Valmiki



Valmiki, legend calls him the Great Sage. After his past experience with the ideal of “Rama”, he did nothing but devote the rest of his life to that idea. He way, was to spread his ideals through poetry. He was wanted to show people the way of Rama, from Hinduism. His viewers respected him and his work for becoming one with Hinduism and spreading his positive ideals to his readers, for being the father of Sanskrit classical poetry lead him to a great reputation by the 1 st century AD. The people of his homeland loved his poetry, especially his epic poem Ramayama, which is known one of the greatest epic poems in the world. Valmiki became legendary and continued to be even after his death. He was also revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, since he was the one who discovered “the first verse”, which was the basic and definition of Sanskirt poetry. Due to his poetry, a religious movement called Valmikism is based and created by Valmiki’s teachings from Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha. His culture has spread even past his own homeland. Sanskirt poetry has been expanding after his time and now takes it’s place as one of the many types of poetry all over the world.

1. Bibhishan's Departure (Songs!)
This to me Bibhishan answered, as with fiery comrades four,

Rose in arms the wrathful Raksha and in fury rushed before.

//(Example of symbolism, expressing the act of forgiveness.)//
 * 'But I spare thee, roval Ravan, angry words thy lips have passed, **

False and lying and unfounded is the censure thou hast cast!

True Bibhishan sought thy safety, strove to save his elder's reign,-

//(Example of hyperbole, giving that the sense of the destruction seems less than what it's described as.)//
 * Speed thee now to thy destruction since all counsel is in vain, **

Many are thy smiling courtiers who with honeyed speech beguile,-

Few are they with truth and candour speak their purpose void of guile!

Blind to reason and to wisdow, Ravan seek thy destined fate,

For thy impious lust of woman, for thy dark unrighteous hate,

// (Example of irony, the ones who are affected by "danger and destruction" were blind to it in the first place.) //
 * Blind to danger and destruction, deaf to word of counsel given, **

By the flaming shaft, of Rama thou shalt die by will of Heaven!

Yet, O! yet, my king and elder, let me plead with latest breath,

'Gainst the death of race and kismen, 'gainst my lord and brother's death,

Ponder yet, O Raksha monarch, save thy race and save thy own,

Ravan, part we now ever,-guard thy ancient sea-girt throne! '

2. Bibhishan's Warning (Songs!)
Twenty warriors armed and girded in the Council Hall arose,

Thirsting for a war of vengeance, hurling challenge on the foes,

But Bibhishan deep in wisdom-Ravan's youngest brother he,-

Spake the word of solemn warning, for his eye could farthest see:

'Pardon, king and honoured elder, if Bibhishan lifts his voice

'Gainst the wishes of the warriors and the monarch's fatal choice,

Firm in faith and strong in forces Rama comes with conqu'ring might,

Vain against a righteous warrior would unrighteous Ravan fight!

//(Example of symbolism, expressing the action of swimming in the ocean.)//
 * Think him not a common Vanar who transpassed the ocean wave, **

Wrecked thy city tower and temple and a sign and warning gave,

Think him not a common hermit who Ayodhya ruled of yore,

Crossing India's streams and mountains, thunders now on Lanka's shore!

What dark deed of crime or folly hath the righteous Rama done,

That you stole his faithful consort unprotected and alone,

//(Example of overstatement, since the "offence or nameless insult" is highly dramatized.)//
 * What offence or nameless insult hath the saintly Sita given, **

She who chained in Lanka's prison pleads in piteous tear to Heaven?

Take my counsel, king and elder, Sita to her lord restore,

Wipe this deed of wrong and outrage, Rama's righteous grace implore,

Take my counsel, Raksha monarch, vain against him is thy might,

Doubly arméd is the hero,-he who battles for the right!

Render Sita to her Rama ere with vengeance swift and dire,

He despoils our peopled Lanka with his bow and brand and fire,

Render wife unto her husband ere in battle's dread array,

//(Example of simile, comparing Rama to a falcon using like.)//
 * Rama swoops upon thy empire like a falcon on its prey, **

3. Fall Of Kumbha-Karna (Songs!)
Once, more healed and strong and valiant, Lakshman in his arms, arose,

Safe behind the gates of Lanka humbled Ravan shunned his foes,

Till the stalwart Kumbha-karna from his wonted slumbers woke,

Mightiest be of all the Rakshas;-Ravan thus unto him spoke.

