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The Valmiki Ramayana #2
The Ramayana: Translated Into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit of Valmiki; Ayodhya Kāndam
Excerpt from The Ramayana: Translated Into English Prose From the Original Sanskrit of Valmiki; Ayodhya Kāndam
An adept and was well versed in social usages and cus toms. He was lowly'; and of close counsel and used to keep unto himself his purposes; and was resourceful. Neither his pleasure nor his displeasure went for naught. He knew the season of amassing riches, and of giving them away. And he was ardently reverential; and his wisdom never wavered; and he accepted no improper present; and he used no rough speech. He knew no idleness and was vigi lant; and had a knowledge of his own as well as of others' failings. He was conversant with the scriptures; and was grateful; and could read the hearts of others. He had sagacity to perceive the seasons for duly showing favor or disfavor. He understood all about the reception of the righteous, the maintenance of family, and the occasion for chastising evil-doers and he was an expert in collecting dues (from the people); and knew the manner prescribed (by the authorities) for expending money. He had attained proficiency in all the scriptures and literary works composed in both Sanskrit and Prakrit. He sought pleasure without sacrificing either interest or morality; and he was never dilatory in duty. He understood the arts of those who entertained others. He knew the vari ous heads on which wealth was to be expended. He was skilful in riding and training up horses and elephants. He was the foremost of those accomplished in archery.
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
An adept and was well versed in social usages and cus toms. He was lowly'; and of close counsel and used to keep unto himself his purposes; and was resourceful. Neither his pleasure nor his displeasure went for naught. He knew the season of amassing riches, and of giving them away. And he was ardently reverential; and his wisdom never wavered; and he accepted no improper present; and he used no rough speech. He knew no idleness and was vigi lant; and had a knowledge of his own as well as of others' failings. He was conversant with the scriptures; and was grateful; and could read the hearts of others. He had sagacity to perceive the seasons for duly showing favor or disfavor. He understood all about the reception of the righteous, the maintenance of family, and the occasion for chastising evil-doers and he was an expert in collecting dues (from the people); and knew the manner prescribed (by the authorities) for expending money. He had attained proficiency in all the scriptures and literary works composed in both Sanskrit and Prakrit. He sought pleasure without sacrificing either interest or morality; and he was never dilatory in duty. He understood the arts of those who entertained others. He knew the vari ous heads on which wealth was to be expended. He was skilful in riding and training up horses and elephants. He was the foremost of those accomplished in archery.
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
331 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 501
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179 people want to read
About the author
Vālmīki
483 books138 followersValmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself.He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The Yoga Vasistha is attributed to him. A religious movement called Valmikism is based on Valmiki's teachings as presented in the Ramayana and the Yoga Vasistha.
At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. Ashvagosha writes in the Buddhacarita,
"The voice of Valmiki uttered poetry which the great seer Chyavana could not compose."
This particular verse has been speculated to indicate a familial relationship between Valmiki and Chyavana, as implied by the previous and subsequent verses.
At least by the 1st century AD, Valmiki's reputation as the father of Sanskrit classical poetry seems to have been legendary. Ashvagosha writes in the Buddhacarita,
"The voice of Valmiki uttered poetry which the great seer Chyavana could not compose."
This particular verse has been speculated to indicate a familial relationship between Valmiki and Chyavana, as implied by the previous and subsequent verses.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 23, 2019
A great pilgrimage just ends. Every line is enjoyable. There is large scope of research in the field of ancient geography of Bharata (India), political development, history and statesmanship. The duty of king towards his subjects and flaws of king which can devastate his kingdom are till a valid political subject.
Prime attractions of this volume is valor of Hanumana and acute description of gory battle between Shri Ram - Ravan and Lakshmana - Meghnaad (Indrajit, son of Ravan).
Heart wrenches while reading plight of Sita during her stay at Ashoka Vana, purification test by entering into fire on instruction of Shri Ram, forsaking Sita in forest after Shri Ram became king of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and final departure of Sita into the earth when asked for purification test again.
