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 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.
The Ashram
A Balmiki temple is called an ashram. The ashram serves as a center for building up the commitment of devotees and for transmitting the Ramayana's message, and the focal point for the whole community to preserve their culture and traditions. The ashram is open to all who wish to enter, anyone who goes to the Ashram is welcome to stay as long as they wish and are welcome regardless of race, gender, caste or creed.
In Britain, ashrams come in various sizes. Some tend to be specially constructed, while others tend to be renovated buildings designed to enable the purpose of worship.
All Balmiki ashrams have a special flag outside to show that it is a place of worship. The bow and arrow represents Valmiki's disciples Lav and Kush.
For Balmikis communal prayer is not restricted to the confines of the ashram, but can in fact take place anywhere as long as the Ramayana is present. When an ashram is not within traveling distance, many Balmiki families will have a copy of the Ramayana in a special room at their house to use for worship.
When an ashram is not available Balmikis will hire a public building or use an individual’s house as an ashram.
All Balmiki ashrams have common features. For instance, the place of worship is always in a special room and there are a number of other rooms set-aside for special purposes. There is a langar hall where all the devotees congregate for a meal, the community kitchen where devotees help to prepare food for the langer. A classroom and library where the Ramayana is stocked for study and is used for teaching young children. A music room where musical instruments such as the Tabla are taught and hymns are practiced for worship. Finally, there is a special area for shoes and washing.
Balmikis follow certain rules of conduct and before entering the worship room. Everyone is expected to remove their shoes as a sign of respect but also for general cleanliness. Devotees may not enter the ashram if they are carrying alcohol, drugs, or meat. As devotees enter the worship room they approach the Ramayana, which is covered with an embroidered cloth and is kept on a platform covered with a special canopy. Each devotee kneels before the Ramayana and makes their offering of prayer and money. It is not essential that devotees offer money and some may wish to donate food towards the langar. The devotees then retreat to find a place to sit down. Usually a picture of Valmiki is placed in front of the Ramayana to help focus concentration and incense sticks are lit to purify the air.
Everyone sits on the floor to show that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, regardless of whether they come from a rich or poor background, but men and women usually sit separately. The women tend to sit on the left side of the room while the men sit on the right. There is no Balmiki religious significance for this except for Sikh traditional influence on the community.
There is no special day for worship during the week, but since work restricts one’s availability for worship, most Balmikis attend the ashram on Sundays. Devotees are at liberty to come and go at any time during the Puja service, which usually lasts about three hours.
The Puja begins by everyone standing up to say a prayer which is called the Ardas, then the Priest (Pujari) begins to read sections of the Ramayana. At short intervals reading from the Ramayana will stop and devotees will be called to the platform to preach and sing hymns. At the end of the puja the whole congregation will stand and say a prayer called the Arthi. The Arthi is followed by the distribution of Karah Prashad, which is made from flour, sugar, butter and water. Karah Parshad is given to each devotee who has come to hear the Ramayana. The food is taken from one bowl only and is a symbol of unity.
Eventually, all the devotees will congregate in the langar hall, for a meal, for which no one has to pay. All are welcome to share the langar, which is always vegetarian. Sharing of food together is designed to unite people from all sections of the society and to promote equality between all human beings.
In some ashrams, a Guru Granth Sahib is kept alongside the Ramayana and Mazhabi Sikhs worship together with Balmikis.
Ardas
The Balmiki Ardas is read standing facing the Ramayana. Translation as follows:
Oh Lord we stand before you and pray, we beg for your protection.
Bless us to call upon you with every breath we take and beg you to protect us from all sins, guide us so that we always prey to you.
Bless us so that we always do good deeds Oh Lord and Creator of all things.
Bless us with peace of mind and infinite wisdom, show us the way of righteousness so our soul be cleansed.
Bless us so that we never forget you teaching Oh Lord and that we shall sing you praises, light candles and incense, Oh Lord those who prey to you with all their heart shall go and meet you in heaven.
Oh Lord those who read and listen to your holy scriptures, you are so merciful upon them. Oh Lord we beg you to show us the way so that we can be spared from evil.
Arthi
The Balmiki arthi is read at the end of the reading of the Ramayana. Translation as follows:
Praise Valmiki, praise Lord Valmiki, praise Valmiki Lord of truth, Creator and Provider of the universe
(Chorus)Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)Lord of infinite wisdom, Creator of all worlds, architect of all things.
Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)Lord Valmiki, you are the beginning, you are eternity, Oh Lord my provider you are perfection.
Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)Oh merciful Lord, you are the healer of all ills. Rama prays to you always.
Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)Oh Lord you wrote yoga Vasistha and the Ram Charitar (Ramayana) by your holy hands for the world to listen and rid of all its troubles.
Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)Lord those who sings your praise and hymns daily, you will give them all their hearts desire.
Praise Valmiki
(Chorus)
Marriage
Marriage is regarded as being very important for Balmikis, as the essence of the Ramayana revolves around Rama and Sita and their trials and tribulations before and after wedlock. Balmiki marriages are a mixture of culture, tradition, and religion and are known as Vedic marriages (fire in the center of 4 pots). They are traditionally arranged but there is no religious significances for this.
The wedding ceremony usually takes place in the ashram under a special canopy. The marriage vows are performed by a pujari who reads the four special verses from the Ramayana and at the end of each verse the bride and the groom are expected to take steps around a sacred fire or Agni Havan to bless their marriage. It is important to realize that Balmiki weddings need not take place in the ashram, but can take place wherever the Ramayana is present.
There is often an engagement ceremony prior to the wedding ceremony, during which both families gather and exchange gifts. However, just before friends and relatives visit the bride and groom and often they will bring presents which usually take the form of cloths, gold, jewelry, money, coconuts, or sugar.
For both the bride and groom often the events before the wedding day are very similar, for instance three days before the wedding day the mum will draw a circle on the ground. This circle usually consists of flour, water and a piece of wood is then placed in the middle of the circle. It is believed that by doing this it will enable the couple to have the children they desire.
Now the bride will sit on the wood while friends and relatives hold a red headscarf over her head. This is then followed by the chanting of traditional marriage songs and in turn friends and relatives will brush some oil and turmeric on to her hair.
At the end of this ceremony the mother will make five hand prints on the wall, in the belief that this will bring good luck to the marriage. Traditionally the bride to be decorated with patterns drawn in Henna on her hands and feet. There is no religious significance for this and it is merely part of the pomp and pageantry of wedding.
The bride wears red, which can take one of two forms, a red sari or a shalwar kameez (trousers and tunic) and a red headscarf as well as gold jewellery. There are no such dress restrictions on the groom, who has the option of western or traditional Indian dress.
On the morning of the marriage day the bride and groom will take a bath to wash out the oil and herbs which were brushed into their hair. Eventually the families of the bride and groom will meet at the ashram, where the Pujari will say a prayer to bless both families. This will then lead to the introduction of the family members, beginning with the introduction of the fathers and the exchange of garland. The wedding ceremony finally draws to a conclusion when the couple visit bride’s home before they leave for the groom’s family.
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
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