Vālmīki (Great Lives from History: The Ancient World, Prehistory-476)
Early Life
The historicity of Vālmīki (val-MEE-kee) is somewhat uncertain because the traditions referring to him are late and unsupported by anything other than still later texts repeating, modifying, or elaborating on the stories. Though the Rāmāyana (c. 550 b.c.e.; English translation, 1870-1889) does not contain any information on Vālmīki’s early life, we know from the Purānas, the Mahābhārata (400 b.c.e.-400 c.e., present form by c. 400 c.e.; The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, 1887-1896), and the seventh book of the...
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