Prologue Bhagwan Valmiki is the author of the original Ramayana.An anthill grows up around his stiff body and covers it from sight. The years of penance have purged him and he is now Valmiki, he who emerged from the Valmik- the anthill.One day he was walking along a Tamsa riverbank and happened to observe two doves copulating. The charmingly naïve sight made his heart gladden with pleasure, for all Indian saints were intensely aware of the presence of the life force, here manifested most obviously. At the moment an arrow went through those poor birds, shot by a hunter who had no sporting instincts at all but a very good eye for the main chance. Valmiki was appalled at this cruelty and an astonishing sequence of words flowed from his mouth in a great curse
O Hunter! May you ne’er be blest Nor reach the realm of timeless rest. For thou hast rent this krauncha-pair While they were joined in love most rare.
It is the most terrible curse in all literature. "Wretch without mercy, you would not stay your killing hand even for love. Seek therefore all your life, with the intensity and desire of the sexual act, a peace denied to you."
This according to Hindu tradition was the first expression of poetry in the universe- the famous words beginning Ma Nishada Pratishtanta Tvamagamam Shasvati Sama. Poetry therefore is a transforming experience of man, not a gift of the gods. As these unusual words were driven by his grief, or shoka, they came to be called shlokas or verses. Valmiki was instantly aware that he had done something awesome. Words had never been used before like this and they had a power when aligned in rhythmic sequence that never existed in plain speech.
He had a vision or a visit from Brahma, who urged him to use this new skill of his to tell the story to the Rama. That became the great epic poem, the Ramayana and it is only fitting that it is also one of the greatest nature poems ever written too.
Benjamin Walker in “HINDU WORLD” an Encyclopedia Survey of Hinduism believes that Maharishi Valmik was of the Naga or Pre-Aryan birth. The Nagas were the indigenous population of India. Valmikis believe that they are the decedents of Nagas.
Maharishi Valmik wrote the first version of the Ramayana in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. Astronomical analysis place Valmiks work as pre 3000 BC, its final shape may have been acquired by about 250 A.D. he was also the first to codify music.
In addition to this he also wrote the Maha-Ramayana which is also known as the Yoga Vasistha. The Yoga Vasistha consists of 32,000 verses. The Yoga Vasistha is a philosoply of life and the means of salvation (JIWAN MUKTI). The Yoga Vasistha is popular with Yogis, Monks or ordinary people who seek salvation, peace of mind and satisfaction in their lives.
Maharishi Valmik wrote the Ramayana and the Maha-Ramayana (Yoga Vasistha) as one book, but for some unexplained reason at some stage in by-gone years they were separated, one being called The Ramayana and the other Yoga-Vasistha.
The word Maharishi has come to mean a man of great religious wisdom. The Ramayana is divided into seven books and contains 24,000 couplets. The first and last books were added later to the original version of Valmik’s Ramayana.
The later additions to the Ramayana are regarded with some scepticism and apprehension by the Valmiki community and regard them as ruling class ideology designed to shape the perceptions to the public.
Throughout most of Valmik’s Ramayana, Rama is portrayed as a great unique man but above all a human king. But this was to change when according to later additions the status of King Rama was to become the God Vishnu in human form. As a consequence of this Hindu’s now worship Rama and his queen Sita as Gods.
The perspectives of the Valmiki community is very much one which believes that indeed Rama was a King and therefore differs from the vast majority of Hindus.
The perspective of Valmiki community is very much reflected by Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. A close associate of Mahatama Gandhi and the First Governer General of India. In his book “Ramayana” he writes that Rishi Valmik saw Rama not as an incarnation of God but as a great and unique man.
It is important to realize that throughout the book we have often referred to the word Valmikis and the term is used to describe the devotees of Maharishi Valmik.
Maharishi Valmik was believed to be a man of great wisdom, a sage who could visualize the past, the present, and the future as was clearly demonstrated in the Ramayana.
The Ramayana of Maharishi Valmiki is called the Adikavya (The first Poem) and Maharishi Valmik (The first Poet). Very little is known about the life of Maharishi Valmik, but it is thought that he lived in his own hermitage on the bank of the river Tamsa.
At his hermitage he taught both males and females. He was man who had an instinct for pure moral living, he was kind and humane and gave shelter to Sita on er banishment.
