Maharishi Valmiki

Subject – History

Context – Spirit of Valmiki’s philosophy is under attack, says Rahul

Concept –

Valmiki Jayanti is also known as PragatDiwas.
It is celebrated every year on the full moon day (15th day) of Shukla Paksha in the Ashwin month, as per the Hindu calendar.
It’s said that Maharishi Valmiki was born on Ashwin Purnima as per the Hindu lunar calendar.
Valmiki was born as Agni Sharma to a Brahmin named Pracheta (also known as Sumali) of Bhrigugotra.
Maharishi Valmiki is also called the Adi Kavi or the first poet in the Sanskrit language.
He is also responsible for writing the first-ever Sanskrit shlokas.
It is believed that Maharishi Valmiki, who lived in TretaYug, learned the story of Lord Rama from Narad Muni, and under his guidance, he wrote the epic Ramayana.
The Ramayana, originally written by Valmiki, consists of 24,000 shlokas and seven cantos (kandas).
He is also believed to be the author of Yoga Vasistha, a text that elaborates on a range of philosophical issues.
VishnudharmottaraPurana says that Valmiki reincarnated as Tulsidas, who composed the Ramcharitamanas, which was the Awadhi-Hindi version of the Ramayana.
British satirist Aubrey Menen says that Valmiki was “recognized as a literary genius,” and thus was considered, “an outlaw,” presumably because of his “philosophic scepticism,” as part of an “Indian Enlightenment” period.
Valmiki is also quoted as being the contemporary of Rama.
Menen claims Valmiki is “the first author in all history to bring himself into his own composition.”