The first four Sargas (kind of chapter) of Balakanda deal with the genesis of this great epic Ramayana and how it came to be composed. I use the word compose because it is believed that it was not written down by Valmiki but taught by him to Lava and Kusha (Rama and Sita's twin sons) who had learned it orally and recited it. In my opinion, these four Sargas have some particularities, as it would be shown later.
The first Sarga describes Narada's visit. Valmiki questioned (paripaprachcha) with great respect Narada who is the storehouse of all information and happenings, if he knew of a person who was generous, handsome, heroic, a person who had mastered The Vedas and the science of archery and who had all the best qualities that are prescribed by the tenets of Dharma and the Vedas and who followed scrupulously the tenets of Dharma. Narada replied in the affirmative and told about Rama, son of Dasharatha living in Ayodhya. Narada asked Valmiki to listen to him attentively and narrated the whole life of Rama right from his birth to his crowning in Ayodhya after he completed fourteen years in the forest.
He mentioned all the important events that took place in Rama's life. He told him about Rama's accompanying Vishwamitra and his marriage with Sita, how Dasharatha's plans to crown Rama failed, how Rama went to the forest accompanied by Sita, and Lakshmana and Ravana's abduction of Sita. Narada in effect told Valmiki all about what had happened in Rama's life.
Narada concluded that Rama was going to rule Ayodhya for ten thousand years and also one thousand years more and then would go to Brahma Loka. Narada said that Rama's story was comparable to The Vedas and those who read it would be washed off of all their sins. Valmiki was greatly impressed. He along with his disciples offered worship to Narada who then ascended to the Deva Loka. All this is contained in about a hundred verses.
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