NOTE. In Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa (2.6.64-88), Vālmīki recounts his own life to Lord Rāma when during His exile in the forest, He meets the sage in his āśrama. These verses are presented here with an English translation.

rāma tvan-nāma-mahimā varṇyate kena vā katham
yat-prabhāvād ahaṁ rāma brahmarṣitvam avāptavān

O Rāma, who can describe the glory of Your holy name? How can one describe it? By its influence, O Rāma, I attained the position of a brahmarṣi!

ahaṁ purā kirāteṣu kirātaiḥ saha vardhitaḥ
janma-mātra-dvijatvaṁ me śūdrācāra-rataḥ sadā

I was previously with the kirātas, having been grown up by them. I was a brāhmaṇa merely by birth, constantly engaged in the activities of a śūdra.

śūdrāyāṁ bahavaḥ putrā utpannā me ’jitātmanaḥ
tataś coraiś ca saṅgamya cauro ’ham abhavaṁ purā

Because my senses were uncontrolled, I begot many sons through a śūdra woman. Then, by the association of thieves, I became a thief.

dhanur-vāṇa-dharo nityamjīvānām antakopamaḥ
ekadā munayaḥ sapta dṛṣṭā mahati kānane

sākṣān mayā prakāśanto jvalanārka-sama-prabhāḥ
tān anvadhāvaṁ lobhena teṣāṁ sarva-paricchadān

grahītu-kāmas tatrāhaṁ tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravam
dṛṣṭvā māṁ munayo ’pṛcchan kim āyāsi dvijādhama

Holding a bow and arrow, I was like death personified for all living entities. One day, in a thick forest, I saw the seven great sages illuminating the surroundings, their effulgence resembling the blazing sun. I chased them out of greed to seize all of their garments , and called out “Wait, wait!’ Noticing me, the sages asked, “Why are you coming (towards us), O lowest of the brāhmaṇas?”

ahaṁ tān abravaṁ kiñcid ādātuṁ muni-sattamāḥ
putra-dārādayaḥ santi bahavo me bubhukṣitāḥ

I told them, “O best of the sages, I am coming to take something. I have many hungry sons and a wife.

teṣāṁ saṁrakṣaṇārthāya carāmi giri-kānane
tato mām ūcur avyagrāḥ pṛccha gatvā kuṭumbakam

yo yo mayā pratidinaṁ kriyate pāpa-sañcayaḥ
yūyaṁ tad-bhāginaḥ kiṁ vā neti veti pṛthak pṛthak

“I wander in the mountains and forests just for their protection.” Then, without being disturbed, they told me,     “Go and ask your family members individually this: ‘Will you take part of the sinful reactions accumulated by me every day or not?’

vayaṁ sthāsyāmahe tāvad āgamiṣyasi niścayaḥ
tathety uktvā gṛhaṁ gatvā munibhir yad udīritam

apṛcchaṁ putra-dārādīṁs tair ukto ’haṁ raghūttama
pāpaṁ tavaiva tat sarvaṁ vayaṁ tu phala-bhāginaḥ

“We will wait here for sure until you return.” After they said this, I went home and asked my sons, wife and other family members that which the sages had asked. O best of the Raghus, they told me, “All of the sinful reactions are certainly yours; we are only the enjoyers of the fruit of your activities.”¹

tac chrutvā jāta-nirvedo vicārya punar āgamam
munayo yatra tiṣṭhanti karuṇā-pūrṇa-mānasāḥ

On hearing this, I became filled with renunciation. After due consideration, I again came to the place where the sages, their minds filled with compassion, were waiting.

munīnāṁ darśanād eva śuddhāntaḥ-karaṇo ’bhavam
dhanur-ādīn parityajya daṇḍavat patito ’smy aham

By the mere sight of the sages, my mind became pure. Abandoning my bow and other weapons, I fell down like stick (unto their feet).

rakṣadhvaṁ māṁ muni-śreṣṭhā gacchantaṁ nirayārṇavam
ity agre patitaṁ dṛṣṭvā mām ūcur muni-sattamāḥ

[I said,] “O best of the sages, protect me who is going to an ocean of hellish punishments.” Seeing me fallen in front of them, those best of the sages spoke to me.

uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te saphalaḥ sat-samāgamaḥ
upadekṣyāmahe tubhyaṁ kiñcit tenaiva mokṣyase

“Arise, arise! Auspiciousness unto you! Association with the saints is [always] a success. We will instruct you about a means by which you can be liberated.”

parasparaṁ samālocya durvṛtto ’yaṁ dvijādhamaḥ
upekṣya eva sad-vṛttais tathāpi śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

rakṣaṇīyaḥ prayatnena mokṣa-mārgopadeśataḥ
ity uktvā rāma te nāma vyatyastākṣara-pūrvakam
ekāgra-manasātraiva mareti japa sarvadā

They discussed among themselves, “This lowest of the brāhmaṇas is of bad character and is meant to be neglected by those of good character. Still, he has taken shelter [of us and so] is meant to be carefully protected by instructions on the pathway of liberation.” O Rāma, then they told me to constantly, with a focused mind, utter Your holy name after reversing its syllables as marā.

āgacchāmaḥ punar yāvat tāvad uktaṁ sadā japa
ity uktvā prayayuḥ sarve munayo divya-darśanāḥ

Saying, “Until we return, chant what we told you to chant,” all of those sages, who can be seen by divine beings, left.

ahaṁ yathopadiṣṭaṁ tais tathākaravam añjasā
japann ekāgra-manasā bāhyaṁ vismṛtavān aham

I immediately did as I was instructed by them. With a focused mind, chanting marā, I forgot my external surroundings.

evaṁ bahu-tithe kāle gate niścala-rūpiṇaḥ
sarva-saṅga-vihīnasya valmīko ’bhūn mamopari

Thus, when a long time had passed, an ant hill grew over me, who was steady in my meditation and free from all association [with the external world].

tato yuga-sahasrānte ṛṣayaḥ punar āgaman
mām ūcur niṣkramasveti tac chrutvā tūrṇam utthitaḥ

Then, at the end of a thousand yugas, those sages returned, and told me, “Come out [of this ant hill]!” Hearing this, I immediately got up.

valmīkān nirgataś cāhaṁ nīhārādi iva bhāskaraḥ
mām apy āhur muni-gaṇā vālmīkis tvaṁ munīśvara

Like the sun from fog and so on, I [then] came out of the ant hill. The sages told me, “O king of sages, you are [now] Vālmīki, [one who is born from the ant hill].”

valmīkāt sambhavo yasmād dvitīyaṁ janma te ’bhavat
ity uktvā te yayur divya-gatiṁ raghukulottama

“Because you are born from an ant hill (valmīka), your second birth has [now] taken place.” Saying this, they went to a divine destination, O best of the Raghu dynasty.

ahaṁ te rāma nāmnaś ca prabhāvād īdṛśo ’bhavam
adya sākṣāt prapaśyāmi sa-sītaṁ lakṣmaṇena ca
rāmaṁ rājīva-patrākṣaṁ tvāṁ mukto nātra saṁśayaḥ

O Rāma, I have become thus by the influence of Your holy name. Today I directly see You whose eyes are like those of a blue lotus petal along with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. Seeing You thus, I [will be] liberated. There is no doubt about this.