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Ramayana: India's Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love and Wisdom
The Ramayana (the Journey of Rama) is possibly the world'ss oldest literature. Revered through the ages for its moral and spiritual wisdom, it is an uplifting tale of romance and high adventure, recounting the odyssey of Rama, a great King of ancient India
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1000
154 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
About the author
Krishna Dharma
32 books60 followersKrishna Dharma is an acclaimed author and teacher of Vedic wisdom, best known for his accessible retellings of India’s great epics, including the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Srimad Bhagavatam. A lifelong practitioner of bhakti-yoga, he writes with both devotion and clarity, bringing ancient spiritual teachings into a modern, readable style. Over decades of study, he has become recognized for his ability to preserve the depth and philosophical richness of the original texts while making them engaging for contemporary readers. Krishna Dharma’s work reflects his commitment to sharing timeless guidance, uplifting values, and practical spiritual insight with audiences around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 21, 2016
A very good, contemporary translation of what I assume would have been otherwise tedious and dry in the hands of anyone other than Krishna Dharma. Surprisingly easy to follow for someone without the appropriate cultural exposure or context with which to appreciate this wonderful epic. The glossary at the end is invaluable in that regard, too.
Reading this makes me want to read the Mahabharata next!
Reading this makes me want to read the Mahabharata next!
July 4, 2020
Excellent!
June 28, 2017
I love to read different versions of the Ramayana to reduce the biases that authors can have to this epic. This book explained the reasons behind certain actions and the equal reactions I.e Karma especially why Ravana did not force himself on Sita. I expected more of the story after the war but it was condensed and shortened.
September 10, 2010
Without a doubt the best story I have ever read!!!!!!!!
June 19, 2016
a little slow, but it is spectacular overall. Whether you are reading for pleasure or religious reasons there is something for everybody!
February 12, 2024
I knew how it was going to end, and it's still enraged me. Everyone, including the main villain of the story Ravana, were treated better than Sita.
Also, the narration of this audiobook was of the same intensity throughout which did not make it into an enjoyable listen.
Also, the narration of this audiobook was of the same intensity throughout which did not make it into an enjoyable listen.
July 10, 2025
A beautiful adaptation of Valmiki's Ramayana, pretty insightful. Covers various aspects very cleanly, just leaving the story of the Ganga to the appendix! Certainly a good to read to revisit various aspects of life. Has some amazing references to astrology as well like Vali and Sugriva fighting compared to Mars and Mercury, Ravana approaching Rama as Rahu approaching the Sun, etc! An amazing read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2022
It takes a rare breed of writer to take one of the world's most eventful and magical epics and rewrite it in a way that is so painfully dull.
February 4, 2014
It was a bit repetative at times, but that comes from the fact that it was an oral story for sometime I'm sure. I'll probably have to read it again to fully comprehend everything that happened, but I thought it was really good. Other then the treatment of the women in the story.
Read
October 1, 2020This is a modern retelling. It leaves a lot out, and the framing story is entirely missing. It is an adequate introduction, but if you really want to dig into the Ramayana there are better translations available.
January 23, 2009
This is another nice one. Mahabharata was written with more depth, but this was also very nice.
April 19, 2013
Author have talent to re-tell stories, very smooth reading, hard to put down and before you know it ends.
October 1, 2015
Exceleent story telling !
August 13, 2021
Amazing Book
This book was more than a story as the word almost began to dance on the page. There is something very special about this Ramayana.
This book was more than a story as the word almost began to dance on the page. There is something very special about this Ramayana.
January 1, 2020
The ancient epic Ramayana is a beautiful Sanskrit story of love and sacrifice, courage and duty and the triumph of good over evil. Originally composed by the sage Valmiki around 500BCE to 100BCE, the story is considered one the greatest literary works of ancient India and has subsequently inspired many diverse regional versions throughout India and South Asia in the form of poetic narrative, art, drama and dance.
The tale centres around Rama, the eldest son of Dasarath, King of Ayodhya, and Sita, daughter of King Janaka of Videha, each of whom are an incarnation of Vishnu and Lakshmi respectively. After Rama wins the princess’s hand in marriage, his stepmother, Kaikeyi, (under coercion by her maid) conspires to depose him and claim the throne for her own son, Bharata, Rama’s half brother.
