Vālmik Rushi

People in Shastras

Vālmiki Rishi was born to a brāhmin family. His mother and father went to perform penance in a jungle and left their son behind. A member of a forest tribe found him and raised him. He taught Vālmiki archery and to loot. Once, he captured Nāradji and asked for all his possessions. Nāradji, however, showed him that his family’s love for him is selfish and to leave them to worship Rām. He followed Nāradji’s advice and started chanting the name of Rām while sitting in one spot. His whole body became covered with dirt. In Sanskrit, a mound of dirt is called valmik. Hence, he became known as Vālmiki. He is considered the original poet of Sanskrit. He wrote the Rāmāyan, the life story of Bhagwān Rām, in Sanskrit. He met Bhagwān Rām in an āshram located in Chitrakut. In their later life, Sitāji lived in his āshram where she had her two sons: Luv and Kush. He taught Luv and Kush the Vedas and archery.