The Ramayana and The Mahabharata

by Vālmīki

And my evil fates are vanquished and my race is sanctified, With the warlike race of Raghu thus in loving bonds allied, Sacrifice and rites auspicious we ordain with rising sun, Ere the evening's darkness closes, happy nuptials shall be done!"

Genres: Religion

335 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself.He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The Yoga Vasistha is attributed to him. A religious movement called Valmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings as presented in the Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha.
At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. Ashvagosha writes in the Buddhacarita,
"The voice of Valmiki uttered poetry which the great seer Chyavana could not compose."
This particular verse has been speculated to indicate a familial relationship between Valmiki and Chyavana, as implied by the previous and subsequent verses.

Reviews

[James Violand · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Indian version of The Iliad. Very entertaining. One gets the impression of just how old Indian culture truly is.