However, many feminists abuse Ram due to these events, however, one must remembers, here Ram acted like true king for whom only pleasure was happiness of his citizen. How many kings or political leaders can sacrifice his beloved family members or comfort of life just for citizen or truth?
Long before arriving of Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Hulk etc., Rishi Valmiki already gave that blue print in his epics. We must be thankful to him.
Prime attractions of this volume is valor of Hanumana and acute description of gory battle between Shri Ram - Ravan and Lakshmana - Meghnaad (Indrajit, son of Ravan).
Heart wrenches while reading plight of Sita during her stay at Ashoka Vana, purification test by entering into fire on instruction of Shri Ram, forsaking Sita in forest after Shri Ram became king of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and final departure of Sita into the earth when asked for purification test again.
However, many feminists abuse Ram due to these events, however, one must remembers, here Ram acted like true king for whom only pleasure was happiness of his citizen. How many kings or political leaders can sacrifice his beloved family members or comfort of life just for citizen or truth?
Long before arriving of Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Hulk etc., Rishi Valmiki already gave that blue print in his epics. We must be thankful to him.
March 29, 2021
I eagerly look forward to volume three, but Ayodhya was almost entirely a single drawn out episode with no real excitement. As soon as the action seems about to start, it ends.
This volume seems to have been intended to inculcate righteous behavior in readers (or, more likely, listeners). Their system of ethics is quite interesting, different from our own, but could just as easily have been told in 100 pages.
It tells the story of Rama's banishment. In order not to make a liar of his father, who promised a boon to one of his wives many years earlier, he removes himself from the capital city of Ayodhya because Kaikeyi wants her natural son, Bharata, Rama's younger brother, to sit on the throne. Rama leaves even as he sees that his father has been distraught to the brink of death (and ends up dying after he leaves) at the thought of the loss of his son.
Taking Sita, his wife, and his brother, Lakshmana, they set off for Chitrakuta to become ascetics, with bark-cloth clothes and matted hair, to eat the roots and vegetables of the forest.
Bharata only discovers what has happened when a messenger comes to bring him back to Ayodhya from his maternal grandfather's kingdom. Upon his arrival, he learns the truth. Enraged, he wants to kill his mother, but holds back for fear of Rama's judgment. Instead, he hurries to Chitrakuta to beg Rama's return.
Of course, Rama refuses. He has promised his father to stay for 14 years, and 14 years he'll stay. He tells Bharata to return and take what is rightfully his.
Extremely repetitious, I understand why some people might want to read an abridged edition after these 325 pages (every other page is in romanized Sanskrit), which would probably be a much more pleasant read in 75 to 125 pages. But it served a purpose in terms of the emotional bond that's created over these many pages, so I would recommend anyone with time to push through it and keep on track with the unabridged version.
After all, the action, so common in the first volume, seems just about ready to resume, as Rama goes off to face the rakshasas who are threatening the other ascetics in the ashram.
This volume seems to have been intended to inculcate righteous behavior in readers (or, more likely, listeners). Their system of ethics is quite interesting, different from our own, but could just as easily have been told in 100 pages.
It tells the story of Rama's banishment. In order not to make a liar of his father, who promised a boon to one of his wives many years earlier, he removes himself from the capital city of Ayodhya because Kaikeyi wants her natural son, Bharata, Rama's younger brother, to sit on the throne. Rama leaves even as he sees that his father has been distraught to the brink of death (and ends up dying after he leaves) at the thought of the loss of his son.
Taking Sita, his wife, and his brother, Lakshmana, they set off for Chitrakuta to become ascetics, with bark-cloth clothes and matted hair, to eat the roots and vegetables of the forest.
Bharata only discovers what has happened when a messenger comes to bring him back to Ayodhya from his maternal grandfather's kingdom. Upon his arrival, he learns the truth. Enraged, he wants to kill his mother, but holds back for fear of Rama's judgment. Instead, he hurries to Chitrakuta to beg Rama's return.
Of course, Rama refuses. He has promised his father to stay for 14 years, and 14 years he'll stay. He tells Bharata to return and take what is rightfully his.
