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{{short description|Legendary Indian poet, author of the Ramayana}}
{{IndicText}}
{{about|the Indian sage|the Indian caste community|Valmiki caste|other uses}}
]
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'''] Valmiki''' (]: वाल्मिकी, ''vālmikī'') is the author of the ] epic ].
{{Pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
| honorific-prefix = ]
| works = '']''<br>'']''<br>]
| birth_name = Agni Sharma
| image = Valmiki Ramayana.jpg
| religion = ]
| caption = Sage Valmiki composing the '']''
| title =
| known_for = Composing the ''Ramayana''<br>] of ] and ]<br>] of ]
| movement = ] movement called ] is based on Valmiki's teachings
| father = Pracheta
| honors = {{Plainlist|
* Adi Kavi
* Maharishi
}}
| lineage = Rama Mantraraj<ref>{{cite book|author=Srinivasha Shastri|title=Ramayana of Valmiki-With Three Ancient Commentaries-: Tilaka of Rama, Ramayanasiromani of Sivasahaya and Bhusana of Govindaraja|url=https://archive.org/details/ValmikiRamayanaWithThreeCommentaries/page/n28/mode/1up?view=theater|pages=9}}</ref> (mentioned by Govindaraja)
}}


'''Valmiki''' ({{IPAc-en|v|ɑː|l|ˈ|m|iː|k|i}};<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305015729/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/valmiki |date=5 March 2016 }}. '']''.</ref> {{langx|sa|वाल्मीकि|Vālmīki}}, {{IPA|sa|ʋɑːlmiːki|}}){{efn-ua|Valmiki is also known by devotees as Balmiki, Lal Beg and Bala Shah.<ref name="ISD2000"/><ref name="O'Brien2006">{{cite book |last1=O'Brien |first1=John |title=The Construction of Pakistani Christian Identity |date=2006 |publisher=Research Society of Pakistan |isbn=978-969-425-096-0 |page=125 |language=en}}</ref>}} was a legendary poet who is celebrated as the traditional author of the epic '']'', based on the attribution in the text itself.<ref name="ISD2000">{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes |date=2000 |publisher=Institute for Sustainable Development |isbn=978-81-261-0655-4 |page=479 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Golgman1">{{cite book | author = Valmiki, Robert P. Goldman | title = {{IAST|The Ramayana of Valmiki}}: An Epic of Ancient India | volume = 1 | publisher = Princeton University Press | year = 1990 | pages = | isbn = 0-691-01485-X | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/ramayanaofva01valm/page/14 }}</ref> He is revered as ''Ādi Kavi'', the first poet, author of ''Ramayana'', the first epic poem.
Benjamin Walker in “HINDU WORLD” an Encyclopedia Survey of Hinduism believes that Bhagwan Valmik was of the Naga clan. The Nagas were another Aryan group of India. Other sages such as Patanjali was of the Naga clan (his son was Nagaputra.) Valmikis believe that they are the decendents of Nagas.


The ''Ramayana'', originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 ]s and seven ]s (kaṇḍas).<ref>{{cite web |title=Valmiki Ramayan |url=https://valmikiramayan.net/ |website=valmikiramayan.net |publisher=Desiraju Hanumanta Rao & K. M. K. Murthy |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=13 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913082833/https://www.valmikiramayan.net/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The {{IAST|Ramayana}} is composed of about 480,002 words, being a quarter of the length of the full text of the '']'' or about four times the length of the '']''. The ''Ramayana'' tells the story of a prince, ] of the city of ] in the ], whose wife ] is abducted by ], the demon-king (]) of ]. The scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE,{{sfn|Goldman|1984|p=20–22}}<ref name="Mumbai mirror">{{cite web|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/was-ram-born-in-ayodhya/articleshow/77380259.cms|title=Was Ram born in Ayodhya|first=Devdutt|last=Pattanaik|website=mumbaimirror|date=8 August 2020|access-date=8 August 2020|archive-date=14 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814150318/https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/was-ram-born-in-ayodhya/articleshow/77380259.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> and later stages extending up to the 3rd century CE,<ref name="Brockington1998">{{cite book|author=J. L. Brockington|title=The Sanskrit Epics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HR-_LK5kl18C&pg=PA379|year=1998|publisher=BRILL|isbn=90-04-10260-4|pages=379–}}</ref> although original date of composition is unknown. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.
Bhagwan Valmik wrote the first version of the Ramayana in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. Astronomical analysis place Bhagwan Valmiks work as pre 3000BC, it’s final shape may have been acquired by about 250A.D. He was also the first to codify music.


