Adi Kavi, Valmiki

Having been a fan of Amar Chitra Katha comics for a long time, some nostalgia was coming to the surface. Of the thousands of beautiful stories out there, I chose my interpretation of Valmiki to begin with.

In tribute to this great series, I could not help myself from choosing the cover picture for the Greatest Poet of all time, Valmiki, from Amar Chitra Katha -

From Valya to Valmiki

Valya was a thief and hunter and the jungle was Valya's home. Valya would rob people as they passed through the forest. He would kill animals and birds to feed his family. His actions were unknowingly contributing to sins. Robbery and hunting were his main sources of income, which he used to support his family.

One day Valya came across Saptarishis (seven sages). He decided to rob them. He threatened them fiercely to give up all the wealth they possessed. Saptarishis were confused. They told Valya, they were rishis they did not have any valuable belongings as they lived an ascetic life. Valya became more furious. Saptarishis asked Valya the reason for his anger.

In those days rishis were like life therapists. People would always benefit from their wisdom and live better lives by making changes. Valya was lucky to be about to become enlightened.

Valya roared at them, "I have to feed my family. I won't let you go without getting something in return". Saptarishis answered, "Your actions are not morally correct and you can face bad consequences for your sins. You may force your family to share bad consequences too, are they ready?" There was no doubt in Valya's mind that, his family would be by his side through thick or thin, no matter what. Saptarishis suggested Valya to confirm this with his family. He went back home and asked his wife and kids if they would share the consequences of his sins with him, even if they did not like the outcome. The family was scared. His wife said politely but with hesitation, "Me and my kids enjoy the benefits but we never performed anything bad in our life. We never killed anyone, we never hurted anyone. So why should we face the consequences." Valya's heart broke and so was his trust.

As Valya returned to Saptarishis, his heart was heavy. His sad face was explaining everything. They felt bad for him. Saptarishis told Valya, if he wanted to find a better life, he needed to find peace in his heart first. And one of the rishis told him, he knew a two-letter beautiful word that could create happiness in anyone's heart if repeated over and over again. That two-letter word was - राम (Râm, this word in Sanskrit is made up of two letters रा (ra) and म (m) ). "When you repeat राम राम राम", (Râm Râm Râm), "again and again, you will feel your nerves calming down, and peace is being created within you", Saptarishis suggested.

With no consideration for the word, Valya yelled out, "राम राम राम राम..." (Râm Râm Râm Râm). But no use. Instead, Valya felt Saptarishis lied to him and they misled him, so he became more angry. Saptarishis realized Valya wasn't used to the feeling called peace. They realized he needed some help there. Anger and evil were easy for him. So they suggested another way, "You know Valya we should try your way. Let's use all the anger and say मरा मरा मरा" (Mâra Mâra Mâra - मरा - means to die, it is the reverse of the word Râm, राम. When said continuously "mara mara mara", it gets transformed into "Râm Râm Râm").

Heartbroken Valya was really angry and wanted to shout anyway, so he started yelling "मरा मरा मरा मरा मरा" (mara mara mara mara mara). As if he was mad at the world and wanted to burn down the whole world around him. He was in pain and he was giving it back to the world.

Eventually, when he became exhausted from his anger, his yelling slowed, his voice calmed, but he kept saying, "मरा मरा मरामरामरामराम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम राम". Valya realized he started with मरा (Mâra), but his chanting became राम राम राम (Râm Râm Râm).

He felt love for the simplicity of this word. He felt peace in his heart. And he was not ready to give it up. He kept reciting Ram, Ram, Ram so that he would keep that beautiful feeling close to him. Seeing this Saptarishis left.

Valya's recitation became a meditation. It was so deep that he wasn't aware of his surroundings. Days passed by but his meditation and chanting was not broken. Even ants started thinking he was some kind of object and they made anthill on his body. A huge anthill covered his body. During Saptarishis' return journey, they found him under an anthill chanting Râm. They woke him up. He was no longer looking like an old Valya the hunter or Valya the thief. He was not in pain, he was in bliss. Saptarishis were surprised and very proud. They said, "You truly came out of valmik (anthill), you are no more Valya, you are now Valmiki."

"They are blessed who by their wisdom can conquer their anger, even as water subdues the conflagration." - Valmiki

Out of Anger, Poetry is Born

Sage Valmiki started spreading the ideology of spirituality. His followers were growing. He started to enjoy the nature around him and the little things that made him happy. Sunrises and sunsets, animals and flowers everything was making him happy. Killing of animals was no longer in his mind.

One day, he was enjoying two innocent and loving cranes sitting on a branch, when an arrow of a hunter came from far away and killed a bird. Love turned into distress. Seeing this Valmiki also felt immense pain in his heart. When he saw the hunter, out of anger he said -

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।

यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम्॥' [1]

mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhā tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ

yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam [1]

You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity

For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting [1]

His anger came out as a poem in a rhythm. And those lines are considered the first couplet, the first shloka, of Sanskrit literature. And the journey of Sanskrit literature began.

