Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.8
स शिष्यहस्तादादाय वल्कलं नियतेन्द्रियः।
विचचार ह पश्यंस्तत्सर्वतो विपुलं वनम्॥
sa śiṣya-hastād ādāya valkalaṁ niyatendriyaḥ
vicacāra ha paśyaṁs tat sarvato vipulaṁ vanam
saḥ = the sage Vālmīki; śiṣya-hastāt = from his disciple’s hand; ādāya = after receiving; valkalam = the bark; niyata indriyaḥ = of controlled senses; vicacāra = began to think; ha = surprisingly; paśyan = looked at and; tat = the; sarvataḥ = all around; vipulam = extensive; vanam = forest.
Surprisingly, [though] of controlled senses, after receiving the bark from his disciple’s hand, the sage Vālmīki looked at the extensive forest all around [and began to] think.
The word ha indicates astonishment. Because the act of looking at the extensive forest by the sage of controlled senses was conducted by the will of a superior authority, it is a cause for astonishment.