British satirist ] says that Valmiki was "recognized as a literary genius," and thus was considered, "an outlaw," presumably because of his "],"<ref>Menen, Aubrey (1954). "Introduction", ''The Ramayana'', p.4. Charles Scribner's Sons: New York. {{pre-ISBN}}. {{LCCN|54035716}}.</ref> as part of an "Indian Enlightenment" period.<ref>Menen (1954). "The Indian Enlightenment", p.9.</ref> Valmiki is also quoted as being the contemporary of Rama. Menen claims Valmiki is "the first author in all history to bring himself into his own composition."<ref>Menen (1954). "The Heritage of the Gluttons", p.81.</ref>
He also wrote the Maha-Ramayana which is also known as the Yogavasistha. The Yogavasistha consists of 32,000 verses. The Yogavasista is a philosophy of life and the means of salvation( Jiwan Mukti). The Yogavasista is popular with Yogis, Monks or ordinary people who seek salvation, piece of satisfaction in their lives.


== Early life ==
The word Bhagwan has come to mean a man of great religious wisdom. The Ramayana is divided in to seven books and contains 24,000 couplets. The first and last books were added later to the original version of Valmiks Ramayana.
] at the white-bearded Valmiki's hermitage]]Valmiki was born as '''Agni Sharma''' to a ] named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of ] gotra.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sages, Nymphs, and Deities: Excursions in Indian Mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DInXAAAAMAAJ&q=agnisharma|publisher=The Author|year=1998|author=Vishwanath S. Naravane|page=86}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=History of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7gOBW8oDFgC|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=2006|page=720|isbn = 9788126906154}}</ref> According to legend he once met the great sage ] and had a discourse with him on his duties. Moved by Narada's words, Agni Sharma began to perform penance and chanted the word "Mara" which meant "die". As he performed his penance for several years, the word became "Rama",{{efn|"mara" repeated several times is -maramaramaramaramaramaramara- which may be read - as well as pronounced - as ramaramaramaramaramaramarama.}} a name of the god Vishnu. Huge anthills formed around Agni Sharma and this earned him the name of Valmiki. Agni Sharma, rechristened as Valmiki, learnt the scriptures from Narada and became the foremost of ascetics, revered by everyone.


There also exist some legends about Valmiki having been a thief before turning into a rishi. The Nagara Khanda of the ] in its section on the creation of Mukhara Tirtha mentions that Valmiki was born a ], with the name of Lohajangha and was a devoted son to his parents. He had a beautiful wife and both of them were faithful to each other. Once, when there was no rain in the region of ], for twelve long years, Lohajangha, for the sake of his hungry family, started robbing people that he found in the forest. In the course of this life he met the seven sages or the ] and tried to rob them as well. But the learned sages felt pity on him and showed him the folly of his ways. One of them, ] gave him a Mantra to meditate upon and the Brahmin turned thief got so engrossed in its recitation that ant-hills came up around his body. When the sages returned and heard the sound of the mantra coming from the ant-hill, they blessed him and said, "Since you achieved great Siddhi seated within a Valmīka (an anthill), you will become well-known in the world as Vālmīki."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Skanda Purana, Nagara Khanda, Chapter 124, Creation of Mukhara Tirtha|url=https://cloudup.com/cYfWSvnuieF|access-date=8 May 2020|archive-date=15 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315224838/https://cloudup.com/cYfWSvnuieF|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Skanda Purana, Part 17, (Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series, Vol. LXV)|url=https://www.abebooks.fr/Skanda-Purana-Part-Ancient-Indian-Tradition/7588930100/bd|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.|year=2002|page=506|access-date=8 May 2020|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030215237/https://www.abebooks.fr/Skanda-Purana-Part-Ancient-Indian-Tradition/7588930100/bd|url-status=live}}</ref>
Bhagwan Valmik was believed to be a great man of wisdom, a sage who could visualise the past, the present, and the future as was clearly demonstrated in the Ramayana.


== The first shloka ==
The Ramayana of Bhagwan Valmik is called the Adikavya( The first poem ) and Bhagwan Valmik( The first poet ).
Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name ] was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the ] 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 saw a ] couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. 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 cried out,


{{poemquote|
He wrote:
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
:aapadaam apahartaaram daataaram sarvasaMpadaam.h .
यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥'
:lokaabhiraamam shriiraamam bhuuyo bhuuyo namaamyaham.h ..
Translation: "''I bow again and again to Sree Rama who removes (all) obstacles and grants all wealth and pleases all.''"
At his hermitage he taught both males and females. He was a man who had great instinct for pure moral living, he was kind and humane and gave shelter to Sita on her banishment.


''mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhā tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ''
Maharishi Valmik is accepted by many indian comunities as the author of the Yoga Vasistha, this particular piece of work was taught to Rama when he was disillusioned with the world in large . The Yoga Vasistha is an incredible piece of text which discusses a wide array of philosphical issues. Moreover, it appears to have been written over 5000 years ago. Further information can be found in Dr Julia Leslies book called "Authority and meaning in indian religions and the case for Valmiki".
''yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam''<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207161728/http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rys/rys1002.htm |date=7 December 2016 }} IAST encoded transliteration (modified from original source to accurately reflect sandhi rules)</ref>


You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity
ABOUT THE RAMAYANA
For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting<ref>Buck, William and van Nooten, B. A. ''Ramayana''. 2000, page 7</ref>
}}


Emerging spontaneously from Valmiki's rage and grief, this couplet is considered the first ] in ]. Valmiki later composed the entire '']'' in the same meter. Valmiki is revered as ''Adi Kavi'' (the first poet); the ''Ramayana'' is revered as the first ] (poem).
Bhagwan Valmik’s Ramayana is one of the great epic poems of India. The Ramayana tells a story unparalleled in qualities and attributes of a literacy work. It is a unique combination of scripture, literature and ethics in one. The Ramayana foretold the fortunes of Rama. The Ramayana was written in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. The appeal of the Ramayana inspired one of India’s greatest poets Rabindranath Tagore to write his first play “The Genius of Valmiki.”


== Role in ''Ramayana'' ==
For Valmikis in India the Ramayana has served to provide a cultural and religious foundation and was the link during colonial rule which labourers took with them when they went from India.
] with ] on the throne, their children ] and ] on their laps. Behind the throne, ], Bharata and ] stand. ] bows to Rama before the throne. Valmiki to the left.]]
Valmiki played an important role in ''Uttarakāṇḍa,'' the last chapter of the epic ''Ramayana''. The ''Uttarakāṇḍa'' may not have been originally worked by Valmiki. The scholars Robert and Sally Goldman, for example, have pointed out: "Much of the narrative focuses on figures other than Rāma and is narrated only indirectly by Vālmīki, being placed in the mouths of other figures such as Agastya."<ref name="uttara">''The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: The Complete English Translation,'' ed. Robert P. Goldman and Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, Princeton Univ. Press, 2021, p. 19. ISBN 978-0-691-20686-8.</ref> It is believed to have been taken up from ''Sesha Ramayana.'' {{citation needed|date=February 2022}} According to the legend, Rama sent Sita to the forest. Sita finds refuge in Sage Valmiki's ashram, where she gives birth to twin boys ] and ]. Lava and Kusha were Valmiki's first disciples, to whom he taught the '']''. ] of the epic also tells the story of Valmiki narrating the Ramayana to Lava and Kusha, who become his disciples.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rao|first1=T. S. Sha ma|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TRnDAgAAQBAJ&q=Lava+kusha|title=Lava Kusha|last2=Litent|date=2014|publisher=Litent|language=en}}</ref>


== Role in ''Mahabharata'' ==
The Ramayana is divided into seven books called Kandas. Each Kanda is divided into several( cantos).
Valmiki was alive during the '']'', and he was one of the many sages that visited ] after the war. He told Yudhisthira the benefits of worshipping ]. Once upon a time, some ascetic possessors of the ] fire{{clarify|date=May 2023}}{{better source needed|date=May 2023}} cursed Valmiki as guilty of ]. 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mahabharata, Book 13: Anusasana Parva: Anusasanika Parva: Section XVIII |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13a018.htm |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=sacred-texts.com |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124160511/https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13a018.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> ]
The books( Kandas ) are called :
1. Balakanda (Interpolation)
2. Ayodhyakanda
3. Aranyakanda
4. Kiskindhakanda
5. Sundarakanda
6. Yuddhakanda
7. Uttarkanda (Interplotation)


