Dasyu Ratnakar

Overview

Dashyu Ratnakar who kills the travelers for wealth for support and maintenance of his family. When suggested by Narad Muni to esquire his family members i.e. his father, mother, wife and children if they would receive some portions of his vice which he had done for their maintenance, Ratnakar is astonished by their replies. They all replied that it is his (Ratnakar's) duty to maintain his family. They are not responsible for the method by which Ratnakar earned money. At that reply Ratnakar was deeply shocked, promised to shun all his means of vices and achieved sage-hood through deep penance. He later transformed into Maharshi Valmiki who wrote the great epic Ramayana.