Valmiki

Valmiki, revered as the Adi Kavi (the first poet) of Sanskrit literature, is the legendary author of the epic Ramayana. Tradition holds that he transformed from a highway robber named Ratnakara into a compassionate sage through intense meditation on Lord Rama. Inspired by the sorrow of a grieving bird whose mate was slain by a hunter, Valmiki spontaneously composed the first Sanskrit poem in the rhythmic Anushtubh meter. He later gave shelter to Rama’s exiled wife, Sita and educated their twin sons, Lava and Kusha, capturing the timeless principles of righteousness (dharma) in his divine masterpiece.