==Reincarnation==
Essentially the Ramayana is the story of the Rama and his endeavour to win the hand of Princess Sita. After successfully competing for the hand of Sita in marriage Rama returned to Ayodha. However, at his Kingdom of Ayodha Rama’s step-mother plotted against him and as a result, he was exiled to live in the forest, with Sita and Lakshman Rama’s half brother.
''Vishnudharmottara Purana'' says that Valmiki was born in the ] as a form of ] who composed ''Ramayana'' and that people desirous of earning knowledge should worship Valmiki.<ref>''Mythology of Vishnu and His Incarnations'' by Manohar Laxman Varadpande (2009), p. 166.</ref> He was later reincarnated as ], who composed the '']'', which was the ]-] version of the '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-04|title=When is Tulsidas Jayanti; why is it celebrated?|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/when-is/tulsidas-jayanti-celebrated-1502905999.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=The Statesman|language=en-US|archive-date=9 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709084404/https://www.thestatesman.com/when-is/tulsidas-jayanti-celebrated-1502905999.html|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Pragat Diwas ==
During their stay in the forest the demon King of Lanka, Ravana, sent a beautiful golden deer into the forest. Sita asked Rama to catch it for her. When Rama did not return, Sita asked Lakshman to look for him. Rama had instructed Lakshaman to guard Sita, but on this occasion he disobeyed Rama’s instruction.
{{Main|Pargat Diwas}}


] and ] on both sides of Valmiki, the horse of ] of ] at left corner, and ] on the right corner, at the Valmiki Jayanti celebration at Bihutali, ].]]
Sita was left alone King Ravana appeared before her and he seized her and returned to Sri-Lanka. When Rama and Lakshman returned and found Sita gone, they prepared to rescue her and in doing so inlisted the help of Hanuman. Hanuman, helped Rama to find Sita on returning to Ayodha Rama was crowned King.


The full moon day of Hindu month of ] is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the poet. The day is also known as ] or Valmiki Jayanti, and is a major festival of the followers of the ] religious sect of Hinduism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lakhanpal |first=Ujjwala |date=2021-10-19 |title=Valmiki Jayanti 2021 Date: History, Significance and Puja Timings |url=https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/valmiki-jayanti-2021-history-significance-and-puja-timings |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=TheQuint |language=en-GB |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017163743/https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/valmiki-jayanti-2021-history-significance-and-puja-timings |url-status=live }}</ref>
However, all was not well in Rama’s kingdom as some of Rama’s subjects suspected Sita of being unfaithful for accepting Sita after her living in Ravana’s kingdom. In order to prove himself the ideal King who respects the sentiments of his subjects Rama banished her to the forest. There she was looked after by the hermit Bhagwan Valmik and in his hermitage she gave birth to Luv and Kush.


==Temples==
Rama to prove himself the mightiest of Kings released a horse the capture of which would result in battle with King Rama and his forces.
The ] of Hinduism reveres Valmiki, where he is also known as '''Lal Beg''' or '''Bala Shah''', as a ] saint, with a plethora of ] (temples) dedicated to him.<ref name="ISD2000"/><ref name="Dalal2014">{{cite book |last1=Dalal |first1=Roshen |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |date=2014 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-277-9 |language=en}}</ref>


In the ] tradition of ], Valmiki is known as and is revered as one of the 18 esteemed ]s of yore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Siddhar Charithiram Vanmikar |url=https://anaadifoundation.org/blog/parnika/siddhar-charithiram-vanmikar |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=anaadi.org/blog |archive-date=19 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419020901/https://anaadifoundation.org/blog/parnika/siddhar-charithiram-vanmikar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Ettukudi Murugan Temple, ] is home to his ] ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=18 Siddhars |url=https://soonyata.home.xs4all.nl/18siddhars.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=satsang-darshan.com |archive-date=12 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512081309/https://soonyata.home.xs4all.nl/18siddhars.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
Luv and Kush disciples of Bhagwan Valmik, captured this horse, King Rama’s army led by his half brother Lakshman was defeated by the two brothers.


An area in ], ] 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archive News|url=https://www.thehindu.com/archive/|access-date=2020-11-28|website=The Hindu|language=en|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105105627/https://www.thehindu.com/archive/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Maharishi Valmiki temple|url=http://www.columbuslost.com/2015/01/maharishi-valmiki-temple-at.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019124953/https://www.columbuslost.com/2015/01/maharishi-valmiki-temple-at.html|archive-date=2019-10-19|access-date=2020-11-28|website=Columbo Post}}</ref>
On discovering that Luv and Kush had destroyed members of their own family Bhagwan Valmik sprinkled holy water called ‘Amrit’ onto the whole army and brought them back to life again.


Shree Valmiki Mata Maha Samsthana is a temple dedicated to Valmiki in Rajanahalli, ].
Valmikis have a close link with the Sikh Golden Temple. Bhagwan Valmik’s role in the foundation of the Golden Temple in Amritsar is commemorated by him burying the pot of healing ‘Amrit’ that would give rise to the holy lake on which the Golden Temple would be built.


