Vālmīki > Quotes

“You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted. Rama will be in my care, and he will be quite well. But ultimately, he will leave me too. Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart to seek his fulfillment in his own way.”
― Valmiki, The Ramayana

“Misfortune is the best fortune.
Rejection by all is victory.”
― Vālmīki

“Valmiki the Poet held all the moving world inside a water drop in his hand.
The gods and saints from heaven looked down on Lanka,
And Valmiki looked down at the gods in the morning of Time.”
― Valmiki, The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic

“In all this world, I pray thee, who Is virtuous, heroic, true?”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Association with the wise, abandonment of latent impressions, self-enquiry, control of breathing — these are the means of conquering the mind.”
― Vālmīki, Yoga Vasishta Sara

“Ah! Warriors' strength is poor and slight; A Bráhman's power is truly might. This Bráhman staff the hermit held The fury of my darts has quelled.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Be gracious, Master, and allow The worlds to rest from trouble now;”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Veda means originally knowing or knowledge, and this name is given”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“RAMCHARITMANAS”
― Rishi Valmiki, Ramayana: The Sacred Epic of the Gods and Demons

“O Raghava, be outwardly active but inwardly inactive, outwardly a doer but inwardly a non-doer, and thus play your part in the world.”
― Vālmīki, Yoga Vasishta Sara

“To sainted Nárad, prince of those Whose lore in words of wisdom flows. Whose constant care and chief delight Were Scripture and ascetic rite, The good Válmíki, first and best [pg 002] Of hermit saints, these words addressed:9 “In all this world, I pray thee, who Is virtuous, heroic, true? Firm in his vows, of grateful mind, To every creature good and kind? Bounteous, and holy, just, and wise, Alone most fair to all men's eyes? Devoid of envy, firm, and sage, Whose tranquil soul ne'er yields to rage? Whom, when his warrior wrath is high, Do Gods embattled fear and fly? Whose noble might and gentle skill The triple world can guard from ill?”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“7. It is the nature of the mind to accept certain things and to reject others; this is bondage, nothing else.”
― Vālmīki, Yoga Vasishta Sara

“Gainst him, a mighty warrior too. Strong, as a soldier born and bred,— Great, as a king whom regions dread. See! what a host the conqueror leads, With elephants, and cars, and steeds. O'er countless bands his pennons fly; So is he mightier far than I.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Then lest the people should repeat Their visit to his calm retreat, Away from Chitrakúṭa's hill Fared Ráma ever onward”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Válmíki,(2)bird of charming song,(3)   Who mounts on Poesy’s sublimest spray, And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong   Ráma, aye Ráma, in his deathless lay. Where breathes the man can listen to the strain   That flows in music from Válmíki’s tongue, Nor feel his feet the path of bliss attain   When Ráma’s glory by the saint is sung!”
― Vālmīki, Ramayana. English

“Now Ravana said to himself,
"These are all petty weapons. I should really get down to proper business." And he invoked the one called "Maya"--a weapon which created illusions and confused the enemy. With proper incantations and worship, he sent off this weapon and it created an illusion of reviving all the armies and its leaders--Kumbakarna and Indrajit and the others--and bringing them back to the battlefield.
Presently Rama found all those who, he thought, were no more, coming on with battle cries and surrounding him. Every man in the enemy's army was again up in arms.They seemed to fall on Rama with victorious cries. This was very confusing and Rama asked Matali, whom he had by now revived,
"What is happening now? How are all these coming back? They were dead." Matali explained,
"In your original identity you are the creator of illusions in this universe. Please know that Ravana has created phantoms to confuse you. If you make up your mind, you can dispel them immediately."
Matali's explanation was a great help. Rama at once invoked a weapon called
"Gnana"--which means "wisdom" or "perception." This was a very rare weapon, and he sent it forth. And all the terrifying armies who seemed to have come on in such a great mass suddenly evaporated into thin air.”
― Vālmīki

“fair proportion set: The manliest form”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Nos alegramos cuando vemos al sol alzarse cada mañana y cuando se pone durante la tarde, sin comprender que con él se van también nuestras vidas.”
― Vālmīki, Ramayana

“desert place! Here let us all for death prepare, Or on the last great journey fare;320 Of Ráma our dear lord bereft, What profit in our lives is left? Huge trunks of trees around us lie, With roots and branches sere and dry, Come let us set these logs on fire And throw our bodies on the pyre.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Then spoke at length the warder maid, With hands upraised and sore afraid: “My Lord and King, the queen has sought The mourner's cell with rage distraught.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Whose lore in words of wisdom flows. Whose constant care and chief delight Were Scripture and ascetic rite, The good Válmíki,”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“came, Known to the world by Ráma's name: With soul subdued, a chief of might, In Scripture versed, in glory bright,”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“trained in arts and versed in law; High-souled”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“Then Raghu's son, as if in sport, Before the thousands of the court, The weapon by the middle raised That all the crowd in wonder gazed.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“borne”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“he wins success, And dying foes his power confess. Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb, Fortune has set her mark on him. Graced with a conch-shell's triple line, His throat displays the auspicious sign.16 [pg 003] High destiny is clear impressed On massive jaw and ample chest, His mighty shafts he truly aims, And foemen in the battle tames. Deep in the muscle, scarcely shown, Embedded lies his collar-bone. His lordly steps are firm and free, His strong arms reach below his knee;17 All fairest graces join to deck His head, his brow, his stately neck, And limbs in fair proportion set: The manliest form e'er fashioned yet.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“And the high mandate of his sire. Led by the Lord who rules the sky, The Gods and heavenly saints drew nigh, And honoured him with worthy meed, Rejoicing in each glorious deed. His task achieved, his foe removed, He triumphed, by the Gods approved. By grace of Heaven he raised to life The chieftains slain in mortal strife; Then in the magic chariot through The clouds to Nandigráma flew. Met by his faithful brothers there, He loosed his votive coil of hair: Thence fair Ayodhyá's town he gained, And o'er his father's kingdom reigned. Disease or famine ne'er oppressed His happy people, richly blest”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“choicest”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“imperial mark, His skin is soft and lustrous dark. Large are his eyes that sweetly shine With majesty almost divine. His plighted word he ne'er forgets; On erring sense a watch he sets.”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki

“There reigned a king of name revered, To country and to town endeared, Great Daśaratha, good and sage, Well read in Scripture's holy page: [pg 013] Upon his kingdom's weal intent, Mighty and brave and provident; The pride of old Ikshváku's seed For lofty thought and righteous deed. Peer of the saints, for virtues famed, For foes subdued and passions tamed: A rival in his wealth untold”
― Vālmīki, The Rámáyan of Válmíki