Maharishi Narad when came to know about this incident, he decided to meet Valmiki. He explained to Valmiki that Goddess Saraswati had chosen him and blessed him with poetry. "Your heart is pure and it is no coincidence that the Universe has offered you the gift of poetry and love for the word Ram. Use this to tell the story of King Ramchandra" (or simply Râm). Valimki felt honoured, but he was confused. How could he write about someone he never knew? Narad explained, "King Ram and Queen Sita are born to set an example of modern man and modern woman. Their character will always help humankind to choose the correct path". Maharishi Narad assured Valmiki that he had Bramha's blessings, "As long as mountains and oceans exist on earth, Valmiki's writing will stay alive and respected on this planet".

After understanding the noble character of King Ram and Queen Sita from Narad, Valmiki decided to write a beautiful epic Ramayan. One of the longest and most ancient epics in human history.

Valmiki finished writing Ramayan. It is composed of nearly 24000 shlokas (couplets). It helped people living far from Ayodhya [3] to connect with their King and Queen who otherwise would be unknown to them.

“To be happy always is something which is difficult to achieve. That is to say, happiness and sorrow alternate in one's life and there cannot be uninterrupted happiness alone.” - Valmiki

Uttara Kand (The Last Chapter)

One day, a beautiful woman in royal attire came to Valmiki's ashram (hermitage). She was sad and heartbroken. People in hermitage started gathering around her. They had never seen a woman with royal clothes and jewelry before. They were mesmerized by the beauty of the mystery woman. When Valmiki saw her, he immediately knew it was Queen Sita. The one and only one Sita, Janaki, Vaidehi, Bhumija, Maithili... an avatar of Goddess Laxmi herself. He was bound by the universe not to reveal her identity to the people of hermitage. Ram was forced by the Ayodhya people to abandon her, so Lakshman dropped Sita at Valmiki's hermitage, where she took refuge, far away from Ayodhya - the capital city of King Ramchandra.

Sita was pregnant and her second exile had begun.

Though they didn't know she was their queen, the hermitage's people took great care of Sita. Sita gave birth to twins Kush and Lava. She became a single mother and started raising them. Valmiki became the teacher of Kush-Lava. Apart from archery and other war skills, Valmiki taught them Ramayan. They were growing into valiant, intelligent young men unaware of their princely identity.

There in Ayodhya, Ram was bound to his King's duty. The blue complexion, monarchy in blood, monk's lifestyle, strong-willed and roughness of the harsh exile.

Ram had to perform the ritual of Ashwamedh Yadhnya [2]. The entire city of Ayodhya was present for this beautiful ceremony. All sages arrived to give blessings and so was Valmiki with Kush-Lava. Kush-Lava chanted Valmiki-Ramayan, including Sita's second exile. Ram became emotional. Not only Ram, but the people of Ayodhya who brought the second exile on her realized their mistake. They were feeling bad to be a reason for Sita's humiliation and pain. It was late, and no one knew where or in what condition Sita was.

The next day when the horse of Ashwamedh Yadhnya [2] was released, somehow it made its way to the Valmiki-ashram (hermitage). Seeing the horse, Kush-Lava got excited and they decided to capture it. When Ram came in front of the twins they challenged him to fight. But Valmiki interrupted, "No father should do war with his sons ever". Listening to those words Ram and Kush-Lava were surprised. Valmiki requested Sita to come forward. Seeing Sita and his brave princes, Ram was overwhelmed. He requested Sita to return to Ayodhya with his sons. Ayodhya also wanted the same. But Sita was humiliated and she was not only the Queen but a woman first. Her commitment to supporting other women begins with honouring the one who was within her. She told Ram, "Rama, today I fulfilled my duty to hand over the heir of Ayodhya to its people. Now I need to stay true to my commitment of setting an example for a modern strong woman. I cannot come back with you". Kush-Lava, Ram, everyone had oceans in their eyes.

In grief, Sita prayed to her Mother Earth to help her set free from her earthly duties and pains. Her mother came for help and the ground opened. Bhumi Devi (Mother Earth) appeared from the ground and asked Sita to join her. Bhumija went back inside Bhumi.

Raja Ravi Verma's painting of Sita proceeding inside the earth with Mother Bhumi Devi

Ram and Kush-Lava paid very emotional adieu to their Sita. Valmiki came back to hermitage after seeing Kush-Lava being accepted by Ram. He finished the last and seventh chapter, Uttara kand, of his poem Ramayan.

Valmiki sage of the 8th century BCE. The first poet of Sanskrit literature. The original poet of Ramayan. Mentor of Kush-Lava. His contribution will always stay alive. His writing will always be there around us as long as mountains and oceans exist on earth.

"There is no deity more powerful than time." - Valmiki

References

[1] wikipedia - valmiki

[2] wikipedia - Ashwamedh Yadhnya

[3] Ayodhya - the capital city of King Ramchandra