], a site considered to be the original ashram of Valmiki, is located in ] of ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=माडीको मणि वाल्मीकि आश्रम चेपुवामा |url=https://www.karobardaily.com/news/34709 |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=Karobar Daily |language=en |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017163000/https://www.karobardaily.com/news/34709 |url-status=live }}</ref> The site is near the ] pilgrimage site.<ref>{{Cite web |title=चितवनको वाल्मीकिको साधनाभूमि र सीता आएर बसेको स्थल वाल्मीकि आश्रम Nepalpatra |url=https://nepalpatra.com/visit/98712/ |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=nepalpatra.com |date=5 June 2020 |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017163003/https://nepalpatra.com/visit/98712/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
ASHRAMS


== In popular culture ==
For Valmikis the place of worship is known as the Ashram. The Ashram means a hermitage or monastery. It is the communal house for devotees of the Bhagwan.
Several Indian films have been made on the life of the poet, beginning with G. V. Sane's ''Valmiki'' (1921); it was followed by Surendra Narayan Roy's ''Ratnakar'' (1921), ]'s ''Valmiki'' (1946), ]'s ''Valmiki'' (1946), ]'s '']'' (1946), ]'s '']'' (starring ] 1963) and '']'' (starring ]; 1963), and Arvind Bhatt's ''Sant Valmiki'' (1991).<ref>{{cite book|author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha|author2=Paul Willemen|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&pg=PT315|year=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-94318-9|page=315}}</ref><ref name="oberoi">{{cite LIIofIndia|litigants=Suresh Oberoi and Ors v. Dev Singh Assur and Ors|link=|court=INPBHC|year=1991|num=10311 |parallelcite=|date=1 February 1991|courtname=auto|juris=}}</ref>
The function of the Ashram is to serve as a centre for building up the commitment of devotees and for transmitting the Bhagwan’s message and furthermore, it is the focal point for the whole community and preserves the culture and traditions which inspire children to keep their faith.


Bhatt's film which starred ] in the title role remains unreleased after a case was filed against Oberoi for remarks deemed offensive by members of the ] in India.<ref name="oberoi"/>
All Valmiki Ashrams have a special flag outside to show that it is a place of worship. The bows and arrows represent Bhagwan Valmiks disciples Luv and Kush.
For Valmikis prayer is not restricted to the confines of the ashrams, but can infact take place anywhere as long as the Ramayana is present.


==See also==
However, when an Ashram is not within travelling distance many Valmiki families will have a copy of the Ramayana in a special room at their house which can be used for worship.
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


==Footnotes==
Valmiki Ashrams welcome all who wish to come, anyone who comes to the Ashram is welcome to stay as long as they wish and all are welcome regardless of race, gender, caste or creed.
{{notelist|1}}


== References ==
In Britain Valmiki Ashrams can come in various sizes. Some tend to be specially constructed, whilst others tend to be renovated buildings designed to enable the purpose of worship.
===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=upper-alpha}}


===Citations===
However, when worship is not possible in an Ashram, occasionally Valmikis will hire a public building or use an individuals house as a Ashram. All Valmiki Ashram have common features. For instance, the place of worship is always a special room and as well as this there are a number of other rooms set aside for special services. There is a Langer hall where all devotees congregate for a meal, the community kitchen where devotees help to prepare food for the Langer. A classroom/library where the Ramayana is stocked for study and is used for teaching children.
{{reflist}}


===Sources===
A music room where musical instruments i.e. Tabla, Dholki etc are taught and hymns are practiced for worship. Finally, there is a special area for shoes and washing. All Valmikis follow certain rules of conduct and before entering the worship room everyone is expected to remove their shoes as a sign of respect and also because shoes are considered to collect dirt and since the Ashram is a place of cleanliness they must be removed.
* {{Cite book | last = Goldman | first = R. P. | title = The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume I: Balakāṇḍa | year = 1984 | publisher = Princeton University Press | jstor = j.ctt1gsmwgz | url = http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1gsmwgz | access-date = 7 January 2024}}


== External links ==
Furthermore as devotees enter the worship room they approach the Ramayana .
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Each devotee kneels and makes their offering of prayer. The devotees then retreat to find a place to sit down.
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Everyone sits on the floor to show that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, regardless whether they are from a poor or rich background.
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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 Pujari( Preist) begins to read sections of the Ramayana and the Yogavasista. At the end of the Puja the whole congregation will stand up and say a prayer called the Arti.
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{{Portal bar|Hinduism|Biography|Mythology|Writing|Poetry|Arts}}{{Rishis of Hindu mythology}}
{{Ramayana}}


{{Authority control}}
The Arti is followed by the distribution of Karah Prashad. Karah Prashad is given to each devotee which is taken from one bowl only and is a symbol of unity.


