Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Valmiki included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Vālmīki
A hermit who was the first among poets and the author of Rāmāyaṇa.
General information.
Knowledge about this hermit who was the first among the poets of Bhārata, is scanty. So we have to depend mainly on some hearsay for the life history of this sage.
It is said that Vālmīki was the tenth son of Varuṇa. But in his younger age he fell into the hands of wicked people and became a wicked man, like his friends. Then his name was not Vālmīki. Being a father, he had to support his family. For this purpose he used to plunder travellers. Once he happened to catch the Saptarṣis (the seven hermits) who passed by that way. The hermits asked him whether his wife and children would share the sins he had incurred by plundering. The plunderer could not answer that unexpected question. He ran home and asked his wife and children if they would share the sins incurred by him. They were not prepared to do so. In a moment his life underwent a thorough change. He ran to the Saptarṣis and knelt before them. They imparted to the forester, knowledge of the Vedas. The forester sat under a tree and began to sing 'Rāma Rāma.' Days and months and years passed, unknown to him. He did not know that white ants had built a shelter above him. After several years the Saptarṣis returned by that way. They broke the ant-hill and took the hermit out. Because he came out of Valmīka or white-ant-hill he came to be known as Vālmīki. He built his hermitage on the bank of the river Tamasā and lived there with his disciples. It was at this place that he composed the famous poem Rāmāyaṇa. (For further details see under Rāmāyaṇa).
Other details.
(1) Vālmīki shines in the palace of Indra. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 16).
(ii) Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Udyoga Parva, Chapter 83, Stanza 27, that Vālmīki met Śrī Kṛṣṇa who was going to Hastināpura as a messenger of the Pāṇḍavas.
(iii) Sātyaki recited a poem composed by Vālmīki, after having killed Bhūriśravas in the Bhārata-battle. (Mahābhārata Droṇa Parva, Chapter 143, Stanza 57).
(iv) Vālmīki told Yudhiṣṭhira of the benefits of his devotion to Śiva. (Mahābhārata Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 18, Stanza 8).