Ramayana

Ramayana finds its place within the itihasa section of the Hindu corpus. Although itihasa literally implies history, a more appropriate interpretation would be legends. The way we comprehend history today is not the same as how ancient people used to recount past events. They were more inclined towards legends. The tale of Rama was initially composed by Valmiki, though it likely existed within the collective memory even prior to its transcription. It narrates the story of a courageous Indian prince named Rama, who crossed the sea and defeated the demon king Ravana to rescue his wife.

For billions of Hindus, Rama embodies the avatar of the supreme personality of Godhead Vishnu. The narration of the Lord's deeds in this world holds a revered place as an eternal source of divine guidance.

Although Valmiki was the first to compose the text, he certainly wasn't the last. The story has been recounted and retold through the ages in various languages. Here, a direct English translation of Valmiki's original narrative is presented. Manmatha Nath Dutt translated this epic poem from Sanskrit into English prose between the years 1892 and 1894. He stands as one of the prolific translators of Hindu scriptures, accomplishing the extraordinary feat of translating both the epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata. His translation of the Ramayana is in the public domain in India. The text in this EPUB edition is sourced from his book.