Vālmīki
Seers of the Epics and Purāṇas · Ṛṣis and Ṛṣikās
The first poet: a robber turned to Rāma's name by seven sages, he made the first verse out of grief for a bird, saw Rāma's whole story, sheltered Sītā and taught her sons to sing it.
Vālmīki is the first poet, the ādikavi, the seer who made the Rāmāyaṇa. He lived as a robber in the forest until seven sages turned him to the name of Rāma, the prince of Ayodhyā and the Lord in whom all the worlds dwell, and he repeated that name so long that an anthill grew over him. Grief at the death of a bird made him speak the first verse, Brahmā told him to tell the whole story of Rāma in that measure, and he saw it all as clearly as a fruit in his hand. Years later he sheltered Sītā in his hermitage, named her sons, taught them his poem, and stood before Rāma's assembly to swear that she was pure.