The Birth of Poetry

 

The Birth of Poetry

Later, Valmiki walked along the Tamasa with his disciple Bharadwaja. The river’s pristine waters mirrored the purity of a virtuous mind. Suddenly, a hunter’s arrow struck a male curlew mid-mating, leaving its mate distraught. Overcome with grief, Valmiki cried:

“O hunter! May you never find peace,

For slaying a bird lost in love’s bliss.”

Stunned by his own words, he realised they formed a shloka—a metrical verse born of sorrow. His disciples repeated it, transforming grief into poetry.

Thus, from compassion and pain, the first verse of the Ramayana emerged.