Valmiki
Encyclopedia
Valmiki (during Lord Rama's time) is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana
, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka
i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The Yoga Vasistha
is attributed to him. The religious movement Valmikism
is based on Valmiki's teachings as presented in the Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha.
At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. Ashvagosha writes in the Buddhacarita
:
This particular verse has been speculated to indicate a familial relationship between Valmiki and Chyavana, as implied by the previous and subsequent verses.
(Northern India). The Uttara Khanda tells the story of Valmiki's early life, as an unnamed highway robber who used to rob people before killing them. Other versions name him Valya Koli. Robbing people who passed by was the only source of money for him.
Muni) was passing by that way when he ran into Agni Sharma, who insisted them to give everything they own. From their clothing to the shoes they were wearing. Rishi Atri asked Agni Sharma why he was commiting this sin. Agni Sharma answered that this was the only way to provide food for his family. Rishi Atri asked him if his family was part of this sin that he was commiting and he told him to go ask his family that same question. Agni Sharma made Rishi Atri stay in that same spot until he was back. When Agni Sharma asked his parents if they were with him on the sin that he was doing, they replied that it was his job to take care of them. And that he was only responsible for his own sins. His wife also said the same thing. Agni Sharma then returned to Rishi Atri and fell to his feet. He told him that he alone was responsible for the sins and asked him to help him get rid of the sins he had commited. Rishi Atri told him to repeat Lord Ramas name and that would assist him. Rishi Atri left for a pilgrimage and when he returned back he found an anthill growing around Agni Sharama. He was shocked and helped him out of the anthill. He then named him Valmiki (meaning 'anthill' in Sanskrit
).
of Ayodhya, whose wife Sita
is abducted by the demon (Rākshasa
) king of Lanka
, Rāvana
. The Valmiki Ramayana is dated variously from 500 BC to 100 BC, or about co-eval with early versions of the Mahabhārata
. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a long process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.
Notwithstanding the aforesaid, it is pertinent to note that Valmiki is also quoted to be the contemporary of Rama. Rama met Valmiki during his period of exile and had interacted with him. Valmiki had Sita in his hermitage where Kusa and Lava were born to Sita. Valmiki taught Ramayana to Kusa and Lava, who later sang the divine story in Ayodhya during the Aswamedha yaga congregation, to the pleasure of the audience, whereupon, King Rama summoned them to his royal palace. Kusa and Lava sang the story of Rama there, and Rama confirmed that whatever had been sung by these two children was entirely true.
With this backdrop, it needs review to establish the period of Valmiki, likely to date back to thousands of years, as Krishna incarnation followed Rama's.
was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa
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 heard the sweet chirping of birds. Looking up, he saw two birds flying together. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, one of the birds fell down, hit by an arrow; it was the male bird. Seeing the wounded one, its mate screamed in agony. 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 uttered the following words:
मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥'
Emerging spontaneously from his rage and grief, this was the first śloka in Sanskrit literature
. Later Valmiki composed the entire Ramayana with the blessings of Lord Brahma
in the same meter that issued forth from him as the śloka. Thus this śloka is revered as the "first śloka" in Hindu
literature. Valmiki is revered as the first poet, or Adi Kavi, and the Ramayana, the first kavya
.
His first disciples to whom he taught the Ramayana were Kusa and Lava, the sons of Rama
.
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka
Shloka
A ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha is a Hindu spiritual text traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It recounts a discourse of the sage Vasistha to a young Prince Rama, during a period when the latter is in a dejected state...
is attributed to him. The religious movement Valmikism
Balmiki
Balmiki is Dalit communities in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and also in Pakistan and was historically restricted to three occupations: cleaning latrines, sweeping, and scavenging . They prefer to be known as Bhangi...
is based on Valmiki's teachings as presented in the Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha.
At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. Ashvagosha writes in the Buddhacarita
Buddhacarita
Buddhacharita is an epic poem in the Sanskrit mahakavya style on the life of Gautama Buddha by , composed in the 2nd century AD...
:
- "The voice of Valmiki uttered poetry which the great seer ChyavanaChyavanaChyavana was a maharshi in Hindu mythology. He was son of sage Bhrigu and known for his rejuvenation after penances for several years. According to the Mahabharata, he was powerful enough to oppose the Vajra of Indra and was responsible for the Ashvins getting their share of the sacrificial...
could not compose."
This particular verse has been speculated to indicate a familial relationship between Valmiki and Chyavana, as implied by the previous and subsequent verses.
