Introduction: This chapter explains a profound truth: Only a true Guru, or a master who has command over the five elements, can change the course of a person’s destiny. The story of Valya the hunter becoming Sage Valmiki is the classic example of such divine intervention.
Every soul takes birth carrying:
* previous karma * destiny (prarabdha) * tendencies from past lives
No ordinary person—not even a good or pious one—can change their own destiny. Even gods usually do not interfere in destiny.
But those who have mastery over the five elements— Sadgurus and great sages like Narada— can create major transformations in a person’s life.
Before Lord Rama was born, Sage Narada guided Valya the highway robber and transformed him into Valmiki, the author of the complete Ramayana.
Valmiki was not born a sage. He belonged to a poor tribe and lived by looting travellers. He did not understand sin or virtue; he only lived for survival.
Narada wondered:
* “Valya’s earlier karma is good. Why is his present life filled with sin and violence? Which unknown influence has trapped him?”
So Narada approached him in the form of a simple Brahmin.
Valya caught the Brahmin to rob him. But the Brahmin said:
“I will give you whatever you want. But answer one question— Will your wife share the sin of all these actions?”
Confidently Valya replied that she would. But Narada insisted:
“Go ask her directly.”
When Valya asked, his wife said:
“Your actions are yours alone. I only use what you bring, but I do not share your sin.”
This shocked Valya. The foundation of his life crumbled instantly.
He returned to Narada in deep confusion:
“I did everything for my family. What do I do now?”
Narada replied:
“Chant the name of Rama. Everything will change.”
But Valya could not pronounce “Rama.” So Narada said:
“Then chant ‘mara mara’ (dead, dead).”
By repetition, “mara mara” gradually became “Rama Rama.”
Valya became absorbed in meditation for a long period— so long that an anthill formed around him.
He emerged as Valmiki, the great sage. His tapas was so powerful that he wrote the entire Ramayana before Rama was even born, exactly as it later unfolded.
This proves:
* Events of the universe are pre-planned. * A Guru can change the seeker’s destined experiences. * Spiritual transformation can erase immense karmic burdens.
Only a master with authority over the five elements can:
* change destiny * reduce karmic suffering * rewrite the seeker’s life pattern
Among all paths, the Nath tradition uniquely holds this elemental authority. It has performed transformations like Valmiki’s for centuries.
Narada is described as:
* always chanting “Narayana, Narayana” * moving freely across heaven, earth, and the underworld * the mind-born son of Brahma * knower of past, present, and future
He could see Valya’s full karmic history and therefore understood:
* his potential * his obstacles * how to change his life direction
Thus he used spiritual power to change Valya’s tendencies, destiny, and future.
History records similar transformations:
* Lord Vishnu incarnated as Sant Dnyaneshwar,
born in an ordinary family, yet one of the greatest Nath yogis.
* Dnyaneshwar made a buffalo recite the Vedas and revived a dead person.
Such feats show that true spiritual masters can:
* reduce karmic suffering * accelerate spiritual evolution * free a soul from repeated birth and death
Only a Sadguru or a sage of Narada’s stature can:
* alter destiny * cleanse deep karma * transform character and tendencies * uplift the seeker rapidly
When such a Guru enters one’s life, the soul’s journey accelerates, and liberation comes closer.
जय श्री राम — जय श्री राम — जय श्री राम