There was once a murderer named Vālmīki, who hunted and killed many brāhmaṇas, ṛṣis, and mahārṣis (elevated saints). By Vālmīki’s good fortune, one day he met Śrī Nārada Ṛṣi, who was a transcendental touchstone. In other words, simply by Nārada’s touch, that murderer became a realized sage like Nārada himself.
There was once a murderer named Vālmīki, who hunted and killed many brāhmaṇas, ṛṣis, and mahārṣis (elevated saints). By Vālmīki’s good fortune, one day he met Śrī Nārada Ṛṣi, who was a transcendental touchstone. In other words, simply by Nārada’s touch, that murderer became a realized sage like Nārada himself.
Nārada Ṛṣi had told him, “Chant the holy names of God: Rāma, Rāma, Rāma,” but because of his sinful life he could not do so. Nārada then asked him, “Can you chant: marā, marā, marā?” Marā means ‘death.’ Vālmīki replied, “Oh, yes,” and he began, “Marā, marā, marāma, rāma, rāma…” The word marā gradually turned into the word ‘Rāma,’ indicating Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation, Lord Rāma.
Vālmīki did not need to study in gurukula to attain the fortune of becoming an empowered devotee of Lord Rāma; nothing was required for him. By Śrī Nārada’s association, he unknowingly began chanting the name of Rāma, and later he knowingly chanted “Rāma, Rāma, Rāma” and became self-realized.
If Nārada approaches a murderer and tells him, “May you immediately have realization of Śrī Rāma and His abode and pastimes,” that very thing transpires. If the great saint Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī comes and blesses a person by placing his hand on his head, that person also becomes self-realized. When the Lord’s associate, Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara, placed his hands on the head of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī became like Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara. The glory of that self-realized Śrī Gurudeva is unlimited. We cannot glorify him adequately.

―Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja