Ramayana

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, popularly known as "Rajaji" or "C.R" was a great patriot, astute politician, incisive thinker, great visionary and one of the greatest statesmen of all time. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, hailed as conscious- keeper of the Mahatma. As an ardent freedom-fighter, as Chief Minister of Madras, as Governor of West Bengal, as Home Minister of India and as the first Indian Governor-General of India he rendered yeoman service to the nation and left an indelible impress on our contemporary life.

Rajaji was closely associated with Kulapati Munshiji and he was among the distinguished founder-members of the Bhavan. The Bhavan had the privilege of publishing 18 books (see page ii) by him so far, the copyright of which he gifted to the Bhavan.

All of Rajaji's works, especially of Marcus Aurelius, the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are popular. In Mahabharata, he has displayed his inimitable flair for story-telling and applying the moral of stories to the needs of modern times. In the present book Ramayana, Rajaji captures for us the pathos and beauty of Valmiki's magic in an inimitable manner. Written in homely style, the work is striking in its originality and beauty of expression. A fitting successor to Mahabharata.

Rajaji passed away in 1972 at the age of 94.

Content:

CHAPTER
         KULAPATI'S PREFACE
         KULAPATI'S SUPPLEMENTARY PREFACE
         AUTHOR'S PREFACE
         AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
         AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION
         NOTES FOR THE PRONUNCIATION
         RAAMAAYANE
I.       THE CONCEPTION
II.      SAGA VISHWAMITRA
III.     TRISANKU
IV.      RAAMA LEAVES HOME
V.       RAAMA SLAYS THE MONSTER
VI.      SEETA
VII.     BHAGEERATHA AND THE STORY OF GANGA
VIII.    AHALYA
IX.      RAAMA WINS SEETA'S HAND
X.       PARASURAMA'S DISCOMFITURE
XI.      FESTIVE PREPARATION
XII.     MANTHARA'S EVIL COUNSEL
XIII.    KAIKEYI SUCCUMBS
XIV.     WIFE OR DEMON?
XV.      BEHOLD A WONDER!
XVI.     STORM AND CALM
XVII.    SEETA'S RESOLVE
XVIII.   TO THE FOREST
XIX.     ALONE BY THEMSELVES
XX.      CHITRAKOOTA
XXI.     A MOTHER'S GRIEF
XXII.    IDLE SPORT AND TERRIBLE RESULT
XXIII.   LAST MOMENTS
XXIV.    BHARATA ARRIVES
XXV.     INTRIGUE WASTED
XXVI.    BHARATA SUSPECTED
XXVII.   THE BROTHERS MEET
XXVIII.  BHARATA BECOMES RAAMA'S DEPUTY
XXIX.    VIRAADHA'S END
XXX.     TEN YEARS PASS
XXXI.    THE SOORPANAKHA EPISODE
XXXII.   KAMBAN'S SOORPANAKHA
XXXIII.  KHARA AND HIS ARMY LIQUIDATED
XXXIV.   THE PATH OF RUIN
XXXV.    THE GOLDEN STAG
XXXVI.   THE GOOD BIRD JATAAYU
XXXVII.  CLOSELY GUARDED
XXXVIII. RAAMA DISCONSOLATE
XXXIX.   A SECOND FATHER DIES
XL.      LEFT EYELIDS THROB
XLI.     HE SEES HER JEWELS
XLII.    SUGREEVA'S DOUBTS CLEARED
XLIII.   THE SLAYING OF VAALI
XLIV.    TAARA'S GRIEF
XLV.     ANGER AND RECONCILIATION
XLVI.    THE SEARCH BEGINS
XLVII.   SON OF VAAYU
XLVIII.  THE SEARCH IN LANKA
XLIX.    SEETA IN THE ASHOKA PARK
L.       RAAVANA'S SOLICITATION
LI.      FIRST AMONG THE ASTUTE
LII.     SEETA COMFORTED
LIII.    SEETA AND HANUMAAN
LIV.     INVITING BATTLE
LV.      THE TERRIBLE ENVOY
LVI.     HANUMAAN BOUND
LVII.    LANKA IN FLAMES
LVIII.   A CARNIVAL
LIX.     THE TIDINGS CONVEYED
LX.      THE ARMY MOVES FOREWORD
LXI.     ANXIETY IN LANKA
LXII.    RAAVANA CALLS A COUNCIL AGAIN
LXIII.   VIBHEESHANA
LXIV.    THE VAANARAS' DOUBT
LXV.     THE DOCTRINE OF SURRENDER AND GRACE
LXVI.    THE GREAT CAUSEWAY
LXVII.   THE BATTLE BEGINS
LXVIII.  SEETA'S JOY
LXIX.    SERPENT DARTS
LXX.     RAAVANA'S DEFEAT
LXXI.    THE GIANT IS ROUSED
LXXII.   IS THE NAARAAYANA HIMSELF?
LXXIII.  THE DEATH OF INDRAJIT
LXXIV.   END OF RAAVANA
LXXV.    THE END 
         EPILOGUE	
         GLOSSARY

Of Related Interest:

Articles:

Rama The Ideal Man: The Epic Adventure of a Hero

Books:

Thus Spake Sri Rama

Hanuman (In the Ramayana of Valimiki and the Ramacharitamanasa of Tulasidasa)

Comic Books:

Ancestors Of Rama

The Sons Of Rama

Paintings:

Ramayana Tales Retold

Rama and Lakshmana Wash the Wounds of Jatayu

Lord Rama Slays Taadka

Rama Durbar

Bharat Milap - Lord Rama meets with Brother Bharat

Rama Yantra

Sculptures:

Lord Rama

Dashanana, or the Ten Headed Demon King of Lanka

Jewelry:

Sri Ram

Textiles:

Sita Rama Prayer Shawls

Jai Shri Rama

Sri Ram

Dolls:

Ram Durbar

The Berries of Shabri

Exile in the Forest