Extremely repetitious, I understand why some people might want to read an abridged edition after these 325 pages (every other page is in romanized Sanskrit), which would probably be a much more pleasant read in 75 to 125 pages. But it served a purpose in terms of the emotional bond that's created over these many pages, so I would recommend anyone with time to push through it and keep on track with the unabridged version.
After all, the action, so common in the first volume, seems just about ready to resume, as Rama goes off to face the rakshasas who are threatening the other ascetics in the ashram.
June 11, 2009
In this second book of the definitive edition of Valmiki's epic, Rama, on the brink of his triumphant consecration as prince regent, is instead exiled to the forest by Bharata's mother Kaikeyi. There is some troubling misogyny in her portrayal and in that of her hunchbacked servant Manthara, and in the double standard applied to mothers and fathers. A father must be obeyed at all costs, whether private or collective, while Bharata's flouting of his mother's will, and bitter denunciations of her, are treated as basically honorable, though Rama refuses to join in demonizing her. The oft-repeated notion that a wife must regard her husband as her deity is also, to put it mildly, alarming. Nor do I think that these things are to be interpreted away symbolically; they are, rather, the spiritual limitations of the piece.
That being said, Sita is a very appealing character, and her readiness to join Rama in the hardships of his forest exile feels plucky. Furthermore, the importance attached to their svayamvara, or "self-selection" marriage, in its denial of paternal choice, is an important symbolic step toward individual autonomy for both sexes. The archaism of its expression makes this difficult to perceive today, but Rama's winning of Sita by fulfilling an objective condition is, in fact, the symbolic prototype of the love match.
The theological dimension of the story begins to come into play in this book. Rama's exile from Ayodhya seems to have to do with the necessity for mediation between the spiritual and political planes, as symbolized in the memorable, if bizarre, image of Bharata consulting Rama's golden slippers before making decisions upon matters of state. Here, too, it seems that a developing sense of autonomy, in this case an autonomous sphere of secular or civil society, is being given theological expression and authority as Rama willingly steps back from exercising political authority, being represented instead purely by his traces, namely the slippers or, more concretely, his advice to Bharata on the principles of good governance in 94.
A subtle theme in this narrative is the conflict between brahman and kshatriya codes of conduct and ethical perspectives, akin in some respects to the conflict between the "reasoning" and "spirited" (thymotic) parts of the soul in Plato's Republic; the correspondence between the tripartite caste system and Plato's tripartite soul as depicted in the tripartite organization of the "city in speech" was seen by Dumézil as displaying the influence of Indo-European trifunctional organization.
That being said, Sita is a very appealing character, and her readiness to join Rama in the hardships of his forest exile feels plucky. Furthermore, the importance attached to their svayamvara, or "self-selection" marriage, in its denial of paternal choice, is an important symbolic step toward individual autonomy for both sexes. The archaism of its expression makes this difficult to perceive today, but Rama's winning of Sita by fulfilling an objective condition is, in fact, the symbolic prototype of the love match.
The theological dimension of the story begins to come into play in this book. Rama's exile from Ayodhya seems to have to do with the necessity for mediation between the spiritual and political planes, as symbolized in the memorable, if bizarre, image of Bharata consulting Rama's golden slippers before making decisions upon matters of state. Here, too, it seems that a developing sense of autonomy, in this case an autonomous sphere of secular or civil society, is being given theological expression and authority as Rama willingly steps back from exercising political authority, being represented instead purely by his traces, namely the slippers or, more concretely, his advice to Bharata on the principles of good governance in 94.
A subtle theme in this narrative is the conflict between brahman and kshatriya codes of conduct and ethical perspectives, akin in some respects to the conflict between the "reasoning" and "spirited" (thymotic) parts of the soul in Plato's Republic; the correspondence between the tripartite caste system and Plato's tripartite soul as depicted in the tripartite organization of the "city in speech" was seen by Dumézil as displaying the influence of Indo-European trifunctional organization.