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Eventually all the devotees congregate in the Langer Hall, for a meal, which none has to pay for. This sharing of food together is designed to unite people from all sections of society and to promote equality between all human beings.
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Finally, Valmikis in their endeavour to promote peace and equality between other religions will on occasions keep a copy of other holy books in the Ashram.
For instance, in Coventry the Valmiki Ashram has a copy of Bhagwan Valmik’s Ramayana as well as a copy of the Sikh holy book the Guru Granth Sahib. Here Valmikis and Valmiki Sikhs called Majbi Sikhs, worship side by side under one roof.

ARDAS

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 pray to you.

Bless us 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 sole be cleansed.

Bless us so that we never forget your teaching oh Lord and that we shall sing your praises, light candles and incense, oh Lord those who pray 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.

FESTIVALS

There are a number of religious festivals that Valmikis celebrate.
Dussehra is celebrated in September. Often the celebrations will take place over several days and Bhagwan Valmik’s Ramayana is dramatised to commemorate the occasion.

Diwali is of equal importance for Valmikis and is celebrated in November. The word Diwali means groups of lights. It signifies the return of King Rama to his Kingdom of Ayodhya after his banishment.
Diwali is celebrated by displaying lights in and around the house and fireworks are let off. Celebrations may also be dramatised by enacting the Ramayana.

Sisters day called Rakhi is celebrated in August and this is when sisters tie a thread around their brothers wrist and wish them a long and successful life, in return the brothers will give their sisters presents and promise to protect them.
The thread is meant to represent the special bond between brothers and sisters.

The Flag Ceremony, this takes place once a year. During this ceremony devotees take down the old flag and replace it with a new flag, while other devotees sing hymns and chant prayers. Basically this ceremony denotes the renewal of ones faith in Bhagwan Valmik.

But perhaps the most important event of the year for Valmikis is the birthday celebrations of Bhagwan Valmik. This tends to take place during October, the actual date of the birthday celebrations varies from year to year and is determined by astrological configurations.

Often in India celebrations take place over several days and the whole event is marked by large processions through towns and cities. Once again celebrations are dramatised by enacting the Ramayana of Bhagwan Valmik as well as prayer and devotional hymns.
However, in the U.K. celebrations are restricted to one day because of the constraints of work. It is usually celebrated on Sunday. Events in the U.K. tend to be similar to those in India but on a much smaller scale.

There is a popular misconception amongst Hindus that Bhagwan Valmiki was a dacoit (robber)who lived a low life and later achieved enlightenment when he tried to rob some Brahmin Rishis. Many publications still continue to convey this false message. On the 21st February 2000 a similar claim was made by a presenter on Radio XL (Birmingham, UK). The long and short it is that Radio XL was taken to the Radio Authority, the complaint against Radio XL was upheld and the case eventually reached the High Court (UK) with a decision in favour of the Valmiki community.

If you would like to know more about Bhagwan Valmiki please visit:

== References ==
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==External links==
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{{Ramayana}}

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Latest revision as of 15:50, 6 November 2024

Legendary Indian poet, author of the Ramayana This article is about the Indian sage. For the Indian caste community, see Valmiki caste. For other uses, see Valmiki (disambiguation).

MaharishiValmiki
Sage Valmiki composing the Ramayana
Personal life
BornAgni Sharma
Parent
  • Pracheta (father)
Notable work(s)Ramayana
Yoga Vasistha
Valmiki Samhita
Known forComposing the Ramayana
Guru of Lava and Kusha
Avatar of Brahma
Honors
  • Adi Kavi
  • Maharishi
Religious life
ReligionHinduism
LineageRama Mantraraj (mentioned by Govindaraja)
MovementDharmic movement called Valmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings

Valmiki (/vɑːlˈmiːki/; Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, romanized: Vālmīki, [ʋɑːlmiːki]) was a legendary poet who is celebrated as the traditional author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text itself. He is revered as Ādi Kavi, the first poet, author of Ramayana, the first epic poem.

The Ramayana, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 shlokas and seven cantos (kaṇḍas). The Ramayana is composed of about 480,002 words, being a quarter of the length of the full text of the Mahabharata or about four times the length of the Iliad. 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 (Rakshasa) of Lanka. The scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages extending up to the 3rd century CE, although original date of composition is unknown. As with many traditional epics, it has gone through a process of interpolations and redactions, making it impossible to date accurately.

