Valmiki,
also known as Maharishi (Great Sage) and Adi Kavi (First Poet),
- author of the Ramayana,
Origin Stories
Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a Brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigu gotra.
Accounts of Valmiki's life vary. Some legends say he was born a Brahmin named Ratnakar who became a murderous robber. After attempting to rob the sage Narada (or the Seven Sages), he was instructed to recite the mantra "mara" (Rama backward). Legends say that anthills grew around him as he meditated for years, and he was renamed Valmiki after emerging from the anthill (valmika).
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Role in the Ramayana
Valmiki appears in the Ramayana, offering shelter to Rama's wife, Sita, and teaching the Ramayana to their twin sons, Kusha and Lava. The Ramayana narrates the triumph of good over evil and imparts moral and ethical lessons.
In the introductory section of the epic, Valmiki is described as an ascetic who asks fellow sage Narada who the most perfect man is, and Narada responds that Rama fits that description.
Narada then provides a basic synopsis of the epic narrative.
Soon afterward, while performing his ablutions in the Tamasa River, Valmiki sees a pair of krauncha birds (likely referring to sarus cranes) in the midst of mating. (Krauncha birds are known in Sanskrit literature to be monogamous and to mate for life. )
A hunter from a tribal community (nishada) kills the male bird, whereupon the female laments bitterly.
Angered and sorrowful, Valmiki curses the hunter in a verse (Ramayana 1.2.14) that is considered the first shloka (a common type of poetic verse) in Sanskrit literature.
Here is that famous verse in Sanskrit transliteration and in an English translation by scholars Robert Goldman and Sally Sutherland Goldman:
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥'
Since, Niṣāda, you killed one of this pair of krauñcas, distracted at the height of passion, you shall not live for very long.
(You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity)
Valmiki then says that his shloka emerged from his shoka (sorrow or grief) upon witnessing the bird’s death and its mate’s lamentation.
From the seeds of this first shloka, Valmiki then composed the Ramayana in the same meter after being commanded to do so by the god Brahma.
in the final section of Rama’s story, the sage reappears as a part of the plot when Rama’s brother Lakshmana takes Sita to Valmiki’s hermitage for shelter after Rama banishes her.
Sita and Rama’s twin sons, Kusha and Lava, are born in the hermitage.
Valmiki becomes their tutor and teaches them the Ramayana poem that he has composed.
The twin boys later recount Valmiki’s poem to Rama at a sacrifice (yajna).
Valmiki then appears in Rama’s court with Sita, reveals that the twin boys who have been reciting the Ramayana are indeed Rama’s sons, and vouches for Sita’s innocence.
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Valmiki makes a later appearance in an important text in the Indian philosophical tradition.
In the Yogavasishtha (c. 10th century CE) Valmiki recounts the sage Vasishtha’s teachings to teenaged Rama.
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Role in Mahabharata
Valmiki was one of the many sages that visited Yudhisthira after the war.
He told Yudhisthira the benefits of worshipping Shiva.
Once upon a time, some ascetic possessors of the homa fire cursed Valmiki as guilty of brahminicide. The sin possessed him as soon as he was cursed. So he prayed to Shiva and he became cleansed of all his sins. Valmiki told Yudhisthira that he should also pray to Shiva like him.
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In the Balmiki sect Valmiki is known as Lal Beg or Bala Shah, as a patron saint, with a plethora of mandirs (temples) dedicated to him.
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In the Siddhar tradition of Tamil Nadu, Valmiki is known as Vanmeegar and is one of the 18 Siddhars.
(Vanmeegar and Valmiki same
Sri Vaanmeegar’s birth star is Anusham in the Tamil month of Purattasi (September-October). The Siddhar Bogar in his script “Bogar 7000” proclaims that they are one and the same. He says that Vaanmeegar is the name of the siddhar who wrote Valmiki Ramayana (verse 5834.)
He makes a clear distinction between the names Vaanmeegar and Valmiki. Further, in his next song (verse 5835), Bogar says that Vaanmeegar’s age is 700
He also says that Vaanmeegar is a learned scholar in Tamil language.. It is also said that Sri Vaanmeegar (alias Valmiki ) wrote the epic Ramaya on getting the spiritual knowledge from Narada.
He also makes a reference about his samadhi
-located at Ettukudi in Tamil Nadu.)
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Tiruvanmiyur (chennai) is believed to derive its name from Sage Valmiki, Thiru-Valmiki-Oor. There is a temple for Valmiki located in this place, which is believed to be 1300 years old.
Shree Valmiki Mata Maha Samsthana is a temple dedicated to Valmiki in Rajanahalli, Karnataka.
Valmiki Ashram, a site considered to be the original ashram of Valmiki, is located in Chitwan district of Nepal.
The site is near the Triveni Dham pilgrimage site.
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