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| '''Valmiki''' (]: वाल्मीकि, ''vālmīki'') ( |
'''Valmiki''' (]: वाल्मीकि, ''vālmīki'') (''Circa'' 400 BC)<ref>Julia Leslie, '''', Ashgate (2003), p. 154. ISBN 0754634310</ref> is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic '']'', based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself.<ref name="Golgman1">{{cite book | author = Vālmīki, Robert P. Goldman | title = {{IAST|The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki}}: An Epic of Ancient India | volume = 1 | publisher = Princeton University Press | year = 1990 | pages = 14–15 | isbn = 069101485X}}</ref> He is revered as the ''Adi Kavi,'' which means ''First Poet,'' for he discovered the first '']'' i.e. first ''verse'', which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The '']'' is attributed to him. A religious movement called ] 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. ] writes in the ]: | At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. ] writes in the ]: | ||
Revision as of 17:34, 13 August 2011
| Valmiki | |
|---|---|
 Valmiki composing the Ramayana. | |
| Honors | Revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka. |
| Religious life | |
| Philosophy | Religious movement called Valmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings. |
| Composed Ramayana and Yoga Vasistha | |
Valmiki (Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, vālmīki) (Circa 400 BC) 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. A religious movement called 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:
- "The voice of Valmiki uttered poetry which the great seer Chyavana 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
The Uttara Khanda says that Valmiki was a highway robber named Valya Koli who used to rob people after killing them. Once, the robber tried to rob the divine sage Narada for the benefit of his family. Narada asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery. The robber replied positively, but Narada told him to confirm this with his family. The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the burden of sin. Dejected, the robber finally understood the truth of life and asked for Narada's forgiveness. Narada taught the robber to worship God. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that Ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice declared his penance successful, bestowing him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills" (Valmikam in Sanskrit means Ant-hill).
Writer of the Ramayana
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The Rāmāyaṇa, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 verses in seven cantos (some say six i.e. excluding the Uttara Ramayana) (kāṇḍas). The Ramayana tells the story of a prince, Rama 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 each other. 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 incarnation.
The first śloka
Valmiki was going to the river Ganga for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name Bharadwaja 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 bird couple. 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:
/*ॐ मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शास्वती समः यत् क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः 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. 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 Kusha and Lava, the sons of Rama.
See also
References
- Julia Leslie, Authority and Meaning in Indian Religions: Hinduism and the Case of Valmiki, Ashgate (2003), p. 154. ISBN 0754634310
- Vālmīki, Robert P. Goldman (1990). The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Vol. 1. Princeton University Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 069101485X.
- E. B. Cowell, tr., The Buddhacharita of Asvagosha, Book I, Verse 48. Clarendon Press (1894)
- Ilapvuluri Panduranga Rao, Valmiki, Sahitya Akademi, India (1994) - Makers of Indian Literature - ISBN 8172016808
- Valmiki Ramayana (A play adaptation)
- Valya became Valmiki - Stories of Sages !
- Osho Story on Sage Narada and Valmiki
- Suresh Chandra (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu gods and goddesses. Sarup & Sons. pp. 262–3. ISBN 9788176250399.
- and 7 cantos{Kandas}including the Uttara canto{Kanda}Rāmāyaṇa is composed of about 480,002 words, a quarter of the length of the full text of the Mahabharata or about four times the length of the Iliad.
- Goldman, Robert P., The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India pp. 23
- Sacred-Texts.com IAST encoded transliteration (modified from original source to accurately reflect sandhi rules)
- Buck, William and van Nooten, B. A. Ramayana. 2000, page 7
External links
- Valmiki biography webpage
- Satya Sarada Kandula, "Valmiki - Adikavi", The Ancient Indians
- Shastra Nethralaya, Rishikesh
- Ramayana by Valmiki illustrated with Indian miniatures from the 16th to the 19th century
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