also taught him the sacred verse (मंत्र) of Rama Nama (राम नाम मंत्र) and instructed him to do meditation on it as repentance. The robber was reformed and with deep devotion he sat in meditative pose and started singing " Ra.....Mara, Mara, Mara .... the reverse of Rama, Rama, Rama ...as he was unable to pronounce the holy name properly in the begining. It is said that Ratnakar meditated sitting on the same place for years together and as a result, his body got completely covered by an anthill. The sage Narada came to see him after many years and hearing the name of Lord Rama from within the anthill, uncovered his body. When Ratnakar came to his senses, Narada said that his penance has paid off and the God was pleased with him. Narada honoured Ratnakar with a title of Brahmarshi and given him the name, Valmiki, since he was reborn from the Valmika (the ant hill). The robber Ratnakar became the great sage Valmiki who founded his ashram (hutment) at the banks of River Ganga.
Valmiki later wrote the great Indian Epic Ramayana in Sanskrit which narrates the struggle of the divine prince Lord Rama who rescued his wife Sita, kidnapped by the demon king Ravana and performed his duties as an ideal king of Ayodhya. Valimki is also revered as the Adi Kavi (आदि कवि), the first poet.
Ramayana is a holy book of Hindus in India which depicts ideals to mankind; to perform ones duties as the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king. The governance system established during the period of Lord Rama is called Rama Rajya ( राम राज्य) where all are equals, with equal opportunities & justice. It sets an ideal for the modern society and politicians to imbibe the values into their lives for eternal peace, harmony & true happiness. In India, even today when the people talk of good governance, they recall the Rama Rajya.
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