Valmiki

Valmiki Biography

Valmiki is also referred as Adi Kavi (First poet) who wrote the oldest epic of Hindu mythology, Ramayana in Sanskrit. He was a harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. He is credited to write slokas (lines of poem) first, the base of Sanskrit poetry. Ramayana consists of 23,000 slokas with 7 cantos (phases or stages) including Uttara kandam. Ramayana tells the story of Prince Rama, his wife Sita and Ravana who abducts Sita. Rama and Sita are deeply rooted to Indian culture and civilization and the idols of worship for Hindus. It’s believed that Rama was born in Ayodhya. Ramayana is dated variously from 500 BC to 100 BC and co-eval with first phase of Mahabharata. As per Hindu mythology, Rama was born on Thretha Yuga and Krishna during Dwapara Yuga.

Valmiki is also quoted to be the contemporary of Rama. According to Ramayana, when Rama left Sita to forest, Valmiki protected her. She gave birth to Luv and Kush in Valmiki’s ashram. Valmiki was the guru of the siblings as per Hindu mythology. Both were his first disciples. It’s believed that Valmiki was born as a fisherman. He lost his way in the forest and later brought up by a hunter family. His name was Ratnakaran then. He too brought up as a hunter and he was a thief too. He robbed people to earn a living.

One day, he saw the seven sages walking through the forest and jumped in front of them. They were none other than Saptha Rishis. He asked them to give all their possessions. They asked him, why he is doing such a heinous act. When he replied that it’s for the family, Rishis sent him to his wife to ask her if she also owns a part of his sins as he is doing for the family. But she replied no. In her opinion only he is to tolerate all its sins. This single answer changed the cruel mind of the hunter and returned back to Saptha Rishis. He asked pardon and seek help to get out of his sins. As suggested, he began to chant the name of Rama.

The first poem was ‘Manushadha’ uttered by his lips when he saw the second bird too, hunted by a hunter. Valmiki witnessed the killing of its soul mate and he couldn’t tolerate the same sin again. Thus the first poem was born!

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Updated: November 19, 2013