Valmiki had gone to the river for ablution. It was while he was enjoying the natural beauty of the forest, that he happened to see the sad scene. He returned to his hermitage. Brahma, the grandsire, appeared before him and told him that it was the grandsire's inspiration that took shape as a spontaneous verse from the sage. The grandsire advised him to compose the life-story of Sri Rama in such mellifluous verse. After Brahma's departure, the sauntering minstrel Narada came to Valmiki and narrated to him the saga of Rama briefly.