The Concise Ramayana of Valmiki

by Venkatesananda, Vālmīki

This is a condensed version of a long epic, written between 750 and 500 B.C., consisting of 50,000 lines of Sanskrit verse. Divided into seven Kanor books, it tells the story of Rama from his birth to his death. At regular intervals throughout the text, the chapters being condensed are designated by Kantitles and numbers. Each interval is appropriate in length for a daily reading, and there are 365 intervals.

The cast of characters is provided by a glossary of proper names.

Genres: Poetry

409 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1988

About the author

Swami Venkatesananda (Parthsarathy as he was known then) was born in Tanjore on December 29th, 1921, to a South Indian Brahmin family. He learned Sanskrit at an early age from his uncle and grandfather, and used to love to take part in religious observances. He was not only scholarly but full of fun (a trait which endeared him in later life when, as a Swami, he travelled in the West, illustrating the everyday concepts we live by with his humorous stories.)

At the age of fourteen he discovered a book by Swami Sivananda in a bookshop. He was so impressed that he wrote to Swami Sivananda asking if he could join him in his ashram. Swami Sivananda told him to finish his education and then come to Rishikesh.

On leaving school, he studied shorthand and typing, coming first in the examination. After working for the Madras Corporation, he obtained the position of Private Secretary to the Minister of War in Calcutta; most suitably, as a member of the diplomatic core. In this capacity one day he was asked to escort some V.I.P.s to Haridwar and Rishikesh. He visited Sivananda Ashram and was told that Swami Sivananda was resting and he wouldn't be able to meet him. Shortly after, Sivananda unexpectedly came out. He looked at Parthasarathy and said, "So. You have come," and asked him to stay at the ashram.

So after fulfilling his work commitments for a year, he returned to Rishikes to stay. Sivananda put him to work in various departments of the ashram's kitchen, temple, office, and typing, the press etc. After that he became the private secretary to Swami Sivananda, typing his books, answering letters and generally helping in his day to day activities. Later he travelled the world to spread the message of his master, Swami Sivananda.

Reviews

[Tom]

This is pretty wild stuff to a Westerner...some of the spectacles are beyond sci-fi or comic books.
Just the right length for a moderately serious reader: long enough to get important details, but not so long as to be tedious. Pretty fast read despite coming in at just over 400 pp.
Holding back a star because it's a little sloppy for a university press edition: some undefined terms, inconsistencies in names/spellings, and one long untranslated Sanskrit passage (Yuddha 107-108; the lines have parenthesized numbers 16-21 by them but I find no related notes or explanations). [Added: The numbers correspond to lines of the Sanskrit text of the hymn "Aditya Hridayam", but I had to figure that out independently. Translation is easy to find online.]

[Eddie]

Great epic poem, oldest in the world I am told. It is worshiped in India. It's devotees read a chapter or sloka each day so it was a must read for me. Familiar with the holy name of Ram and his story, lost in the forest, rescuing Sita, Hanuman and Lakshmana but not knowing the particulars I worked hard on
ingesting. I was happy to learn so much more about the Ramayana than I had previously known, Vashistha's role, Sita's leaving of the world and so on.

[Christy George]

Wow. So much of western culture and literature seems to have sprung directly from this, and I would have never known thanks to my white washed education.

[Paul Guthrie]

Amazing to read. I confess I dis not read the whole thing, just the part required for a class. But I remember my aunt telling me this story using pictures she had brought back from India after living there for years.

It was also wonderful to see so many throughlines that connect to other stories.

[liz]

Some interesting choices made by the translator lend this text to be more modernized and sexist than needed.

[Mark Hall]

Ineffable.

[Savita Ramsumair]

Jai Shri Raam

I was blessed to have been able to read this beautiful Valmiki
Ramayan. Excellent retelling of this most sacred epic.