A past boon promised by King Dasarath forces him to carry out his second wife’s wishes by banishing the newlyweds to the Dandaka forest. Laksmana, Rama’s youngest brother, who is completely devoted to him, accompanies the couple. Bharata, appalled and ashamed by his mother’s treachery, goes into the forest to beg his brother to return. Rama refuses and asks that he rule the kingdom in his place until his fourteen year period of exile is over. Bharata reluctantly promises to do so, without accepting the crown. The years pass peacefully as Rama, Sita and Laksmana adjust to their simple ascetic life in the forest, during which time Sita is abducted by Ravana, the Demon king of Lanka and imprisoned in his palace gardens.
A heartbroken Rama enlists the help of Sugriva, ruler of the Vanaras, a monkey race created by Lord Brahma to help the prince in his quest to find his beloved wife. Eventually she is found by Hanuman, a monkey man bestowed with godlike powers of strength, size and speed, who informs Rama of her whereabouts, returning with a celestial jewel taken from Sita's hair as proof. With the help of his army of powerful monkeys and bears, Rama builds a bridge across the ocean to attack Lanka. A long and bloody battle follows between Rama’s allies and the Rakshasas, leading to Ravana’s eventual death and Sita’s rescue.
Before Rama will accept Sita as his wife, he asks that she prove her purity by undergoing an ordeal of fire. Vindicated by the fire God Agni, the couple are joyfully reunited and return to Ayodhya to be crowned King and Queen, inaugurating a golden age of peace and prosperity - for all but Sita. When she falls pregnant a short time later, gossip begins to circulate, raising speculation about her chastity and devotion to Rama regarding her time living with Ravana in Lanka. Though Rama knows she’s innocent, in order to prevent discord amongst his people he decides to send her away to live in Sage Valmiki’s ashram, where she gives birth to twin boys and brings them up alone. When a grief-stricken Rama is finally reunited with his family many years later, Sita, out of love for her husband, chooses to sacrifice her life to ensure his divine reputation remains untarnished and is swallowed by Mother Earth.
Ramayana is an incredibly moving and spiritual story of tragic love and epic adventure. Unfortunately I did find this retelling a bit of a slog to read, mainly because of the verbose, repetitive writing style and slow pacing. In particular, the climactic battle scenes in Lanka seemed to last an eternity. I couldn’t help but empathise with Sita, who suffered a terrible injustice through no fault of her own. Despite everything she endured to prove her virtue and undying love for Rama, who in return went to extreme lengths to rescue her, was ultimately denied the happiness she deserved. I did, however, love the character of Hanuman. For me, he was the real hero of this ancient epic.
My rating is based solely on this retelling. The story itself I would give 5*
The tale centres around Rama, the eldest son of Dasarath, King of Ayodhya, and Sita, daughter of King Janaka of Videha, each of whom are an incarnation of Vishnu and Lakshmi respectively. After Rama wins the princess’s hand in marriage, his stepmother, Kaikeyi, (under coercion by her maid) conspires to depose him and claim the throne for her own son, Bharata, Rama’s half brother.
A past boon promised by King Dasarath forces him to carry out his second wife’s wishes by banishing the newlyweds to the Dandaka forest. Laksmana, Rama’s youngest brother, who is completely devoted to him, accompanies the couple. Bharata, appalled and ashamed by his mother’s treachery, goes into the forest to beg his brother to return. Rama refuses and asks that he rule the kingdom in his place until his fourteen year period of exile is over. Bharata reluctantly promises to do so, without accepting the crown. The years pass peacefully as Rama, Sita and Laksmana adjust to their simple ascetic life in the forest, during which time Sita is abducted by Ravana, the Demon king of Lanka and imprisoned in his palace gardens.
A heartbroken Rama enlists the help of Sugriva, ruler of the Vanaras, a monkey race created by Lord Brahma to help the prince in his quest to find his beloved wife. Eventually she is found by Hanuman, a monkey man bestowed with godlike powers of strength, size and speed, who informs Rama of her whereabouts, returning with a celestial jewel taken from Sita's hair as proof. With the help of his army of powerful monkeys and bears, Rama builds a bridge across the ocean to attack Lanka. A long and bloody battle follows between Rama’s allies and the Rakshasas, leading to Ravana’s eventual death and Sita’s rescue.
