Vaanmeegar
Perhaps the greatest poet India has ever had, the life history of Valmiki Siddhar (Valmiki Rishi or Valmiki muni) is a roller-coaster ride. The variations that this saint has had in life are beyond anyone's imagination. Born in the Naga clan, the details of Valmiki's life are not very clear as there no written records. He was the author of Ramayana, one of the greatest epics of India. The Ramayana tells the story of Prince Rama of Ayodhya who always stuck to his morals and emerged triumphant in the battle fought with demon king Ravana. The biography of Valmiki is an intriguing one and the exact dates of existence aren't known. Valmiki was not always a saint. He was an infamous bandit who killed many people by the time he reached his 30's. One day, he was touched by an act of love between two birds and that transformed his personality drastically. He realized the power of speech he had in him and the ability to create rhythmic verses. He then had a divine vision of Brahma, who urged Valmiki to use this potential to the maximum and write the story of Ramayana. Thus began the preparation of one of the most sacred and revered epics of India. The poetry and language used in Ramayana is commendable and unmatched. To know more about Valmiki, continue to read this insightful biography on him.
Maharishi Valmiki was born as Ratnakara to sage Prachetasa. At a very young age, Ratnakara went into the forest and got lost. A hunter, who was passing by, saw Ratnakara and took him under his own care. Under the love and care of his foster parents, Ratnakara forgot his original parents. Under his father's guidance, Ratnakara turned out to be an excellent hunter. As he approached marriageable age, Ratnakara was married to a beautiful girl from hunter's family.
Turning into a Robber As his family grew larger, Ratnakara found it next to impossible to feed them. As a result, he took to robbery and began looting people passing from one village to another.
Early Life
Meeting with Narada and Transformation
One day, the great sage Narada, while passing through the jungle, was attacked by Ratnakara. As Narada played his Veena and sang praises of the Lord, he saw a transformation coming over Ratnakara. Then, he asked Ratnakara whether the family, for whom he was robbing others, will partake in his sins also. Ratnakara went to ask the same question to his family and on being refused by all his family members, he went back to sage Narada. Narada taught him the sacred name of 'Rama' and asked him to sit in meditation, chanting the name of Rama, till the time Narada came back.
Ratnakara followed the instructions and kept sitting in a meditative posture for years, during which his body got completely covered by an anthill. At last, Narada came to see him and removed all the anthills from his body. Then, he told Ratnakara that his tapasya (meditation) paid off and the God was pleased with him. Ratnakara was bestowed with the honor of a Brahmarshi and given the name of Valmiki, since he was reborn from the Valmika (the ant-hill). Sage Valmiki founded his ashram at the banks of River Ganga
Receiving Lord Rama
One day, Valmiki had the fortuity of receiving Lord Rama, His wife Sita and brother Lakshman at his ashram. On Valmiki's suggestion, Lord Rama built his hut on Chitrakuta hill, near the ashram.
It was on this story that Valmiki built up his epic 24,000 versed poetry. Valmiki got so attached to the story recited by Narada that he left for the river Tamasa along with his disciple Bharadwaj. He felt so peaceful and calm near the holy river that it helped him contemplate the modesty and maturity of his newly found hero. While he was feeling content and spiritual, he witnessed a gruesome deed. A hunter killed a bird which was engrossed in lover's play with its partner bird. This moved Valmiki beyond imagination. He felt a deep pang in his heart. Witnessing such grotesque cruelty anger came over Valmiki and he cursed the hunter. He said to him in the form of a curse that nobody will ever respect him in the society because he killed an innocent bird who was just involved in the act of love. But while cursing him he realized that he cursed him in the form of a sloka. It was a metrical composition, perfect and rhythmic. This was the defining moment of his life, he turned into a poet. It was a combination of all the respect and love he felt for lord.
Rama and the tragedy he witnessed in the act of cruelty.
Major Work
Ramayana:
It is said that Valmiki taught the Ramayana to the sons of Rama, Luv and Kush. He is also said to have given shelter to Sita after she was banished from the kingdom. The Ramayana is sung rather than just recited. Those who have read the Ramayana have bowed to Valmiki with great respect. It is said that when Luv and Kush were singing the Ramayana in their sweet voices in front Rama, he himself was unaware of the fact that they were his own sons! Though the epic is still there, there are no written records of Valmiki and his period of existence. Valmiki has in fact also got a small part in the actual Ramayana. When Ram along with his wife and brother is roaming around in exile in the jungle, Valmiki is one of the sages whom he visits on his way to Chitrakoot after leaving Ayuodhya. This elates Valmiki very much and he invites in Rama, Sita and Laxman with lots of respect and love. He only says one word to Ramaa 'syatam', which means please be seated. He feels very touched and honored when Rama accepts his invitation and sits with him for a while. There is another occasion where Valmiki had a little role to play. When Rama sends Sita into exile then Valmiki takes her in his shelter and keeps her and her two sons under his loving care. When there is the epic recitation of the poem takes place in the royal court, Rama insists on inviting Valmiki to it and also asks Valmiki to bring along Sita for her chastity test. This offends Valmiki an awful lot but he does not say anything and keeps mum. He goes along the plan and persuades Sita to comply with her hsuband's wishes, even though internally he believed it to be a very wrong act from Rama's side. While Sita is made to take the chastity test by entering into the fire pyre, Valmiki recites the pious words of penance and perseverance that he has practiced all of his life just to help Sita prove her purity.