August 22, 2023
Oh, the beauty that is contained within this one. I truly do adore my current experiences reading Hindu historical epic. There are far greater truths here than I feel I can find in the texts relevant to other belief systems, namely in the ways in which good and evil are ambiguous, impulsive rather than strictly predetermined, and constrained by the contexts in which we exist. Rama, Vishnu, is the sole example of the supernatural who never gives up conformity with dharma, and whose decisions and speech impresses all for good reason. The arguments over destiny and conduct, death and decisions, boons and broken promises, and other catalysts for inquiry rain throughout this epic poem, with language both beautiful and human to its core. Through the second volume, I am expectant of the greatest epic I have yet been exposed to. While my read of the first volume of the Mahabharata indicates its greater potential and nuance, Valmiki’s Ramayana is no deviation from the truth. I am so damned excited to read through the next five volumes to uncover the story of Rama, and to experience the expression of further inquiries – seemingly lacking any dogma, this is an epic sensitive in composition and articulation, and among the most profound literary achievements which I have yet succumbed to reading.
August 13, 2020
How was this volume shorter but I spent more time on it? Anyway, Rama, Lakshman, and Sita finally get going to start their exile, but then there’s a Who Shot Dasaratha and Bahrat realizes Kaikeyi was using him, so there’s so much going back and forth from Ayodhya to Dandak initially that it’s not really much of an exile. But then a giant starts lusting after Sita and Rama kills his sister in retaliation and it turns into a full- on war where this other guy Maricha gets bitter enough to want to [redacted] Sita, so he turns into a deer to entice her, but once again, Rama is a crack shot with Shiva’s bow.
October 29, 2024
The loved the writing and explainations. This book has bought me to tears so many times that I have lost count. It made me laugh, cry and root for Rama and Sita's love, their bond and understanding. Ahhh!!! Reading the Ramayana for past 11 months. This book grew on me. Is it possible to miss a book? Yes! I do miss it. It had become the part of my routine.
September 25, 2019
A long epic poem which Sri Shastri makes a gallant effort in translating into prose.
The story in itself is quite the damsel in distress tale.
The story in itself is quite the damsel in distress tale.
August 1, 2014
რამაიანა ინდური ეპოსია, რომელიც დაახლოებით ქრისტეს შობამდე მეოთხე საუკუნეში შეიქმნა. იგი შედგება შვიდი ნაწილისაგან, თუმცა პირველი და მეშვიდე ნაწილები არ ითვლება ვალმიკის შემოქმედებად და მოგვიანებით დამატებულად მიიჩნევა. რამაიანა არის რამას ეპოპეა, მისი თავგადასავალი დაბადებიდან ნახევრად განღმრთობამდე.
მეორე ნაწილი, რომელსად აიოდჰია ეწოდება, არის წიგნი რამას ქალაქიდან გაძევებაზე. მეფე იძულებლია საკუთარი ვაჟი, ტახტის მემკვიდრე საკუთარი ცოლის იძულებით განდევნოს ქალაქიდან ტყეში 14 წლით. რამას თან მიჰყვება ძმა და ცოლი სიტა ... დანარჩენი წიგნში, რომელიც მსუბუქად და ლაღად იკითხება.
მეორე ნაწილი, რომელსად აიოდჰია ეწოდება, არის წიგნი რამას ქალაქიდან გაძევებაზე. მეფე იძულებლია საკუთარი ვაჟი, ტახტის მემკვიდრე საკუთარი ცოლის იძულებით განდევნოს ქალაქიდან ტყეში 14 წლით. რამას თან მიჰყვება ძმა და ცოლი სიტა ... დანარჩენი წიგნში, რომელიც მსუბუქად და ლაღად იკითხება.
January 15, 2008
Fantastic bilingual edition of the second book of the Ramayana, focusing on the exiling of Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu). The moving story of his acceptance of his dharma and the repercussions of that ethical choice (especially upon Rama's father) still manages to shake me deeply. Great translation and auxiliary materials.
May 10, 2007
Yeah, I'm a geek. You know what I love more than anything in the entire world? I LOVE the movie, especially when Vishnu reveals himself. Best. Thing. Ever.
October 2, 2013
Interesting descriptions.
May 19, 2020
Not so much of a rating of this magnificent and ancient epic, however one must watch out for the uttara kand translation from Gita press, as there are some notable interpolations in it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews