As we all know Valmiki Maharshi is the great author of the greatest epic in Hindu Dharma 'The Ramayana'.
But who is this Valmiki Maharshi?
According to great sources in Ramayana (from his great self by Valmiki) and the Bhagavata, (which was seen by KrishnaDwaipaayana maharshi or the Vyaasa Maharshi who wrote another greatest epic 'Jayam' or later known as 'The Mahabhaarata') portrays that Brahmaa who is the son of lord Vishnu when he decided the Genesis of life on earth as per the direction of his father, he created human beings who are called 'Manasa Putras' to begin life on the mortal world.
One among those sons was 'Prachetas', who was well versed in the Four Vedas, and the Vedaanta or the Upanishat. Prachetas had ten sons known as 'Praachetasaha', who he trained on the Vedas and the Vedaanta and was a great sage at the ashram having several disciples.
One among the 'Praachetasaha' is our Valmiki maharshi who writes the great epic by the advice of Narada Brahmarshi and blessings of Brahma Deva.
Valmiki Maharshi being a great sage is being misrepresented by some who have written wrong stories without originally studying the great epic written by him.
Some mention that he was a hunter tribe and have build some embarrassing stories to let down the great sage. It is not that sect to which he belonged to, he is the grandson of lord Brahma, the creator of the universe.
I would like to call out to all intellectuals please read the original 'Ramayana' from our 'Praachetasa' or the 'Valmiki' maharshi and the 18 Puranas from 'Krishna Dwaipayana' or the 'Paarashara' (Son of sage Parashara) or the 'Vyaasa Maharshi' first before making a comment on this great sage who gave a great epic to the world.
I think the story about him being a hunter and not being a brahmin, is more in terms to say - that enlightenment is not the property of just a few people. Anyone can achieve enlightenment, one need not be a brahmin or a learned man. Even the most downtrodden man can reach God, if there is the passion and the will to do so. IMHO, that story is anything but embarassing. It tells us about our foundations. It is not the birth that determines the caste but the actions of the individual.
ReplyDeleteIf enlightenment is the case, then we have other examples. Why Valmiki? One should simply agree that the kind of knowledge to write such a wonderful epic, can only be achieved by the creator sect. Maharshi Vyaasa also portrays his birth and he mentions as to how he was born to Satyavati by the blessings of the great sage 'Paraashara' who is again the Brahma manasa putra.
DeleteAnd this bad story (which is not written either by Valmiki Maharshi in his Ramayana or the Vyasa maharshi in his 'Mahabharata' epics, where the existence of the world is described and how great people were created) is in vogue for a while now. So, one cannot create a story of a great sage without studying what is written in the original. God is not one's property. Bhagavan Sri Krishna proclaims in his preachings to Arjuna in the 'Bheeshma Parva', where the 700 verses preachings were taken out and named as 'Bhagavadgita' by the later rishis, that he can be seen in the all greatest souls and gives a list where one can just bow to it. He then also proves in his verses as to how he can be seen in all and is present in all and when the light emerges in a few, how one (normal beings like us) can see him through them. Valmiki is such a Maharshi who has got the 'Brahma Sakshatkaara' and one should respect that by reading the original 'kruti' given by him, which clearly showcases what he is.
Krishna already mentions in the same parva that the caste will be determined only by the Karma. So, if a Brahmin by birth is ruling a 'State' or the 'Country' he/she would be a 'Kshatriya' and not 'Brahmin' as such. Irrespective of any religion, one can just agree to this point.
Even Wikipedia (which has sidelined the Britannica as the online encyclopedia) publishes this embarassing story of Valmiki being the son of 'Sumali' and known as 'ratnakara' who was a dacoit etc, and his Ramayana shloka would start with 'Ma nishada prathishtitaam....', but the real shloka which opens the door of 'Ramayana' is the one that I'm using as the tagline on top of this blog. 'Tapasswadhyaaya niratam tapasvi vaagvidaamvaram'. 'One cannot and should not defame others. Their Karma takes care of them eventually.' That's what Upanishat says. Whoever has written that bad story about that Ratnakara, haven't read Upanishat and then the original epics written by the great sages, before even writing that nonsense.
The moral here is, before having an opinion, one should read and appreciate the creations of great sages and then try to imbibe some of the greatest qualities they had. If that can't be done, just be silent, they can't defame others and that too the great sage 'Valmiki'.
well, that always depends, doesnt it? what was true once, becomes untrue later. I cannot argue the scriptures or the upanishats, but all I can say is this - to me, it is a simple story told to children. It was told to me too by my grandparents. My grandfather, used this story to tell me that even a word "mara" ('tree' in kannada) has the essence of God in it. Even a small humble man, can do wonders if he wants to. It instilled the sense of being able to correct mistakes, at no matter what stage, and it instilled the sense of being able to do what you wanted - if only you believed in it. I guess, it isnt the story, but the takeaway from the story that really is important. again, IMHO!
DeleteAbsolutely, even my grandparents told me this story and I believed in it when I was a kid. But I always had a question that if one can tell 'mara', why can't the same say 'Rama', its just the same letters but interchanged. Also, there were many stuff told by my grand parents which they didn't know or didn't have the expertise to read the original scripts. I always respect their way or creating enthusiasm in us. However, I also understand that they were told those stories and they believed in wrong story, which isn't present in the original. Hence, my urge to all intellectuals is to start reading the original scripts so the fact is understood and we don't pass on wrong stories to the next gen when they ask questions. If someone asks a question about it, we can always tell them to read the original scripts or direct them to that, so they read it and won't comment on it further.
DeleteFinally, IMHO and manytimes as a rule, what one thinks as great might not be even good to other person. However, one should read it first before even talking about it. If my Grandparents would've been alive, I would've definitely showed and read the original scripts, which would've definitely made them proud about our culture and the greatness of Lord Rama, and the script magnificance as written by the Maharshi Valmiki. Unfortunately, they aren't around with me now. However, what is in my hands, is to tell the right thing to my son and to my dearest as to what this great sage has given to us as a great gift of life.