From the śruti-śāstras, it is understood that one can only attain an excellent result by abiding by the instructions of a bona fide ācārya: Ācāryād dhaiva vidyā viditā sādhiṣṭhaṁ prāpati: “Only when Vedic knowledge is learnt from a bona fide ācārya does it attain perfection.” (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.9.3). Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: “A person who has an ācārya knows [the true intention of the Vedas].” (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2). Therefore, the sage Vālmīki points out that his spiritual master possesses all of the qualities of a genuine ācārya by describing him as tapaḥ-svādhyāya-niratam, vāg-vidām varam and muni-puṅgavam.

Tapaḥ-svādhyāya-niratam, “absorbed in austerities and Vedic studies”, establishes his Vedic accomplishments. One of the meanings of tapaḥ is “the Absolute Truth”.[1] Svādhyāya means “Vedic studies.” Therefore, tapaḥ-svādhyāya-niratam indicates that Nārada Muni was absorbed in studies of those portions of the Veda that describe the Absolute Truth Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is, Vedānta philosophy. He was absorbed in studying about the Supreme Lord, specifically by being absorbed in singing the hymns of the Sāma Veda, the Veda that represents the Supreme Lord.[2] This points to the fact that the sage Nārada was accomplished in Vedic learning.

But mere learning of Vedic scriptures without understanding their meaning has been criticized by Vedic authorities as being as useless an endeavor as placing dry fuel on something that is not fire.[3] Therefore, Śrī Vālmīki describes his spiritual master Śrī Nārada as vāgvidām varam, “the best of the knowers of Vedic knowledge.” The word vāk, literally “sound,” refers to the sound of the four Vedas, for authorities have used that word in in that manner.[4] Vāgvidām can also refer to the sons of Lord Brahmā. Because Nārada was a devotee of the Supreme Lord among them, he is the best among them.

Muni here refers to one who is habituated to contemplate on the meaning of the Vedāntic scriptures that describe the nature of the Supreme Lord. As the best of such sages, Nārada is rightfully referred to as muni-puṅgavam.

Tapaḥ-svādhyāya-niratam, “absorbed in austerities and Vedic study,” indicates that he had engaged in the first phase of Vedic education: learning (technically known as śravaṇa). Vāgvidām varam, “the best of those who know the Veda,” indicates that he had engaged in the second phase of Vedic education: comprehension (technically known as manana). Muni-puṅgavam, “the best of the sages,” indicates that he had attained the third and final phase of Vedic education: realization (technically known as nididhyāsana).

They also respectively refer to three phases of authentic progress in Vedic education: scholarship, innocence and sagacity.[5] Nārada Muni exhibited all three of these features.

The word tapaḥ, which can mean “the Supreme Brahman Personality of Godhead,” can also be considered to appear as a word separate from svādhyāya-niratam, “absorbed in Vedic studies.”¹ The verse then would mean: “The ascetic Vālmīki humbly questioned Nārada, who was absorbed in Vedic studies, and who was the best of the knowers of the Veda as well as the best of the sages, about the Supreme Brahman Personality of Godhead.” Thus, Vālmīki has invoked auspiciousness and offered obeisances unto his worshipable deity.

The very name nārada indicates that he destroys ignorance:

gāyan nārāyaṇa-kathāṁ sadā pāpa-bhayāpahām
nārado nāśayann eti nṛṇām ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

“Constantly singing the topics of Nārāyaṇa that remove sins and fear, Nārada destroys the ignorance of men born out of ignorance.” (Nāradīya Purāṇa)

It also indicates that he bestows knowledge of the Supreme Soul for the Supreme Lord is known as Nara.[6] (And Nara is also known as Nāra). Thus the sage Vālmīki points out how Nārada Muni has all of the qualities of a genuine ācārya.

Then, he demonstrates that he himself possesses the characteristic of a disciple eligible to receive spiritual knowledge, understanding and realization from a genuine ācārya. He does this by describing himself as tapasvī, “ascetic.” This means that he is excellent in austerities required to realize the Supreme Lord as described in the Vedic scriptures, that is, surrender unto the Supreme Lord and the bona fide ācārya:

tasmān nyāsam eṣāṁ tapasām atiriktam āhuḥ

“Authorities state that surrender [unto the Supreme Lord] is superior to all forms of austerity.”

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.” (Bhagavad-gītā 4.34)

tapasā brahma vijijñāsasva. sa tapo ’tapyata. sa tapas taptvā ānando brahmeti vyajānāt.

“Realize the Supreme through austerity. He performed austerity. By performing austerity, one can realize that the Supreme is [a reservoir of] bliss.”²

He is eligible to receive knowledge about the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for he has studied the Vedic scriptures including the Upaniṣads and the Vedic auxiliaries and understood that mere knowledge of fruitive activities lead to meager and impermanent benefits.³ He had developed detachment towards sense enjoyment, which is also a form of austerity, as is evident from the Vaijayantī-kośa.[7] In other words, he had developed a deep hankering for liberation [in order to serve the Supreme Lord without any of the restrictions found in material existence].⁴ Indeed, such a person is qualified to receive knowledge about the Supreme Brahman Personality of Godhead. It is understood that such a person possesses qualities such as control of the mind and senses.