'Thou alone, O Kumbha-karna, can the Raksha's honour save,

Strongest of the Raksha warriors, stoutest-hearted midst the brave,

//(Example of smile, comparing speed to a "Dread Destroyer" using like.)//
 * Speed thee like the Dread Destroyer to the dark and dubious fray, **

Cleave through Rama's girdling forces, chase the scattered foe away!'

Like a mountain's beetling turret Kumbha-karna stout and tall,

Passed the city's lofty portals and the city's girdling wall,

And he raised his voice in battle, sent his cry from shore to shore,

Solid mountains shook and trembled and the sea returned the roar!

INDRA nor the great VARUNA equalled Kumbha-karna's might,

Vanars trembled at the warrior, sought their safety in their flight,

But the prince of fair Kishkindha, Angad chief of warlike fame,

Marked his panic-stricken forces with a princely warrior's shame.

'Whither fly, ye trembling Vanars?' thus the angry chieftain cried,

'All forgetful of your duty, of your worth and warlike pride,

Deem not stalwart Kumbha-karna is our match in open fight,

Forward let us meet in battle, let us crush his giant might!'

Rallied thus, the broken army stone and tree and massive rock.

Hurled upon the giant Raksha speeding with the lightning's shock.

Vain each flying rock and missile, vain each stout and sturdy stroke,

On the Raksha's limbs of iron stone and tree in splinters broke.

Dashing through the scattered forces Kumbha-karna fearless stood,

As a forest conflagration feasts upon the parchéd wood,

Far as confines of the ocean, to the causeway they had made,

To the woods or caves or billows, Vanars in their terror fled!

Hanuman of dauntless valour turned not in his fear nor fled,

Heaved a rock with mighty effort on the Raksha's towering held,

With his spear-head Kumbha-karna dashed the flying rock aside,

By the Raksha's weapon stricken Hanuman fell in his pride.

Next Rishabha and brave Nila and the bold Sarabha came,

Gavaksha and Gandha-madan, chieftains of a deathless fame,

But the spear of Kunibha-karna hurled to earth his feeble foes,

Dreadful was the field of carnage, loud the cry of battle rose!

Angad prince of fair Kishkindha, filled with anger and with shame,

Tore a rock with wrathful prowess, to the fatal combat came,

Short the combat, soon the Raksha caught and turned his foe around

Hurled him in his deadly fury, bleeding, senseless on the ground!

Last, Sugriva king of Vanars with a vengeful anger woke,

Tore a rock from bed of mountain and in proud defiance spoke,

Vain Sugriva's toil and struggle, Kumbha-karna hurled a rock,

Fell Suguriva crushed and senseless 'neath the missile's mighty shock!

Piercing through the Vanar forces, like a flame through forest wood,

Came the Raksha where in glory Lakshman calm and fearless stood,

Short their contest,-Kumbha-karna sought a greater, mightier foe,

To the young and dauntless Lakshman spake in accents soft and low:

'Dauntless prince and matchless warrior, fair Sumitra's gallant son,

Thou hast proved unrivalled prowess and unending glory won,

But I seek a mightier foeman, to thy elder let me go,

I would fight the royal Rama, or to die or slay my foe!'

'Victor proud!' said gallant Lakshman, 'peerless in thy giant might,

Conqueror of great Immortals, Lakshman owns thy skill in fight,

Mightier foe than bright Immortals thou shall meet in fatal war,

Death for thee in guise of Rama tarries yonder, not afar!'

Ill it fared with Kumbha-karna when he strove with Rama's might,

Men on earth nor Gods immortal conquered Rama in the fight,

//(Example of Hyperbole, giving a strong sense of power affect to the noun.)//
 * Deadly arrows keen and flaming from the hero's weapon broke, **

Kumbha-karna faint and bleeding felt his death at every stroke,

Last, an arrow pierced his armour, from his shoulders smote his head,

Kumbha-karna, lifeless, headless, rolled upon the gory bed,

//(Example of personification, oceans are given a human action because it does not "heave")//
 * Hurled unto the heaving ocean Kumbha-karna's body fell, **

And as shaken by a tempest, mighty was the ocean's swell!

__//**Works Cited**//__

"Valmiki Ramayana." //Valmiki Ramayana //. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.

"Valmiki." //About.com Hinduism //. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2013.

"Valmiki." //Wikipedia //. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 May 2013. Web. 16 May 2013.