CharacterRishi
Valmiki: FAQ & Sources
वाल्मीकिAdi Kavi (first poet) and author of the Ramayana; sage. Also called Adi Kavi, Ratnakara, Maharshi, Pracheta's son.
Valmiki, the Adi Kavi or first poet, composed the Ramayana. Once a highwayman named Ratnakara, he was transformed by the sage Narada and long meditation. He uttered the first Sanskrit shloka out of grief, and later sheltered Sita and raised and taught her sons Lava and Kusha.
RoleAdi Kavi (first poet) and author of the Ramayana; sage
AllegianceNone (forest hermitage on the Tamasa river)
Frequently asked questions
Who was Valmiki?
Valmiki was the sage honoured as the Adi Kavi, the first poet of Sanskrit, and the author of the Ramayana.
Who wrote the Ramayana?
The original Ramayana was composed by the sage Valmiki, a contemporary of Rama.
Why is he called Valmiki?
He meditated so long and so motionless that an anthill (valmika) grew over him, and from it he took the name Valmiki.
What is the first shloka?
Seeing a hunter kill a krauncha bird, Valmiki's cry of grief (shoka) fell into perfect metre and became the first shloka, the first Sanskrit verse.
What is Valmiki's connection to Sita?
He gave shelter to Sita in his hermitage, where she bore Lava and Kusha, and he raised and taught the twins the Ramayana.
Sources
- Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda (the first shloka, Brahma's charge)
- Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda (Sita's refuge, Lava and Kusha)
- Skanda Purana and later tradition (Ratnakara)
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