Early life
Valmiki was the son of Brahmin Sumali. His birth name was Agni Sharma.When everyone left to travel south Brahmin Sumali took his son and wife and moved near the bank of Betwa RiverBetwa River
The Betwa is a river in Northern India, and a tributary of the Yamuna. Also known as the Vetravati, the Betwa rises in the Vindhya Range just north of Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh and flows north-east through Madhya Pradesh and flow through Orchha to Uttar Pradesh. Nearly one-half of its course,...
(Northern India). The Uttara Khanda tells the story of Valmiki's early life, as an unnamed highway robber who used to rob people before killing them. Other versions name him Valya Koli. Robbing people who passed by was the only source of money for him.
How he became Valmiki
One day Rishi Atri (NaradaNarada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
Muni) was passing by that way when he ran into Agni Sharma, who insisted them to give everything they own. From their clothing to the shoes they were wearing. Rishi Atri asked Agni Sharma why he was commiting this sin. Agni Sharma answered that this was the only way to provide food for his family. Rishi Atri asked him if his family was part of this sin that he was commiting and he told him to go ask his family that same question. Agni Sharma made Rishi Atri stay in that same spot until he was back. When Agni Sharma asked his parents if they were with him on the sin that he was doing, they replied that it was his job to take care of them. And that he was only responsible for his own sins. His wife also said the same thing. Agni Sharma then returned to Rishi Atri and fell to his feet. He told him that he alone was responsible for the sins and asked him to help him get rid of the sins he had commited. Rishi Atri told him to repeat Lord Ramas name and that would assist him. Rishi Atri left for a pilgrimage and when he returned back he found an anthill growing around Agni Sharama. He was shocked and helped him out of the anthill. He then named him Valmiki (meaning 'anthill' in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
).
Writer of the Ramayana
The , originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 verses in seven cantos (some say six i.e. excluding the Uttara Ramayana) (). The Ramayana tells the story of a prince, RamaRama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
of Ayodhya, whose wife Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
is abducted by the demon (Rākshasa
Rakshasa
A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
) king of Lanka
Lanka
Sri Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata...
, Rāvana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
. The Valmiki Ramayana is dated variously from 500 BC to 100 BC, or about co-eval with early versions of the Mahabhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a long process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.
Notwithstanding the aforesaid, it is pertinent to note that Valmiki is also quoted to be the contemporary of Rama. Rama met Valmiki during his period of exile and had interacted with him. Valmiki had Sita in his hermitage where Kusa and Lava were born to Sita. Valmiki taught Ramayana to Kusa and Lava, who later sang the divine story in Ayodhya during the Aswamedha yaga congregation, to the pleasure of the audience, whereupon, King Rama summoned them to his royal palace. Kusa and Lava sang the story of Rama there, and Rama confirmed that whatever had been sung by these two children was entirely true.
With this backdrop, it needs review to establish the period of Valmiki, likely to date back to thousands of years, as Krishna incarnation followed Rama's.
The first śloka
Valmiki was going to the river Ganga for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name BharadwajaBharadwaja
Bharadwaja was one of the greatest Hindu Arya sages descendant of rishi Angirasa, whose accomplishments are detailed in the Puranas. He was one of the Saptarshis in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa.Bhardwaj Rishi was father of...
was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa
Tamsa River
The Tamsa River is a tributary of the Ganges flowing through the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.-Course:...
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 heard the sweet chirping of birds. Looking up, he saw two birds flying together. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, one of the birds fell down, hit by an arrow; it was the male bird. Seeing the wounded one, its mate screamed in agony. 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 uttered the following words:
मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥'
- mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṁ tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
- yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam
- You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity
- For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting
Emerging spontaneously from his rage and grief, this was the first śloka in Sanskrit literature
Sanskrit literature
Literature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Sanskrit literature dates to late Antiquity . Literary production saw a late bloom in the 11th century before declining after 1100 AD...
. Later Valmiki composed the entire Ramayana with the blessings of Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
in the same meter that issued forth from him as the śloka. Thus this śloka is revered as the "first śloka" in Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
literature. Valmiki is revered as the first poet, or Adi Kavi, and the Ramayana, the first kavya
Kavya
Kavya refers to the Sanskrit literary style used by Indian court poets flourishing from the first half of the seventh century AD. This literary style is characterised by abundant usage of figures of speech, metaphors, similes, and hyperbole to create its emotional effects...
.
His first disciples to whom he taught the Ramayana were Kusa and Lava, the sons of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
.
See also
- RamayanaRamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
- Sanskrit literatureSanskrit literatureLiterature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Sanskrit literature dates to late Antiquity . Literary production saw a late bloom in the 11th century before declining after 1100 AD...
- TulsidasTulsidasTulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
- Yoga VasisthaYoga VasisthaYoga Vasistha is a Hindu spiritual text traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It recounts a discourse of the sage Vasistha to a young Prince Rama, during a period when the latter is in a dejected state...