Page 8 - BHĀRATA –THE LAND OF SEERS AND SAGES
P. 8

A Few Prominent Rishis of Ancient India






                                                                   Valmiki




             Very little is known about Rishi Vālmīki, the composer of


             the Ramayana. Said to have lived in the first millennium


             BCE, his lineage is believed to be either that of Rishi


             Bhirgu or of Bhargava. It is also believed that he was a



             highway robber and murderer in his earlier life, by the


             name of Ratnakar. A chance encounter with sage Narada


             helped him understand the truth of life; the sage


             subsequently initiated him into the mantra for salvation.




             After tapasya of several years, a divine voice declared the


             robber’s penance as complete and bestowed the name of


             ‘Vālmīki’ (meaning ‘one born out of ant-hills’, because



             during tapasya ant-hills grew around the sage’s body).







































             Valmiki has also written ‘Akshara Lakshana’ which deals


             with mathematics in general, and geometry, trigonometry,


             algebra in particular.
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