Valmiki
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According to Hinduism and Hindu mythology, Valmiki is the name of a famous rishi (sage).. The Hindu tradition states that Valmiki wrote the Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of the two most famous Hindu epics, the other is the Mahabharata.
There is a story about Valmiki. Rishi Narada found him in a forest. Narada advised and guided Valmiki to change his life, and to do good things. At this, Valmiki changed his life. He became a great poet, and wrote the Ramayana, the life story of Rama, a god of Hindus.
In the original Valmiki Ramayana, Valmiki wrote that Rama was nothing more than a ideal human being.
However, Brahminical reshaping of the Ramayana eventually presented Rama as a supreme deity.
The first stage includes the composition of books 2 - 6 sometime in the fifth century BCE and their oral transmission up to and including the forth century BCE. The presentation of Rama as essentially human hero.
The second stage extends from the third century BCE to the first century CE, during which time those five books were reworked and expanded. This period brings greater status for the king, for most of this period, Rama is viewed as an ethical human.
The third stage extends from the first to the third century CE, bringing with it the addition of book 1 (‘The book of childhood’) and the some what later book 7 (epilogue).
This stage is marked by the presentation of Rama as an avatar of Vishnu. This stage also produced a pronounced emphasis on Varna- Dharma: Sambuka, the Sudra ascetic, is killed by Rama in order to bring a Brahmin boy back to life.
For more information about Bhagwan Valmiki please go to[1]
When Sita had to go out of Ayodhya, Valmiki gave her shelter. There she give birth to her twins, named Kusha and Lava. Valmiki taught the two children.
[change] See also
- Rishi
- Kashyapa
- Atri
- Vashitha
- Vishvamitra
- Gautam
- Jamdagni
- Bharadvaja
[change] Reference
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0500510881) by Anna Dallapiccola