British satirist Aubrey Menen says that Valmiki was "recognized as a literary genius," and thus was considered, "an outlaw," presumably because of his "philosophic scepticism," as part of an "Indian Enlightenment" period. Valmiki is also quoted as being the contemporary of Rama. Menen claims Valmiki is "the first author in all history to bring himself into his own composition."

Early life

The youthful sage Narada at the white-bearded Valmiki's hermitage

Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a Brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigu gotra. According to legend he once met the great sage Narada and had a discourse with him on his duties. Moved by Narada's words, Agni Sharma began to perform penance and chanted the word "Mara" which meant "die". As he performed his penance for several years, the word became "Rama", a name of the god Vishnu. Huge anthills formed around Agni Sharma and this earned him the name of Valmiki. Agni Sharma, rechristened as Valmiki, learnt the scriptures from Narada and became the foremost of ascetics, revered by everyone.

There also exist some legends about Valmiki having been a thief before turning into a rishi. The Nagara Khanda of the Skanda Purana in its section on the creation of Mukhara Tirtha mentions that Valmiki was born a Brahmin, with the name of Lohajangha and was a devoted son to his parents. He had a beautiful wife and both of them were faithful to each other. Once, when there was no rain in the region of Anarta, for twelve long years, Lohajangha, for the sake of his hungry family, started robbing people that he found in the forest. In the course of this life he met the seven sages or the Saptarishi and tried to rob them as well. But the learned sages felt pity on him and showed him the folly of his ways. One of them, Pulaha gave him a Mantra to meditate upon and the Brahmin turned thief got so engrossed in its recitation that ant-hills came up around his body. When the sages returned and heard the sound of the mantra coming from the ant-hill, they blessed him and said, "Since you achieved great Siddhi seated within a Valmīka (an anthill), you will become well-known in the world as Vālmīki."

The first shloka

Valmiki was going to the river Ganges 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 saw a crane couple mating. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. 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 cried out,

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥'

mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhā 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 Valmiki's rage and grief, this couplet is considered the first shloka in Sanskrit literature. Valmiki later composed the entire Ramayana in the same meter. Valmiki is revered as Adi Kavi (the first poet); the Ramayana is revered as the first kavya (poem).

Role in Ramayana

Rama with Sita on the throne, their children Lava and Kusha on their laps. Behind the throne, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna stand. Hanuman bows to Rama before the throne. Valmiki to the left.

Valmiki played an important role in Uttarakāṇḍa, the last chapter of the epic Ramayana. The Uttarakāṇḍa may not have been originally worked by Valmiki. The scholars Robert and Sally Goldman, for example, have pointed out: "Much of the narrative focuses on figures other than Rāma and is narrated only indirectly by Vālmīki, being placed in the mouths of other figures such as Agastya." It is believed to have been taken up from Sesha Ramayana. According to the legend, Rama sent Sita to the forest. Sita finds refuge in Sage Valmiki's ashram, where she gives birth to twin boys Lava and Kusha. Lava and Kusha were Valmiki's first disciples, to whom he taught the Ramayana. Bala Kanda of the epic also tells the story of Valmiki narrating the Ramayana to Lava and Kusha, who become his disciples.

Role in Mahabharata

Valmiki was alive during the Mahabharata, and he 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.

Sita in Valmiki hermitage

Reincarnation

Vishnudharmottara Purana says that Valmiki was born in the Treta Yuga as a form of Brahma who composed Ramayana and that people desirous of earning knowledge should worship Valmiki. He was later reincarnated as Tulsidas, who composed the Ramcharitamanas, which was the Awadhi-Hindi version of the Ramayana.

Pragat Diwas

Main article: Pargat Diwas
Idol of Sage Valmiki at center, Lava and Kusha on both sides of Valmiki, the horse of Ashwamedha Yajna of Rama at left corner, and Sita on the right corner, at the Valmiki Jayanti celebration at Bihutali, Duliajan.

The full moon day of Hindu month of Ashvin is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the poet. The day is also known as Pargat Diwas or Valmiki Jayanti, and is a major festival of the followers of the Balmiki religious sect of Hinduism.

Temples

The Balmiki sect of Hinduism reveres Valmiki, where he is also known as Lal Beg or Bala Shah, as a patron saint, with a plethora of mandirs (temples) dedicated to him.

In the Siddhar tradition of Tamil Nadu, Valmiki is known as Vanmeegar and is revered as one of the 18 esteemed Siddhars of yore. The Ettukudi Murugan Temple, Nagapattinam is home to his Jeeva Samadhi.

