Valmiki Jayanti - October 17, 2024

What is  Valmiki Jayanti? 

"Valmiki," Sanskrit's prophet poet, is ascribed to him. The epic Ramayana is ascribed to him between the fifth and first centuries BCE. The Ramayana is considered the earliest epic poetry of its sort. Because of this, Di Kavi means "the first poet." Maharishi Valmiki wrote the Hindu epic Ramayana. Every year, the Valmiki Jayanti festival is held to honor his birthday.

Valmiki's original Ramayana comprises 24,000 verses distributed across seven volumes (Kaas).

The Ramayana is 480,002 words long, four times the Iliad and a quarter of the Mahabharata. Ravana, the demon king (Rakshasa) of Lanka, kidnaps Sita from Ayodhya in Kosala. Valmiki wrote the Ramayana between 500 and 100 BCE, the same period as the oldest Mahabharata manuscripts. However, it's hard to tell when it was written because it's been updated and added.

During the "Indian Enlightenment," Valmiki was "conceived of as both a literary prodigy and an outlaw" because of his "philosophical skepticism," claims British comic Aubrey Menen.

Rama supposedly lived during his reign. Menen claims that Valmiki is "the first novelist to write about himself."

Valmiki Jayanti Day All Quick Overview

• Category: Religious
• Where It’s Marked: India
• Why It’s Marked: The Hindu community celebrates the birth of the great sage-poet Valmiki.

History Of Valmiki Jayanti

Maharishi Valmiki's birthday celebration is noteworthy because of his crucial position in Hindu mythology.

When Lord Rama was exiled, he met the renowned teacher, Maharishi Valmiki, who hid Princess Sita after her husband had her expelled from the kingdom of Ayodhya. Sita even had her twins, Lava and Kusha, in Rishi Valmiki's ashram, and he raised them and taught them the Ramayana. Lord Rama became suspicious of Lava and Kusha after they sang the heavenly narrative during the Ashwamedha yajna in Ayodhya. Lord Rama met Sita in Maharishi Valmiki's ashram to verify Lava and Kusha's claims that he was their father.

Valmiki is a member of the Bhrigu gotra and the tenth son of a Brahmin called Pracheta (also known as Sumali). The sage supposedly killed and robbed travelers under the name Ratnakara in a past incarnation. However, a fortuitous meeting with Narada Muni drastically altered his life, and he eventually became a devoted follower of Lord Rama. Due to the enormous anthills that grew around him while he did rigorous penance, he became known as Valmiki.

How to Celebrate  Valmiki Jayanti Day

Valmiki Jayanti is observed through Puja. On the full moon, Purnima Tithi, we celebrate Valmiki Jayanti.One of the names for Valmiki Jayanti is Pargat Diwas. Songs of worship and praise are sung on this day. 

Countries that Observe Valmiki Jayanti day

Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated in India.

Interesting Facts about Valmiki Jayanti day

• The first poem of the Ramayana is "Adikavya,” so Valmiki is known as Adikavi.
• Valmiki’s real name is “Ratnakara”.
• During the early days of Valmiki’s life, he was a dacoit who used to loot and kill people.
• Valmiki's first disciples to teach Ramayan were Kush and Luv, who were Rama's sons.

Unique Valmiki Jayanti Celebration Ideas

Valmiki Jayanti is a religious festival, so there are no unique celebration ideas for this holiday.

Valmiki Jayanti Day Quotes

There is no deity more powerful than time.”

“Overdoing anything leads to sorrow.”

“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.”

“One who is haughty, who does not know whether what he does is right or wrong and who has taken the wrong path is to be disciplined even if he is a guru, parent or an elder in age or learning.”

“A guest, though he be ill-mannered, deserves to be welcomed by the discerning.”

“Whatever a man does, good or evil, comes back to him someday. And he pays for everything.”

“I want you to remember, always, that no man who sits upon a throne likes to hear another man being praised.”

FAQ

1. Why do we honor Valmiki with a holiday?

On Pragat Diwas or Valmiki Jayanti, we remember Maharishi Valmiki, the poet who wrote the renowned Hindu epic Ramayana. The maharishi Valmiki has composed numerous Sanskrit poems (shlokas), contributing to the epic's total of 24,000.

2. What wisdom does Valmiki have to offer?

Lord Narada impressed Valmiki with the idea that he would have to face the consequences of his actions in the future. After that, he was endowed with a heavenly understanding. Thus, we can keep doing good and avoiding bad ideas and activities. For a long time, Valmiki did his penance in the Ratnakar forest.

3. Where is the birthplace of Valmiki?

He was born to a sage named Prachetasa on ancient India's banks of the Ganges.

Which period did Valmiki bear?

It is assumed that Valmiki was born around 500 BC.