Maharishi Valmiki is known as the precursor poet of Sanskrit literature. He is known as ADIKAVI for composing the great Indian epic RAMAYANA. He is the harbinger poet, who is believed to come up with the format of SHOLKA. He is a contemporary of Lord RAM(The first hero of Indian mythology). Menen claims Valmiki is “the first author in all history to bring himself into his own composition.
EARLY LIFE
Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma or Ratnakar to a Brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Brighu gotra. While playing in the forest, he got lost. He was founded by hunters, who adopted him and raised him. Ratnakar became an accomplished hunter.
After reaching marriageable age, he married to girl from a hunters family. He became the father of too many children. As his family expanded, it became difficult for him to meet the end. As a result, he took to robbery and began looting travelers who passed by his area.
The transformation from Dacoit to Sage or Ratnakar to Maharishi Valmiki
Once Maharishi Narad(Son of god Bramha) wandering around his area. Ratnakar attacked Narada and tried to rob him.
Maharishi Narada asked Ratnakar, Why are you committing sin of robbing people.
Ratnakar- To feed my family
Maharishi Narada- Go and ask your family members if they will also share the sins you are committing to take care of them.
Ratnakar tied Maharshi Narada to the tree and went home to ask his family. He was broken with the response because no one wants to share his sin. Ratnakar asked Narada the right path of salvation.
Maharshi Narada asked him to chant the name of Lord Ram. As His mind is full of looting and hunting people, he is not able to Pronounce the name. So, Narada asked Ratnakara to pronounce ‘Rama’ backward as ‘Mara‘. Ratnakar started chanting Mara as Narad muni asked him to do.
While Ratnakara was sitting still and meditating for years and chanting, ants covered his body with mud to build their nest. Lord Brahma appeared before him and was happy to see his dedication. He blessed him with the name “Valmiki”. Valmiki comes from the root word Valmika that is Anthill.
If a person’s will power is with him, then he can do any work with great ease. Willpower and determination make a man a king from rank and a great wise man to an ignorant one.
His first Shloka composition
Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily chores. 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 a crane couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly male bird hit by an arrow and died on the spot. The female bird cried out in sorrow at the sight of its dead companion. 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 and he cried out,
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥‘
meaning
You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity
For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting
Ramayana composition
After uttering his first shloka, he returned to his ashram. Lord Brahma again appeared before him and blessed him. He gave him the task of writing the Ramayana. And thus, MAHARISHI VALMIKI composed the great epic Ramayana.
Ramayana comprises of 24,000 shlokas and seven cantos (kaṇḍas). The Ramayana is composed of about 480,002 words. The Ramayana tells the story of a prince Rama of the city of Ayodhya in the Kingdom of Kosala, whose wife Sita is abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka.
Do you know? While composing Ramayana, Mata Sita With their Children Luv and Kush Visited his ashram. On completion of Ramayana, He taught it to Luv and Kush who sang the epic poem and spread its glory far and wide.
