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Epic Power

Towards Revelation

Continuing on from last time, this part finds Sage Valmiki through the grace of Lord Brahma being made witness to the entire story of Rama so that he may render it truthfully and in full detail

Valmiki, on hearing the story of Rama narrated by Sage Narada, worshipped him along with his disciples. After Narada left the hermitage, Valmiki with his disciples went around the banks of River Tamasa where he saw a couple of crane birds, in the vicinity of that river's foreshore, flying there about in togetherness and chuckling delightfully. Even while Valmiki was looking at them, a tribal hunter killed the male bird with his arrow. Valmiki noticed the male bird slain on ground reeling with blood-covered wings. The female bird on seeing the fate of his companion cuckooed with sorrow. On seeing the bird felled that way and the female bird crying with sorrow, the sage Valmiki cursed the tribal hunter. The sentences uttered by sage Valmiki surprisingly became a four-line stanza with each line equally having many meanings in it.

Later, Valmiki completed his bathing in the River Tamasa and carrying his sacramental belongings, moved towards his hermitage along with his disciples. On the way to the hermitage, he discussed his uttered stanza several times with his disciples. He became thoughtful as to why his utterance in grief and anguish for the bird became a powerful stanza and the curse has become a blessing. Valmiki, after returning to the hermitage along with disciples, was totally preoccupied on the stanza that he uttered.

Lord Brahma comes to see Valmiki

While Valmiki was thinking of his utterances and the way it became a purposeful Shloka, the four-faced creator of the universe, the almighty Lord Brahma, arrived there on his own, to see the distinguished saint Valmiki. Not knowing that Brahma had arrived at his hermitage in order to execute a divine deed through him, Valmiki started searching for valid reasons for the visit. Brahma started keenly observing Valmiki.

Brahma entrusts responsibility of telling Ramayana to Valmiki

Then, Brahma told Valmiki the reason for his utterances in the form of a stanza. He said "Oh! Saint! What has come out of your mouth is really a Shloka – four lined stanza. Goddess Saraswathi made it come out from your mouth. There is no need to think too deeply about it. That Shloka of yours came from you at my instance and hence, you shall render the legend of Rama, in its entirety. You shall narrate the legend of Rama. The entire story of Rama will be in front of your eyes in its totality to enable you to write it in detail. As long as Rama's legend authored by you flourishes, so shall you flourish in the heavenly abode. Your Ramayana shall remain as a great legend forever and more". As he fulfilled his purpose, Brahma vanished as swiftly as he had come.

Valmiki through Yogic insight views the Rama story

The Sage saw wholly and clearly, the story of Rama, by the yogic power conferred onto him by Brahma. Valmiki, through his absolute concentration, was able to see Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, as well as King Dasharatha and his wives Kousalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. He saw the people of Ayodhya and what had happened to Rama while he was in the kingdom.

Valmiki witnessed Rama's birth, his slaying of the monsters, Subhahu and Tataka in his childhood, his compassion for the common folk and his patience. People around him held great confidence in Rama, in his truthfulness, his great valour, his gratefulness, his universal politeness, perseverance and his truthful conduct.

Valmiki was also present during the preparations for Rama's coronation, Queen Kaikeyi's malicious intentions, disruption of the coronation plan and Rama's exile to the forest. Then he saw Dasharatha's death and the grief of the people of Ayodhya in losing their great king and his heir apparent. He saw Rama leave all his worldly possessions and most of his relations behind, his meeting with Guha, him asking Sumantra to return to Ayodhya. He was witness to Rama visiting the hermitage of Sage Bharadwaj, seeing Chitrakoota, construction of a hermitage and Rama dwelling there. Next, he saw Bharata's request for Rama to return and Rama's denial of it.

Valmiki further witnessed Rama going into the Dandaka forest and killing monster Viradha. He saw Rama's visit to Sage Sarabhanga and Suteekshna, their visit to Anasuya and her giving a body cream to Seetha. Valmiki saw Rama's conversation with Jatayuvu, him living in Panchavati, the defacement of Shoorphanaka and the killing of demons like Khara, Dhooshana and Trishirsa. He was witness to Ravana's abduction of Sita, Raghava's anguish at the loss of Sita and Ravana killing the mighty vulture Jatayuvu.

Then, Valmiki with his yogic insight saw Rama reaching Rushyamook along with Hanuman and his friendship with the brother of the monkey king Sugriva. He saw Rama killing Vali with one single arrow in the duel between Vali and Sugriva. The sage then witnessed the coronation of Sugriva to the Monkey Kingdom.

Later, Valmiki saw Rama giving his ring to Hanuman going towards the south as his chosen representative. He saw Hanuman and his entourage of monkeys meeting Sampathi, the brother of Jatayuvu who informed them that Sita was held captive in Lanka. He saw Hanuman crossing the ocean and entering Lanka then noticing the great Pushpak plane as he contemplated his rescue plan for Sita.

Valmiki saw Ravana's central palace which was a place of indulgence and excess as he witnessed Hanuman searching there for Sita. He saw Hanuman witnessing Ravana's crude treatment of Sita. Next, he saw the exchange between Hanuman and Sita as he handed over Rama's representative ring to Sita and she giving her bejewelled hairpin to Hanuman in return to show to Rama as proof of her wellbeing. He saw Hanuman's willful rampage in Ravana's central palace and his temporary surrender to Indrajit (Ravana's son). Valmiki was the witness to Hanuman's burning of Lanka as he made good on his escape plan.

Valmiki saw Hanuman's return to Rama, where he presented him with the jewel given by Sita and consoled him as he narrated all that he had seen in Lanka. Next, he saw Rama's army building the boulder bridge on the ocean in order to reach Lanka, he saw Rama with his army crossing over the ocean and seizing Lanka in the night. He saw Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana coming to meet Rama and Rama finally killing Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Indrajit in the war. He also saw Sita pass her trial by fire and Rama subsequently accepting her. Finally, he also attended the return of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana among others and their eventual coronation. He has been a witness to the end of a turmoil and the oncoming of peace.

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