Valmiki

Valmiki, in his early life, was an unnamed highway robber. Once, the robber tried to rob the divine sage Narada for the benefit of his family. Narada asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery. The robber replied positively, but Narada told him to confirm this with his family. The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the burden of sin. Dejected, the robber finally understood the truth of life and asked for Narada's forgiveness. Narada taught the robber to worship God. Narada gave him the mantra “Rama” and asked him to meditate on this mantra. Valmiki was not able to repeat the word “Rama.” He uttered it as “Mara.” Sage Narada asked him to continue reciting it as “Mara” itself. When uttered continuously, Mara Mara Mara…, it becomes Rama Rama Rama. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice declared his penance successful, bestowing him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills".

That is the power of Japa and Meditation. Through sincere devotion to God and faith in his Guru (Narada), a highway robber who used to kill people indiscriminately and rob their wealth, became a great saint Valmiki and composed the epic Ramayana, the story of Ram and Sita.