The Ramayana is thousands of years old, yet it is filled with life lessons that benefit us even today. It teaches courage and fortitude to handle problems that are the inevitable result of birth. Reading it instils values like leadership, forbearance, loyalty, respect, equality, forgiveness, humility and, most of all, selflessness. Rama exemplifies eternally relevant dharma, demonstrating the path to enlightenment through conscious selfless action. He illustrates how one can attain liberation from suffering not by renunciation but by engaging fully in life, yet rising above it, through the purity of our choices.
This retelling of Valmiki's Ramayana is a compelling read. It brings alive the poet's ancient Sanskrit epic in lucid English without diluting the original intent. Making this edition truly special are the additional chapters on Vedic life, Rama's descendants and the story of Valmiki.
Read this book and be amazed at the profound thinking of our ancestors.
The values we cherish today-democracy, liberty, equality and justice-are at the core of this story. Rama embodies righteousness that never loses relevance, making him a man of dharma and a role model in every age.
Priya Arora is a spiritual seeker and a devoted follower of Advaita Vedanta. Delving into this ancient civilizational philosophy for many years was an eye-opening experience for her, dispelling many misconceptions. Vedanta's profundity and continuing relevance today inspire her writing.
Priya was born and raised in India and later graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English literature. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, children and beloved French bulldog, Humphrey.
Valmiki composed his epic biography of Rama eons ago, and since then, many versions of the story have been told and retold through the ages. Aside from these, there are numerous translations of the original and several abridged versions in almost every world language. It is natural, then, to question the value of one more. In response, I would like to reiterate Valmiki's stated purpose, which is largely lost today. The Ramayana is viewed chiefly as a mythological fantasy or a devotional piece about Vishnu's seventh avatar, but neither interpretation is compatible with the poet's original intention. While acknowledging that Rama took birth to destroy evil, Valmiki asserts his mission in the opening verses of his magnum opus to depict the remarkable life of an exceptional human being. He does not attribute Rama's eminence to divinity but to high ethics, which made him choose righteous action in every circumstance, no matter how adverse the outcome was to him. In Vedic philosophy, each person is divine, a manifestation of infinitely existing consciousness, so Rama felt pain and suffering in human form, just as we all do. The difference was that he did not take birth due to past karma like everyone else, but as an avatar, solely for the benefit of humanity.
I am not detracting from the godliness of Rama or his worship by those who deify him. After all, I am a devotee myself, but I see his life as a shining example of righteousness, as therein lies his greatness. Valmiki's Ramayana is about a historical character, who lived in ancient times and ruled from Ayodhya, a great king whose reign was marked by peace and prosperity, still remembered today as the golden age of Ramrajya. His monarchy left such a lasting impression that Deepavali, the festival of lights, is still observed every year, commemorating Rama's return home when his people celebrated his victory over evil by lighting oil lamps throughout the city. I have elaborated on Rama's historicity at the end of the book, which readers can refer to for more information, so I will not repeat the details here.
Trials and tribulations beset Rama throughout his life, yet he bore his hardships with equanimity, never compromising his lofty principles for personal gain. His exemplary character and unshakable adherence to ethical conduct bestow him with the title 'Maryada Purushottam'-the perfect man. There is much to learn from his fortitude, as suffering is an inevitable part of the human condition. Rama's journey through life expresses the high philosophy of the Vedas stemming from an inherent belief in harmony, which I have referenced in footnotes throughout the book. The entirety of the Vedic outlook can be distilled to 'Aham Brahmasmi', that the consciousness within me is God, the same that pervades all matter. Therefore, in seeing creation as inseparable from the creator, unity is the central principle of the Vedas. Rama was a realized person, who had liberated himself from a narrow identity, seeing oneness instead of division.
The Ramayana does not speak only to a particular group of followers; its message is all-embracing, illustrating everlasting values accepted by humanity as a whole. Since it expounds eternally applicable ethics focusing on dharma, not religious persuasion, its lessons apply to everyone regardless of ethnicity or personal faith. As an exemplar of timeless dharma, Rama is truly a man for all ages. Sadly, he is mainly viewed as a religious figure in recent years, embroiled in politics and communal strife, an association that has distanced him from what he symbolizes. I hope my rendition of Valmiki's story will show the reader Rama's value as a noble ancestor of humankind, worthy of universal respect and emulation, not limited to a deity venerated by some.
Although this is an abridged version, I have stayed reasonably close to the original story so that none of Valmiki's intent is lost. After much internal debate, I included some of the Puranic-style tales in Books 1 and 7.
Scholars claim that many are later-day interpolations; nevertheless, I have added them as they feature in the complete edition. In this regard, I would like to acknowledge Gita Press Gorakhpur's excellent English translation. Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, which I used as the template for my book. I have also included supplemental information with essays discussing various Vedic terms and concepts pertinent to a proper appreciation of the story, as there is considerable misinformation about many of these ideas.
Vedas (1182)
Upanishads (493)
Puranas (624)
Ramayana (741)
Mahabharata (354)
Dharmasastras (165)
Goddess (496)
Bhakti (242)
Saints (1503)
Gods (1290)
Shiva (370)
Journal (187)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (362)
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