Vālmīki refers to the son of an ant hill (valmīka). One might wonder how that could have been possible, since the sage Vālmīki appears to be the son of Bhṛgu or Pracetā. When Vālmīki engaged in unshaken austerities, he was covered over by an ant hill which was then washed away by an uninterrupted shower of rainfall caused by Varuṇa who is also known as Pracetā. Thus Vālmīki, a son of Bhṛgu, emerged as the son of Pracetā and an ant hill, metaphorically. [Therefore,] the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa notes that Vālmīki was named as such by Lord Brahmā himself.⁸ Just as Lord Rāma is referred to as Rāghava or Raghu-nandana, both meaning literally, “son of Raghu,” while factually meaning, “descendant of Raghu,” Vālmīki is referred to as a son of Bhṛgu, nonliterally. He is actually a descendant of Bhṛgu. Though the sage Vālmīki has other names, he has intentionally identified himself as Vālmīki to reveal his possession of control of mind and other attributes required for spiritual realization.⁵

Paripraccha, “humbly questioned,” also indicates that he had specific inquiries, which will appear immediately hereafter.

Why does Vālmīki write about himself in the third person? It is because he was in a state of trance due to meditation on the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Another reason was his humility.

There is an Upaniṣadic statement about surrender unto a spiritual master that runs as follows:

parīkṣya lokān karma-citān brāhmaṇo nirvedam āyān nāsty akṛtaḥ kṛtena. tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. tasmai sa vidvān upasannāya samyak-praśānta-cittāya śamānvitāya yenākṣaraṁ puruṣaṁ veda satyaṁ provāca tāṁ tattvato brahma-vidyām.

“A brāhmaṇa should see how all elevations to higher worlds are just material reactions to work. With this in mind, he should learn indifference, since the unmade eternal cannot be achieved by anything created. He should approach a spiritual master to obtain realized knowledge of this truth. Carrying firewood in his hands, he should approach him who is steeped in the Vedāntic scriptures and has directly experienced the nature of the Supreme Person. To such a disciple who has thus approached with a tranquil mind and restrained senses, the wise spiritual master should teach that knowledge of the Supreme Brahman by which the disciple can know the ever-existing and indestructible Supreme Person.” (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12-13).

This first verse of Rāmāyaṇa elucidates the above text from Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad. “A brāhmaṇa should see how all elevations to higher worlds are just material reactions to work. With this in mind, he should learn indifference” is elucidated by the word tapasvī, “the ascetic.” The tapaḥ in this context is the hankering for liberation born from a proper understanding of the nature of a materialistic engagement in the duties of Vedic dharma known as karma, which result in meager and impermanent results. “To such a disciple who has thus approached with a tranquil mind and restrained senses” is elucidated by the word vālmīkiḥ, “Vālmīki.” “Who is steeped in the Vedāntic scriptures” is elucidated by svādhyāya-niratam, “absorbed in Vedic studies” “The wise spiritual master” is elucidated by vāg-vidām varam, “the best of the knowers of the Veda.” “Has directly experienced the nature of the Supreme Person” is elucidated by muni-puṅgavam, “the best of the sages.” “A spiritual master” is elucidated by nāradaḥ, “dispeller of ignorance”; the very word guru also means “dispeller of ignorance”: gu-śabdas tv andhakāraḥ syād ru-śabdas tan-nirodhakaḥ / andhakāra-nirodhitvād gurur ity abhidhīyate. “He should approach a spiritual master to obtain realized knowledge of this truth” is elucidated by paripraccha, “humbly questioned,” for the Veda states that one should humbly ask the bona fide spiritual master after surrendering unto him according to the standard scriptural rules and regulations.

The first line can also be split as follows: tapaḥsv ādhyāya niratam. And pari papraccha can mean “worshipped and humbly questioned”.[9] The verse would then mean, “The ascetic Vālmīki meditated upon, worshipped and humbly questioned Nārada who was absorbed in austerities, and who was the best of the knowers of the Veda as well as the best of the sages.” Thus the sage Vālmīki has offered his obeisances unto his spiritual master just as Maitreya offered his obeisances unto Parāśara Muni at the beginning of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa [and asked him some questions, the answers to which became the basis of that Purāṇa].[10]

The Rāmāyaṇa contains 24,000 verses and is an explanation of the Brahma-gāyatrī mantra which has 24 syllables. The mantra begins with the letter t and hence the first group of 1,000 verses of the Rāmāyaṇa also begins with the same letter.

NOTE. Vālmīki was born in Bhṛgu’s dynasty. This is noted in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa  and the Uttara-kāṇḍa of Rāmāyaṇa.⁶ That he was born to Pracetā is mentioned sometimes.⁷

The meaning of śrotriyam and brahma-niṣṭham in this commentary are directly taken from Rāmānujācārya’s Vedānta-sāra 1.1.1. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.21 also talks about a bona fide spiritual master:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside   all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”