Before Rama will accept Sita as his wife, he asks that she prove her purity by undergoing an ordeal of fire. Vindicated by the fire God Agni, the couple are joyfully reunited and return to Ayodhya to be crowned King and Queen, inaugurating a golden age of peace and prosperity - for all but Sita. When she falls pregnant a short time later, gossip begins to circulate, raising speculation about her chastity and devotion to Rama regarding her time living with Ravana in Lanka. Though Rama knows she’s innocent, in order to prevent discord amongst his people he decides to send her away to live in Sage Valmiki’s ashram, where she gives birth to twin boys and brings them up alone. When a grief-stricken Rama is finally reunited with his family many years later, Sita, out of love for her husband, chooses to sacrifice her life to ensure his divine reputation remains untarnished and is swallowed by Mother Earth.
Ramayana is an incredibly moving and spiritual story of tragic love and epic adventure. Unfortunately I did find this retelling a bit of a slog to read, mainly because of the verbose, repetitive writing style and slow pacing. In particular, the climactic battle scenes in Lanka seemed to last an eternity. I couldn’t help but empathise with Sita, who suffered a terrible injustice through no fault of her own. Despite everything she endured to prove her virtue and undying love for Rama, who in return went to extreme lengths to rescue her, was ultimately denied the happiness she deserved. I did, however, love the character of Hanuman. For me, he was the real hero of this ancient epic.
My rating is based solely on this retelling. The story itself I would give 5*
July 4, 2025
There are books you read once and forget, and then there are books you live through—books that become part of a place, a moment, a season of your life. Krishna Dharma’s Ramayana: India’s Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love and Wisdom belongs to that latter kind for me.
It was 2010. I was flying to Delhi for a short six-day stay. I still remember the cool marble chill of Dumdum Airport under my sandals, the quiet hum of a terminal not yet plagued by Wi-Fi addiction, and that blue-and-gold hardbound copy that caught my eye like a relic. The name Krishna Dharma sounded familiar—I'd known him from his Mahabharata retelling—and I picked up the Ramayana almost on impulse, half curious, half reverent.
By the time I landed in Delhi, the book had already drawn me in. I remember those six days as a blur of winter smog, yellowing sunlight on sandstone, autos hurtling down Janpath—and whenever I returned to my guesthouse, the Ramayana would be waiting. Not the baroque Sanskrit of Valmiki, nor the lyrical vernacular of Tulsidas or Krittibas. But a taut, accessible English rendering, poised between poetry and prose, devotion and drama. A retelling, yes—but one that carried the marrow of the epic with uncommon clarity.
Krishna Dharma’s voice is both intimate and grand. He doesn’t attempt academic historicism or postmodern irony. Instead, he gives us a straight-ahead narrative full of heart, humility, and bhakti. Rama is no abstract ideal here—he breathes, doubts, commands, forgives. Sita’s grace radiates. Lakshman’s loyalty burns like a flame. Hanuman’s leap across the ocean gave me goosebumps on a hazy Delhi afternoon. Ravana, in this telling, is fearsome but tragic, proud but fated—less a demon, more a fallen titan.
The book’s prose flows like clean water: lucid, vivid, and never indulgent. No long-winded digressions. No scholarly footnotes to break the rhythm. It reads like it was meant to be told aloud beside a fire or under the stars. And yet it manages to contain the emotional and philosophical depth of the original: dharma and dilemma, duty and love, loss and transcendence.
What stood out to me most in 2010 was the sheer moral clarity of the text. In a world that often feels adrift in grey, Rama’s path—while thorny—is unwavering. Reading it in Delhi, amidst the chaos and contradictions of modern India, felt like discovering an old compass buried in the dust.
But now it’s 2025. And I’ve returned to the same book, older, wearier, more weathered. And surprisingly, it holds up. But it also reveals more. The Ramayana, like all true epics, changes as you change. This time, I found myself drawn not just to Rama’s glory, but to the heartbreaks—the exile, the fire ordeal, the abandonment, the silent agony of Sita. I paused longer with Bharata’s grief, with Vibhishan’s betrayal, with Shabari’s quiet faith. The same clean prose now struck me with deeper pathos.
And yes, the physical book itself still holds up. That airport copy from 2010—hardbound, gold-lettered spine, creamy pages—is slightly worn at the edges now, but still dignified. A companion. A time-capsule.
Some might argue this version sanitizes the raw wildness of Valmiki, the poetic frenzy of regional Ramayans. Perhaps. But for readers seeking a gateway into the epic, or for travelers craving a portable dharma-map, Krishna Dharma offers a luminous route. It neither overwhelms with scholarship nor dilutes the sacred. It offers the Ramayana as a story to be felt.
