the beginnings...

the beginnings...

Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam starts with the meeting of Narada and Sage Valmiki..

Narada once visited Sage Valmiki in his hermitage in the banks of Tamasa..

In conversation with Valmiki, Narada narrated the story of the greatest being ever, Sri Rama .. explaining briefly the qualities of that great Maryadhapurushothama, the sage narrated the various incidents in the life of Rama too..

Thus was the storyline for the epic planted in the mind of the great poet, Valmiki..

Once when the sage went to the banks of the Tamasa River for his ritualistic mornig bath, he happened to notice a sweet couple of Krauncha birds perched on a tree exchanging their infinite love and passion.. Suddenly a hunter appeared from nowhere, shot an arrow and fatally hit the male bird..

The female bird was crying in agony and utter distress . The cry of the little bird evoked infinite grief in the mind of the Sage, and words cascaded from his lips pouring out his utter sadness and also cursing the hunter who commited the horrendous deed.

"You hunter, you will not live long in this world for long, you do not deserve to live long, you wretch who killed one of the lovely birds, when the tiny beautiful couple were enjoying their love, immersed in utter bliss. "

maa nishaada pratishtaam tvam agamaH shaashvateem samaa yat kraunchamidhunaadanyam avadheeH kaama mohitam..

The outpour of words was in a verse in anushtup metre..

and as divine will would have it, the same couplet also conveyed that

"You, who is the dwelling place of mother Lakshmi, (meaning Lord Narayana) , have gained eternal glory , because you killed one fellow who was transgressing all limits of propriety prodded by lust .. "

This meant that Valmiki had started the epic of Ramayanam in sweet and elegant verse..