Lav and Kush Sing the Ramayan

In the ashram of Maharishi Valmiki lived twin brothers, Lav and Kush. They were the sons of Mother Sita. Both were very bright, and they sang in the sweetest voices. Maharishi Valmiki taught them their lessons and helped them learn by heart the whole Ramayan he had written. When the brothers sang the Ramayan to the music of the veena, listeners' eyes filled with tears.

Around that time, Shri Ram, the king of Ayodhya, held a great Ashvamedh yagya at Naimisharanya. Kings, rishis and scholars came from far and wide. Maharishi Valmiki came too, with his pupils.

Valmiki ji said to Lav and Kush, "Children, sing the Ramayan sweetly near the huts of the rishis, on the royal roads, and before Shri Ram as well. Sing twenty chapters every day. If the king offers you wealth, do not take it. We live in the forest on fruits and roots. What would we do with wealth? And if anyone asks whose sons you are, say that you are pupils of Valmiki ji."

The next morning, the two brothers went out to sing. People stopped wherever they stood to listen. Word reached Shri Ram. He called them to his assembly, where great rishis, kings and scholars were seated.

Lav and Kush began to sing. The whole assembly listened, spellbound. People whispered to one another, "Look, these two boys look exactly like Shri Ram!"

Ram ji was very pleased. He ordered that the boys be given eighteen thousand gold coins. But Lav and Kush folded their hands and said, "Maharaj, we live in the forest and eat fruits and roots. What would we do with gold?" Everyone in the assembly was amazed that such young children would refuse even gold.

Ram ji asked, "Who wrote this beautiful poem?" The boys said, "Our guru, Maharishi Valmiki, who has come to this yagya. It has twenty-four thousand verses, and it tells the story of your own life. If you wish, we will sing all of it."

For many days, Ram ji sat with the rishis and kings and listened to that wonderful song. Through it he came to understand that these two sweet singers were none other than Sita ji's sons, his very own sons. Ram ji's heart filled with love.

The very beginning of the Ramayan tells us that these two boys were the first to carry the Ramayan to people by singing it.