And stories, after all, are what bind our years together. A journey begun in an airport lounge in 2010 returns in 2025 with new resonance. The book hasn’t changed. I have. And therein lies its quiet, enduring magic. Like Rama’s own footsteps, the story waits for you—wherever you may be in your life—to return and walk alongside once more.
It was 2010. I was flying to Delhi for a short six-day stay. I still remember the cool marble chill of Dumdum Airport under my sandals, the quiet hum of a terminal not yet plagued by Wi-Fi addiction, and that blue-and-gold hardbound copy that caught my eye like a relic. The name Krishna Dharma sounded familiar—I'd known him from his Mahabharata retelling—and I picked up the Ramayana almost on impulse, half curious, half reverent.
By the time I landed in Delhi, the book had already drawn me in. I remember those six days as a blur of winter smog, yellowing sunlight on sandstone, autos hurtling down Janpath—and whenever I returned to my guesthouse, the Ramayana would be waiting. Not the baroque Sanskrit of Valmiki, nor the lyrical vernacular of Tulsidas or Krittibas. But a taut, accessible English rendering, poised between poetry and prose, devotion and drama. A retelling, yes—but one that carried the marrow of the epic with uncommon clarity.
Krishna Dharma’s voice is both intimate and grand. He doesn’t attempt academic historicism or postmodern irony. Instead, he gives us a straight-ahead narrative full of heart, humility, and bhakti. Rama is no abstract ideal here—he breathes, doubts, commands, forgives. Sita’s grace radiates. Lakshman’s loyalty burns like a flame. Hanuman’s leap across the ocean gave me goosebumps on a hazy Delhi afternoon. Ravana, in this telling, is fearsome but tragic, proud but fated—less a demon, more a fallen titan.
The book’s prose flows like clean water: lucid, vivid, and never indulgent. No long-winded digressions. No scholarly footnotes to break the rhythm. It reads like it was meant to be told aloud beside a fire or under the stars. And yet it manages to contain the emotional and philosophical depth of the original: dharma and dilemma, duty and love, loss and transcendence.
What stood out to me most in 2010 was the sheer moral clarity of the text. In a world that often feels adrift in grey, Rama’s path—while thorny—is unwavering. Reading it in Delhi, amidst the chaos and contradictions of modern India, felt like discovering an old compass buried in the dust.
But now it’s 2025. And I’ve returned to the same book, older, wearier, more weathered. And surprisingly, it holds up. But it also reveals more. The Ramayana, like all true epics, changes as you change. This time, I found myself drawn not just to Rama’s glory, but to the heartbreaks—the exile, the fire ordeal, the abandonment, the silent agony of Sita. I paused longer with Bharata’s grief, with Vibhishan’s betrayal, with Shabari’s quiet faith. The same clean prose now struck me with deeper pathos.
And yes, the physical book itself still holds up. That airport copy from 2010—hardbound, gold-lettered spine, creamy pages—is slightly worn at the edges now, but still dignified. A companion. A time-capsule.
Some might argue this version sanitizes the raw wildness of Valmiki, the poetic frenzy of regional Ramayans. Perhaps. But for readers seeking a gateway into the epic, or for travelers craving a portable dharma-map, Krishna Dharma offers a luminous route. It neither overwhelms with scholarship nor dilutes the sacred. It offers the Ramayana as a story to be felt.
And stories, after all, are what bind our years together. A journey begun in an airport lounge in 2010 returns in 2025 with new resonance. The book hasn’t changed. I have. And therein lies its quiet, enduring magic. Like Rama’s own footsteps, the story waits for you—wherever you may be in your life—to return and walk alongside once more.
April 29, 2021
This book is a magnificent representation of the timeless classic. Krishna Dharma’s book should be a guiding manual for authors who wish to re-narrate classics. It is incredible how he manages to stay true to the original work while ensuring that his narration is easy to read.
Krishna Dharma makes one feel all the emotions in Ramayana. His writing transports you to various settings. You weep with Dashrath as Rama leaves for the forest; you gasp as you see Rama banish the demons; your heart breaks at Sita’s abduction; you cheer Hanuman as He performs miraculous feats; you get goose-pimples as you read the descriptions of the ineffable battle between God in a human form and an unassailable demon!
Reading this book is an experience that any book lover should not be miss.
