Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.38
इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत।
ततः सशिष्यो वाल्मीकिर्मुनिर्विस्मयमाययौ॥
ity uktvā bhagavān brahmā tatraivāntaradhīyata
tataḥ saśiṣyo vālmīkir munir vismayam āyayau
iti = this; uktvā = having said; bhagavān = Lord; brahmā = Brahmā; tatra = there; eva = right; antaradhīyata = disappeared there while sitting; tataḥ = then; sa-śiṣyaḥ = and his disciples; vālmīkir = sage; muneḥ = Vālmīki; vismayam = surprised; āyayau= became.
Having said this, Lord Brahmā disappeared right there, while sitting. Then, Vālmīki Muni and his disciples became surprised.
“His disciples” include Kuśa and Lava residing in the sage’s āśrama as well as Bharadvāja.