Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.30

तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा प्रहसन्मुनिपुङ्गवम्।
श्लोक एव त्वया बद्धो नात्र कार्या विचारणा॥

tam uvāca tato brahmā prahasan muni-puṅgavam
śloka eva tvayā baddho nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

tam = the; uvāca = told; tataḥ = then; brahmā = Brahmā; prahasan = smilingly; muni-puṅgavam = best of sages; ślokaḥ = a śloka; eva = indeed; tvayā = you; baddhaḥ = have composed; na = not; atra = about it; kāryā vicāraṇā = don’t worry about it.

Then, Brahmā smilingly told the best of sages, “You have indeed composed a śloka. Do not worry about it.”

After hearing that verse recited by the sage within his mind, Lord Brahmā spoke to him, the best of sages. Śrī Brahmā was smiling that the sage was unaware that the śloka had appeared on his tongue by Brahmā’s own arrangement.