Newsroom, December 23, 2025: Ratnakar lived as a highway robber in ancient forests. He supported his family by taking from travellers. One day, he stopped sage Narada. Narada stayed calm and shared the power of Lord Rama's name.
Ratnakar asked if his family would share his sins. They refused. This shocked him. He returned to Narada, repented, and sought guidance. Narada told him to chant "Rama" nonstop. Ratnakar struggled with the name at first. He repeated "mara" instead the reverse sound. It still worked. He sat in deep meditation for years. Ants built a hill over him, called a valmika.
Divine voices later cleared the hill. Ratnakar emerged transformed. He earned the name Valmiki, meaning "from the anthill." He composed the epic Ramayana, the first great poem in Sanskrit.
