Valmiki the author
see also
slokavālmīki
| (H2) | vālmīki [p= 946,3] [L=192212]
m. |
(incorrectly vālmiki) N. of the celebrated author of the rāmā*yaṇa (so called , according to some , because when immersed in thought he allowed himself to be overrun with ants like an anthill ; he was no doubt a Brahman by birth and closely connected with the kings of ayodhyā ; he collected the different songs and legendary tales relating to rāma-candra and welded them into one continuous poem , to which later additions may have been made ; he is said to have invented the śloka metre , and probably the language and style of Indian epic poetry owe their definite form to him ; according to one tradition he began life as a robber , but repenting be took himself to a hermitage on a hill in the district of Banda in Bundelkund , where he eventually received sītā , the wife of rāma , when banished by her husband ; cf. IW. 314 ; 315 &c ) MBh. R. &c
| [L=192213] |
of a son of |
garuḍa MBh.
| [L=192214] |
of a grammarian |
TPra1t.
| [L=192215] |
N. |
of the authors of various works (the yoga-vāsiṣṭha , the adbhuta-rāmāyaṇa , and the gaṅgāṣṭaka) Cat.
| [L=192216] |
(with |
kavi) of the son of rudra-maṇi tri-pāṭhin and author of the ramalendu-prakāśa ib.
From Wikipedia:
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[8]
You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity
For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting[9]
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.He is the god of nayaka community
| 8^ | Sacred-Texts.com IAST encoded transliteration (modified from original source to accurately reflect sandhi rules)
| 9^ | Buck, William and van Nooten, B. A. Ramayana. 2000, page 7
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