An area in Chennai, Tiruvanmiyur 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.

In popular culture

Several Indian films have been made on the life of the poet, beginning with G. V. Sane's Valmiki (1921); it was followed by Surendra Narayan Roy's Ratnakar (1921), Ellis Dungan's Valmiki (1946), Bhalji Pendharkar's Valmiki (1946), Sundarrao Nadkarni's Valmiki (1946), C.S.R. Rao's Valmiki (starring Rajkumar 1963) and Valmiki (starring N. T. Rama Rao; 1963), and Arvind Bhatt's Sant Valmiki (1991).

Bhatt's film which starred Suresh Oberoi in the title role remains unreleased after a case was filed against Oberoi for remarks deemed offensive by members of the Valmiki caste in India.

See also

Footnotes

  1. "mara" repeated several times is -maramaramaramaramaramaramara- which may be read - as well as pronounced - as ramaramaramaramaramaramarama.

References

Notes

  1. Valmiki is also known by devotees as Balmiki, Lal Beg and Bala Shah.

Citations

  1. Srinivasha Shastri. Ramayana of Valmiki-With Three Ancient Commentaries-: Tilaka of Rama, Ramayanasiromani of Sivasahaya and Bhusana of Govindaraja. p. 9.
  2. "Valmiki" Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
  3. ^ Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Institute for Sustainable Development. 2000. p. 479. ISBN 978-81-261-0655-4.
  4. O'Brien, John (2006). The Construction of Pakistani Christian Identity. Research Society of Pakistan. p. 125. ISBN 978-969-425-096-0.
  5. Valmiki, Robert P. Goldman (1990). The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India. Vol. 1. Princeton University Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-691-01485-X.
  6. "Valmiki Ramayan". valmikiramayan.net. Desiraju Hanumanta Rao & K. M. K. Murthy. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. Goldman 1984, p. 20–22.
  8. Pattanaik, Devdutt (8 August 2020). "Was Ram born in Ayodhya". mumbaimirror. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  9. J. L. Brockington (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. BRILL. pp. 379–. ISBN 90-04-10260-4.
  10. Menen, Aubrey (1954). "Introduction", The Ramayana, p.4. Charles Scribner's Sons: New York. . LCCN 54-35716.
  11. Menen (1954). "The Indian Enlightenment", p.9.
  12. Menen (1954). "The Heritage of the Gluttons", p.81.
  13. Vishwanath S. Naravane (1998). Sages, Nymphs, and Deities: Excursions in Indian Mythology. The Author. p. 86.
  14. History of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. 2006. p. 720. ISBN 9788126906154.
  15. "The Skanda Purana, Nagara Khanda, Chapter 124, Creation of Mukhara Tirtha". Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  16. The Skanda Purana, Part 17, (Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series, Vol. LXV). Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2002. p. 506. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  17. Sacred-Texts.com Archived 7 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine IAST encoded transliteration (modified from original source to accurately reflect sandhi rules)
  18. Buck, William and van Nooten, B. A. Ramayana. 2000, page 7
  19. The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: The Complete English Translation, ed. Robert P. Goldman and Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, Princeton Univ. Press, 2021, p. 19. ISBN 978-0-691-20686-8.
  20. Rao, T. S. Sha ma; Litent (2014). Lava Kusha. Litent.
  21. "The Mahabharata, Book 13: Anusasana Parva: Anusasanika Parva: Section XVIII". sacred-texts.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  22. Mythology of Vishnu and His Incarnations by Manohar Laxman Varadpande (2009), p. 166.
  23. "When is Tulsidas Jayanti; why is it celebrated?". The Statesman. 4 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  24. Lakhanpal, Ujjwala (19 October 2021). "Valmiki Jayanti 2021 Date: History, Significance and Puja Timings". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  25. Dalal, Roshen (2014). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
  26. "Siddhar Charithiram Vanmikar". anaadi.org/blog. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  27. "18 Siddhars". satsang-darshan.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  28. "Archive News". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  29. "Maharishi Valmiki temple". Columbo Post. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  30. "माडीको मणि वाल्मीकि आश्रम चेपुवामा". Karobar Daily. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  31. "चितवनको वाल्मीकिको साधनाभूमि र सीता आएर बसेको स्थल वाल्मीकि आश्रम Nepalpatra". nepalpatra.com. 5 June 2020. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  32. Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. p. 315. ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9.
  33. ^ Suresh Oberoi and Ors v. Dev Singh Assur and Ors [1991] INPBHC 10311 (1 February 1991), High Court (Punjab and Haryana, India)

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