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Thus starts Valmikiramayanam..
In the beginning of Ramayana the aadhikaavya,
the storyline is explained to poet valmiki by Sage Narada..
Narada once visits the hermitage of Vaalmiki who was doing penance there after getting transformed into an ascetic from a cruel robber by the turn of fate.
The sage Valmiki had come across the name Rama and the very word had become a mantra for him and he was curious to know what the person bearing that name would be like.
So when, as if by the bounty of divine Grace, the great sage Narada visits him, valmiki bombards him with questions as to who would be the greatest person who ever lived on this earth who was virtuos, powerful, knowledgeable, truthful, grateful, with utmost self-control, who has anger under control, who emits splendour, whose fame is beyond any cloud, and who will be terrible even to gods if provoked in battle.
Narada is pleased by this query and takes this opportunity to recount briefly the whole story of Rama in about ninety couplets. .
The queries of Valmiki and the description of the greatness of Rama by Valmiki is given in the following couplets from the first Canto of the Epic.. Ramayanam by Valmiki.
तपः स्वाध्यायनिरतं तपस्वी वग्विदां वरम्।
नारदं परिपप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवम्॥१
कोन्वस्मिन् सांप्रदं लोके गुणवान् कश्च वीर्यवान्।
धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च सत्यवाक्यो दृढव्रतः॥२
चारित्रेण च को युक्तः सर्वभूतेषु को हितः।
विद्वान् कः कः समर्थश्च कश्चैकप्रियदर्शनः॥३
आत्मवान् को जितक्रोधो द्युतिमान् कोऽनयकः।
कस्य बिभ्यति देवाश्च जातरोषस्य संयुगे॥४
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे।
महर्षे त्वं समर्थोऽसि ज्ञातुमेवं विधं नरम्॥५
श्रुत्वा चितद् त्रिलोकज्ञो वाल्मीकेर्न्नरदो वचः।
श्रूयतामिति चामन्त्र्य प्र्हृष्टो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥६
बहवो दुर्लभाश्चैव ये त्वया कीर्तिता गुणाः।
मुने वक्ष्यम्यहं बुद्ध्वा तैर्युक्तः श्रूयतां नरः॥७
tapaḥ svādhyāyanirataṁ tapasvī vagvidāṁ varam|
nāradaṁ paripapraccha vālmīkirmunipuṅgavam||1
konvasmin sāṁpradaṁ loke guṇavān kaśca vīryavān|
dharmajñaśca kṛtajñaśca satyavākyo dṛḍhavrataḥ||2
cāritreṇa ca ko yuktaḥ sarvabhūteṣu ko hitaḥ|
vidvān kaḥ kaḥ samarthaśca kaścaikapriyadarśanaḥ||3
ātmavān ko jitakrodho dyutimān ko'naūyakaḥ|
kasya bibhyati devāśca jātaroṣasya saṁyuge||4
etadicchāmyahaṁ śrotuṁ paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me|
maharṣe tvaṁ samartho'si jñātumevaṁ vidhaṁ naram||5
śrutvā citad trilokajño vālmīkernnarado vacaḥ|
śrūyatāmiti cāmantrya prhṛṣṭo vākyamabravīt||6
bahavo durlabhāścaiva ye tvayā kīrtitā guṇāḥ|
mune vakṣyamyahaṁ buddhvā tairyuktaḥ śrūyatāṁ naraḥ||7
Sage Valmiki makes a query with great revence, to the supreme Sage Narada, who is ever engaged in penance and learning of scriptures , who is the ultimate authority in interpreting the Vedas.
Oh great Sage Narada, who is in this world .. living now
Who is an epitome of virtues(1)
Who is ultimate in strength and valour(2)
Who has great knowledge in theory and practice of Dharma (3)
Who is ever grateful for even small favours done to him(4)
Who would speak only truth at any cost(5)
Who is very consistent and would ahere to an action planned or target set or vow or promise given(6)
Who is ever committed to the pure conduct and character which is becoming of his clan(7)
Who is always eager to ensure the welfare of all beings living or inanimate(
Who is the repository of all knowledge required of a great person(9)
Who is very efficient in the execution of whatever task he undertakes.(10)
Who among the people is the most attractive for all who happen to set their eyes on him(11)
Who is extremely bold and utterly selfconfident(12)
Who is in complete control of his anger (13)
Who is so resplendent as if there is an aura of glory is ever hovering around his presence(16)
Who is free from jealousy and intolerance towards anyone around him (16)
And
Even gods would run away in mortal fear if he is angry and has made up his mind for a war..
Oh Great Sage Narada.. I am eager to know about such a person if such a personage is existing. And I am making this eager query to you because you, the revered Sage knows everything and you are only one who is qualified in all respects to identify and talk about such a great human being.
Sage Narada, who knew everything in the whole three worlds was pleased to listen to the question of Valmiki, and he addressed Valmiki, asked to listen carefully and spoke thus.
Oh Sage Valmiki, you have raised a very diffiecult question The qualities listed by you are huge, and a person endowed with ever a single quality like the one stated by you are rare. So let me think very deeply, identify such a man, and then I shall reply to your query..
Indeed Narada Did reply..