Maharishi (the great sage) claims the distinction of being the author of the holy epic 'Ramayana', consisting of 24,000 verses. He is also believed to be the author of Yoga Vasistha, a text that elaborates on a range of philosophical issues. There are different versions regarding the time period and life of Valmiki. The Valmiki Ramayana is believed to be dated variously from the period 500 BC to 100BC. But at the same time Valmiki is also said to be the contemporary of Lord Rama. Sita took refuge in her Ashram where Lava and Kusa were born. Against this backdrop, the period of Valmiki is likely to date back to thousand of years.
There is much controversy regarding the life of Maharishi Valmiki. There is a age old belief that before turning into a sage Valmiki was a highway robber called Ratnakara. This widely accepted story has been explained in detail below. But a judgement given by Justice Rajive Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the year 2010 could change an age-old belief about Maharsihi Valmiki. Justice Bhalla quoted the research done by the head of the Maharishi Valmiki Chair of the Punjabi University, Patiala, Manjula Sehdev, and said that,"actual facts appear to be lost in the mists of antiquity." The judge stated the salient features of the research, saying that "from Vedic literature up to 9th century AD, there is no reference as such that Maharishi Valmiki led a life of a dacoit or highwayman." It was also stated that in his own work 'Ramayana', Valmiki is called Bhagwan, Muni, Rishi and Maharishi and no reference of his highway man ship is available there.
VAANMEEGAR SIDDHAR
Sri Vaanmeegar's birth star is Anusham in the Tamil month of Purattasi (September-October). There is an argument that the Valmiki who wrote Valmiki Ramayana is different from the siddhar Vaanmeegar of the south.
However, siddhar Bogar in his script "Bogar 7000"proclaims that they are one and the same. He says that Vaanmeegar is the name of the siddhar who wrote Valmiki Ramayanain song (verse) number 5834. He makes a clear distinction between the names Vaanmeegar and Valmiki.Further, in his next song (verse number 5835), Bogar says that Vaanmeegar's age is 700 and some odd days. He also says that he is a learned scholar in Tamil language. He also makes a reference about his samadhi. This author is not able to understand the exact meaning of the second part of that song.
It is also said that Sri Vaanmeegar alias Valmiki wrote the epic Ramaya on getting the spiritual knowledge from Narada. Sri Vaanmeegar's samadhi is located at Ettukudi in Tamil Nadu.
Home Pathinettu Siththargal Previous Next
Maharishi (the great sage) claims the distinction of being the author of the holy epic 'Ramayana', consisting of 24,000 verses. He is also believed to be the author of Yoga Vasistha, a text that elaborates on a range of philosophical issues. There are different versions regarding the time period and life of Valmiki. The Valmiki Ramayana is believed to be dated variously from the period 500 BC to 100BC. But at the same time Valmiki is also said to be the contemporary of Lord Rama. Sita took refuge in her Ashram where Lava and Kusa were born. Against this backdrop, the period of Valmiki is likely to date back to thousand of years.
There is much controversy regarding the life of Maharishi Valmiki. There is a age old belief that before turning into a sage Valmiki was a highway robber called Ratnakara. This widely accepted story has been explained in detail below. But a judgement given by Justice Rajive Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the year 2010 could change an age-old belief about Maharsihi Valmiki. Justice Bhalla quoted the research done by the head of the Maharishi Valmiki Chair of the Punjabi University, Patiala, Manjula Sehdev, and said that,"actual facts appear to be lost in the mists of antiquity." The judge stated the salient features of the research, saying that "from Vedic literature up to 9th century AD, there is no reference as such that Maharishi Valmiki led a life of a dacoit or highwayman." It was also stated that in his own work 'Ramayana', Valmiki is called Bhagwan, Muni, Rishi and Maharishi and no reference of his highway man ship is available there.
VAANMEEGAR SIDDHAR
Sri Vaanmeegar's birth star is Anusham in the Tamil month of Purattasi (September-October). There is an argument that the Valmiki who wrote Valmiki Ramayana is different from the siddhar Vaanmeegar of the south.
However, siddhar Bogar in his script "Bogar 7000"proclaims that they are one and the same. He says that Vaanmeegar is the name of the siddhar who wrote Valmiki Ramayanain song (verse) number 5834. He makes a clear distinction between the names Vaanmeegar and Valmiki.Further, in his next song (verse number 5835), Bogar says that Vaanmeegar's age is 700 and some odd days. He also says that he is a learned scholar in Tamil language. He also makes a reference about his samadhi. This author is not able to understand the exact meaning of the second part of that song.
It is also said that Sri Vaanmeegar alias Valmiki wrote the epic Ramaya on getting the spiritual knowledge from Narada. Sri Vaanmeegar's samadhi is located at Ettukudi in Tamil Nadu.
Home Pathinettu Siththargal Previous Next
No comments:
Post a Comment