Dharmic movement calledValmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings
Valmiki (/vɑːlˈmiːki/;[2]Sanskrit:वाल्मीकि,romanized: Vālmīki,[ʋɑːlmiːki])[A] was a legendary poet who is celebrated as the traditional author of the epicRamayana, based on the attribution in the text itself.[3][5] He is revered asĀdi Kavi, the first poet, author ofRamayana, the first epic poem.
TheRamayana, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000shlokas and sevencantos (kaṇḍas).[6] TheRamayana is composed of about 480,002 words, being a quarter of the length of the full text of theMahabharata or about four times the length of theIliad. TheRamayana tells the story of a prince,Rama of the city ofAyodhya in theKingdom of Kosala, whose wifeSita is abducted byRavana, the demon-king (Rakshasa) ofLanka. The scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE,[7][8] and later stages extending up to the 3rd century CE,[9] although original date of composition is unknown. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.
British satiristAubrey Menen says that Valmiki was "recognized as a literary genius," and thus was considered, "an outlaw," presumably because of his "philosophic scepticism,"[10] as part of an "Indian Enlightenment" period.[11] Valmiki is also quoted as being the contemporary of Rama. Menen claims Valmiki is "the first author in all history to bring himself into his own composition."[12]
Early life
The youthful sageNarada at the white-bearded Valmiki's hermitage
According to scriptures, Valmiki is the tenth son of the godVaruna, born after Varuna's seed fell into a termite hill, which earned him the name of "Valmiki".[13] In his youth, Valmiki once met the great sageNarada and had a discourse with him on his duties. Moved by Narada's words, Valmiki began to perform penance and chanted the word "Mara" which meant "die". As he performed his penance for several years, the word became "Rama",[a] a name of the god Vishnu.
There also exist some legends about Valmiki having been a thief before turning into a rishi. The Nagara Khanda of theSkanda Purana in its section on the creation of Mukhara Tirtha mentions that Valmiki was born aBrahmin, with the name of Lohajangha and was a devoted son to his parents. He had a beautiful wife and both of them were faithful to each other. Once, when there was no rain in the region ofAnarta, for twelve long years, Lohajangha, for the sake of his hungry family, started robbing people that he found in the forest. In the course of this life he met the seven sages or theSaptarishi and tried to rob them as well. But the learned sages felt pity on him and showed him the folly of his ways. One of them,Pulaha gave him a Mantra to meditate upon and the Brahmin turned thief got so engrossed in its recitation that ant-hills came up around his body. When the sages returned and heard the sound of the mantra coming from the ant-hill, they blessed him and said, "Since you achieved great Siddhi seated within a Valmīka (an anthill), you will become well-known in the world as Vālmīki."[14][15]
The first shloka
A fowler kills a bird and the cry of its mate gives Valmiki the measures in which he composes the RamayanaValmiki and the death of the Sarus crane
Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the nameBharadwaja was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across theTamasa Stream. Looking at the stream, Valmiki said to his disciple, "Look, how clear is this water, like the mind of a good man! I will bathe here today." When he was looking for a suitable place to step into the stream, he saw acrane couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. Valmiki's heart melted at this pitiful sight. He looked around to find out who had shot the bird. He saw a hunter with a bow and arrows, nearby. Valmiki became very angry. His lips opened and he cried out,
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः। यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥'
You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting[17]
Emerging spontaneously from Valmiki's rage and grief, this couplet is considered the firstshloka inSanskrit literature. Valmiki later composed the entireRamayana in the same meter. Valmiki is revered asAdi Kavi (the first poet); theRamayana is revered as the firstkavya (poem).
Role inRamayana
Rama withSita on the throne, their childrenLava andKusha on their laps. Behind the throne,Lakshmana, Bharata andShatrughna stand.Hanuman bows to Rama before the throne. Valmiki to the left.
Valmiki played an important role inUttarakāṇḍa, the last chapter of the epicRamayana. TheUttarakāṇḍa may not have been originally worked by Valmiki. The scholars Robert and Sally Goldman, for example, have pointed out: "Much of the narrative focuses on figures other than Rāma and is narrated only indirectly by Vālmīki, being placed in the mouths of other figures such as Agastya."[18] It is believed to have been taken up fromSesha Ramayana.[citation needed] According to the legend, Rama sent Sita to the forest. Sita finds refuge in Sage Valmiki's ashram, where she gives birth to twin boysLava andKusha. Lava and Kusha were Valmiki's first disciples, to whom he taught theRamayana.Bala Kanda of the epic also tells the story of Valmiki narrating the Ramayana to Lava and Kusha, who become his disciples.[19]
Role inMahabharata
Valmiki was alive during theMahabharata, and he was one of the many sages that visitedYudhisthira after the war. He told Yudhisthira the benefits of worshippingShiva. Once upon a time, some ascetic possessors of thehoma fire[clarification needed][better source needed] cursed Valmiki as guilty ofbrahminicide. The sin possessed him as soon as he was cursed. So he prayed to Shiva and he became cleansed of all his sins. Valmiki told Yudhisthira that he should also pray to Shiva like him.[20]
Sita in Valmiki hermitage
Reincarnation
Vishnudharmottara Purana says that Valmiki was born in theTreta Yuga as a form ofBrahma who composedRamayana and that people desirous of earning knowledge should worship Valmiki.[21] He was later reincarnated asTulsidas, who composed theRamcharitamanas, which was theAwadhi-Hindi version of theRamayana.[22]
Idol of Sage Valmiki at center,Lava andKusha on both sides of Valmiki, the horse ofAshwamedha Yajna ofRama at left corner, andSita on the right corner, at the Valmiki Jayanti celebration at Bihutali,Duliajan.
The full moon day of Hindu month ofAshvin is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the poet. The day is also known asPargat Diwas or Valmiki Jayanti, and is a major festival of the followers of theBalmiki religious sect of Hinduism.[23]
Temples
TheBalmiki sect of Hinduism reveres Valmiki, where he is also known asLal Beg orBala Shah, as apatron saint, with a plethora ofmandirs (temples) dedicated to him.[3][24]
An area inChennai,Tiruvanmiyur is believed to derive its name from Sage Valmiki, Thiru-Valmiki-Oor. There is a temple for Valmiki located in this place, which is believed to be 1300 years old.[27][28]
Shree Valmiki Mata Maha Samsthana is a temple dedicated to Valmiki in Rajanahalli,Karnataka.
Bhatt's film which starredSuresh Oberoi in the title role remains unreleased after a case was filed against Oberoi for remarks deemed offensive by members of theValmiki caste in India.[32]
^Menen (1954). "The Heritage of the Gluttons", p.81.
^Puranic Encyclopedia: a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature, Vettam Mani, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1975, p.822.
^Buck, William and van Nooten, B. A.Ramayana. 2000, page 7
^The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: The Complete English Translation, ed. Robert P. Goldman and Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, Princeton Univ. Press, 2021, p. 19. ISBN 978-0-691-20686-8.
^Rao, T. S. Sha ma; Litent (2014).Lava Kusha. Litent.
_LACMA_AC1999.127.45.jpg)
.jpg)