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः।
नियतात्मा महावीर्यो ध्युतिमान् धृतिमान् वशी॥८
बुद्धिमान् नीतिमान् वाग्मी श्रीमाञ्छत्रु निबर्हणः।
विपुलांसो महाबाहुः कम्बुग्रीवो महाहनुः॥९
महोरस्को महेष्वासो गूढजत्रुररिंदमः।
आजानुबाहुः सुशिराः सुललाटः सुविक्रमः॥१०
समः समविभक्ताङ्गः स्निग्धवर्णः प्रतापवान्।
पीनवक्षा विशालाक्षो लक्ष्मीवाञ्छुभलक्षणः॥११
धर्मज्ञः सत्य्सन्धश्च प्रजानां च हिते रतः।
यशस्वी ज्ञानसंपन्नः शुचिर्वश्यः समाधिमान्।१२
प्रजापतिसमः श्रीमान् धाता रिपुनिषूदनः।
रक्षिता जीवलोकस्य धर्मस्य परिरक्षिता॥१३
रक्षिता स्वस्य धर्मस्य स्वजनस्य च रक्षिता।
वेदवेदान्ततत्वज्ञो धनुर्वेदे च निष्ठितः॥१४
सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः स्मृतिमान् प्रतिभानवान्।
सर्वलोकप्रियः साधुरदीनात्म विचक्षणः॥१५
सर्वदाभिगतः सद्भिः समुद्र इव सिन्धुभिः।
आर्यः सर्वसमश्चैव सदैव प्रियदर्शनः।१६
स च सर्वगुणोपेतः कौसल्यानन्दवर्धनः।
समुद्र इव गाम्भीर्ये धैर्येण हिमवानिव॥१७
विष्णुना सदृशो वीर्ये सोमवत्प्रियदर्शनः।
कलाग्निसदृशः क्रोधे क्षमया पृथिवीसमः॥१८
धनदेन समस्त्यागे सत्ये धर्म इवापरः
श्रीमद्वाल्मीकीये रामायणे आदिकव्ये बालकाण्डे अध्यायः १
ikSwaakuvaMshaprabhavo raamo naama janaiH shrutaH.
niyataatmaa mahaaviiryo dhyutimaan dhR^itimaan vashii ..8
buddhimaan niitimaan vaagmii shriimaa~nchhatru nibarhaNaH.
vipulaaMso mahaabaahuH kambugriivo mahaahanuH..9
mahorasko maheSwaaso guuDhajatrurariMdamaH.
aajaanubaahuH sushiraaH sulalaaTaH suvikramaH..10
samaH samavibhaktaa~NgaH snigdhavarNaH prataapavaan.
piinavakSaa vishaalaakSo lakShmiivaa~nchhubhalakSaNaH..11
dharmaj~naH satysandhashcha prajaanaaM cha hite rataH.
yashaswii j~naanasaMpannaH shucirvashyaH samaadhimaan.12
prajaapatisamaH shriimaan dhaataa ripuniSuudanaH.
rakSitaa jiivalokasya dharmasya parirakSitaa..13
rakSitaa swasya dharmasya swajanasya cha rakSitaa.
vedavedaantatatwaj~no dhanurvede cha niSThitaH..14
sarvashaastraarthatattwaj~naH smR^itimaan pratibhaanavaan.
sarvalokapriyaH saadhuradiinaatma vichakSaNaH..15
sarvadaabhigataH sadbhiH samudra iva sindhubhiH.
aaryaH sarvasamashchaiva sadaiva priyadarshanaH.16
sa cha sarvaguNopetaH kausalyaanandavardhanaH.
samudra iva gaambhiirye dhairyeNa himavaaniva..17
viSNunaa sadR^isho viirye somavatpriyadarshanaH.
kalaagnisadR^ishaH krodhe kSamayaa pR^ithiviisamaH..18
dhanadena samastyaage satye dharma ivaaparaH
shriimadvaalmiikiiye raamaayaNe aadikavye baalakaaNDe adhyaayaH 1
The king popularly called Rama, who is ruling the world today would answer all the requirements of Valmaiki. He is born in the illustrious race of Ikshwaaku. Rama has absoulte control over his mind,thoughts and actions.
He is very powerful, radiates splendour, very determined, and has all his senses under full control.
He is intelligent, sagacious, eloquent, is bathing in glory and is the complete exterminator of his enemies.
He has broad shoulders, powerful arms, attractive neck in the shape of a conch, and has a stout chin.
He has a broad chest, a mighty bow and a collar bone covered with hard flesh, and he is always capable of subduing any enemy in combat.
His unusually long arms when put down reaches upto his knee and his head is well formed, the forehead is attractive and his gait is majestic.
He is of medium build, neither too tall or too short, neither too fat or too lean, His limbs are well-proportioned, his complexion is unctuous, he possesses rounded chest, large eyes , is full of splendour and he carries in his body auspicious and divine marks.
He knows the crux of the virtues and is always good to his words.
His eternal lookout is for the welfare of his people.
He is illustrious and wise, honest and steadfast in his dealings and his absolute control of his own self embellishes him like an aura.
His thoughts are focussed and to the point, so sharp and acute. He is like the Prajapati in protecting the creations, he is endowed with great wealth, he is the annihilator of his enemies, and he is the protector of virtues.
He is the vindicator of his own ordained duties and looks after his own people with equal alacrity.
He possesses the ultimate knowledge in the four vedas and six saastraas. He is the last word in the knowledge of the science of archery.
Having deep knowledge in the real import of vedas and sastras and endowed with a very sharp memory and quick wit, he is the icon for all the world.
He is pious minded.
As the rivers find their final destination in the ocean all high minded people seek him and are blessed with his company.
He is noble, and exhibits equal favour to all and is always of a very pleasant countenance.
He is the ultimate in all that is excellent in the universe and his fame is always an eternal source of great pleasure to his blessed mother Kousalya.
He vies with the ocean in profundity and with the great Himalaya in firmness.
He is the relplica of Vishnu in valour and resembles the moon in pleasantness.
When he is provoked to anger, he would be like the kalagni or the insatiable fire at the time of destruction of all creations(pralaya) .
At the same time he resembles the earth in forbearance.
He is equal to the lord of wealth Kubera in liberality and is synonymous with Dharmaraja when it comes to the question of protecting and upholding of Truth.
Rama is the benchmark for all that is splendid.
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