Krishna Dharma makes one feel all the emotions in Ramayana. His writing transports you to various settings. You weep with Dashrath as Rama leaves for the forest; you gasp as you see Rama banish the demons; your heart breaks at Sita’s abduction; you cheer Hanuman as He performs miraculous feats; you get goose-pimples as you read the descriptions of the ineffable battle between God in a human form and an unassailable demon!
Reading this book is an experience that any book lover should not be miss.
December 5, 2024
What a brilliant book!
The author very much sticks to the original Valkimi Ramayana story but makes it so much more readable, such that anyone could enjoy this wonderful tale. His prose is beautiful, with lovely attention to detail, capturing the emotions, action and suspense that makes it hard to put the book down.
There is so much to learn from the Ramayana. This book makes it so much more accessible to those that enjoy wonderful english prose. I know I'll be reading this again and again.
The author very much sticks to the original Valkimi Ramayana story but makes it so much more readable, such that anyone could enjoy this wonderful tale. His prose is beautiful, with lovely attention to detail, capturing the emotions, action and suspense that makes it hard to put the book down.
There is so much to learn from the Ramayana. This book makes it so much more accessible to those that enjoy wonderful english prose. I know I'll be reading this again and again.
August 16, 2021
Pretty wanky translation. He uses a lot of vocabulary that really could’ve been modernized and simplified. For instance there is no reason to consistently use the word ‘circumambulate’ in stead of ‘walk around’ or ‘circle’ or ‘encircled’ or even ‘hugged’
The overly academic and old fashioned language definitely made the store sound more foreign unapproachable.
The overly academic and old fashioned language definitely made the store sound more foreign unapproachable.
February 17, 2021
If you've read Mahabharata, you can say you've read Ramayana too. It's generally the same story, more concise.
I don't know if it's the best retelling as it's the only version (except for Sita's Ramayana) that I read, but I can say it sounds consistent and it's virtuously told.
I don't know if it's the best retelling as it's the only version (except for Sita's Ramayana) that I read, but I can say it sounds consistent and it's virtuously told.
October 1, 2018
Nice Book
April 27, 2021
La storia mi è piaciuta e ci sono molti insegnamenti sull' esser virtuosi. Insegnamenti veramente difficili da applicare nella vita di tutti i giorni e per la maggior parte delle persone, me inclusa.
May 4, 2021
Great tale. Beautifully written and full of wonder.
July 17, 2025
Bello ma in alcune parti un po’ ripetitivo. Alcuni capitoli sono un po’ lenti.
August 28, 2023
A great story filled with the kind of incredible, over the top grandeur to be expected of an epic poem, yet the Ramayana takes everything to heights I had never before seen. Rama makes the likes of Achilles, Gilgamesh, or Cuchulain seem like piper tigers in comparison (Hercules and Sun Wukong would be the only other epic heroes I can think of who would stand a chance against Rama, and yes I know how silly it is to compare any of them like that).
Rama's bow may be the most powerful weapon ever wielded by an epic hero in all of world mythology (firing thousands of arrows per minute, each filled with magical properties). The villain and his many minions are equally indomitable and overpowered, but Rama's army of monkeys are up to the task.
This is the type of grandeur I enjoy about world mythology, because it's never just grand for its own sake but to teach deeper cultural, moral, and religious lessons. The story is interesting and filled with incredible moments and a picture is painted of a beautiful, yet frightening world of endless possibilities, but it's the deeper insight into and appreciation for Hinduism the story gave me that mattered most. While I don't find the moral system presented here as compelling as that presented by Dante, it's still much richer and more compelling than I expected.
Imagine if everyone took the time to read the important stories of the world. I think we would all appreciate each other much more if we did.
Rama's bow may be the most powerful weapon ever wielded by an epic hero in all of world mythology (firing thousands of arrows per minute, each filled with magical properties). The villain and his many minions are equally indomitable and overpowered, but Rama's army of monkeys are up to the task.
This is the type of grandeur I enjoy about world mythology, because it's never just grand for its own sake but to teach deeper cultural, moral, and religious lessons. The story is interesting and filled with incredible moments and a picture is painted of a beautiful, yet frightening world of endless possibilities, but it's the deeper insight into and appreciation for Hinduism the story gave me that mattered most. While I don't find the moral system presented here as compelling as that presented by Dante, it's still much richer and more compelling than I expected.
Imagine if everyone took the time to read the important stories of the world. I think we would all appreciate each other much more if we did.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews