Listen free for 30 days
-
The Rāmāyana of Valmīki
- Narrated by: Sagar Arya
- Length: 43 hrs and 30 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Rāmāyana of Valmīki
Buy Now for $49.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's Summary
The ancient Indian Sanskrit epic the Rāmāyana was composed some time between the first and fifth centuries BCE. As is the case with most ancient literature firmly rooted in the oral tradition, precise dating is problematic. Traditionally attributed to the sage Valmīki, and composed in rhyming couplets, it is one of the two great Indian epics (the other being the Mahābhārata); consequently it is known and revered not just throughout the Indian subcontinent but also in South-East Asian countries as well, including Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia - indeed wherever Hindu culture became established.
It relates the tale of a Prince of Ayodhya, Rāma, and recounts the various episodes of his exile and subsequent return. The narrative follows Rāma's quest and rescue mission, bringing home his beloved Sita from the clutches of the demon king of Lanka, Ravana, aided by an army of monkeys. While the basic story involves palace politics and battles with demon tribes, it is also infused with ethics, philosophy, logic and notes on duty.
In the Mahābhārata, characters are presented with all their human follies and failings; the Rāmāyana by contrast leans towards an ideal state of things. For instance, Rāma is the ideal son and king, Sita the ideal wife, Hanuman the ideal devotee, Lakshman and Bhārat the ideal brothers, and even Ravana, the demon villain, is not entirely despicable. This translation, by Ralph T. H. Griffith, first published in 1870, was the first complete English version and has retained its initial reputation as an outstanding achievement - as much for its literary as its scholastic qualities.
There are six Books or Khandas (a seventh which is sometimes included is generally regarded as a much later addition) containing some 24,000 verses which, as with the original, are presented in rhyming couplets. This makes the Rāmāyana of a similar length to the Iliad and Odyssey combined, and there are a handful of occasions when, to avoid repetition, Griffith inserts a prose précis.
Curiously he declined to translate The Glory of Uma followed by The Birth of Kartikeya in Book 1 on the grounds that it might offend the sensibility of his contemporaries! As one commentator remarked, Griffith was sometimes reluctant to ‘show much leg.’ In this case, the ‘offending’ verses have been newly translated for this Ukemi recording by Anwesha Arya, and delightful they are too!
The Rāmāyana and its stories have been part of the cultural life and language of the reader, Sagar Arya, since childhood; thus this recording was especially important to him, and he infuses it with a special understanding and authority.
You may also enjoy...
-
Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time
- Written by: Krishna Dharma
- Narrated by: Sarvabhavana Das
- Length: 45 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 33
Said to be the world's longest poem, Mahabharata was originally composed in 100,000 Sanskrit verses by the ancient Indian sage Vyasa. Revered as a sacred text within Hinduism, it contains the great spiritual teaching Bhagavad-gita. Krishna Dharma has condensed the epic into a fast paced novel that fully retains the majestic mood of the original. A powerful and moving tale, it recounts the history of the five heroic Pandava brothers, sons of the Emperor Pandu.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
very poor rendition
- By Cherian Thomas on 2021-02-28
Written by: Krishna Dharma
-
The Rig Veda
- Written by: Anonymous
- Narrated by: Sagar Arya
- Length: 41 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
These 1028 poems, grouped as 10 ‘Circles’ (mandalas), have variously been called hymns, poems or songs by Sanskrit scholars. The Rik (so pronounced by the ancient Angirases clans, or Seer-Priest families) was an experiment with sound. The emphasis is always on sounding the words perfectly. The focus tends to be on the ideas rather than on the authors in Vedic literature, they are largely religious in nature, reflecting the world view and spiritual preoccupations of ancient India.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unlocking the Depths of Humanity's Patience...
- By Kindle Customer on 2024-05-20
Written by: Anonymous
-
The Upanishads
- Written by: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 6
In the Upanishads, illumined sages share flashes of insight, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. In extraordinary visions, they experience directly a transcendent Reality which is the essence, or Self, of each created being. They teach that each of us, each Self, is eternal, deathless, one with the power that created the universe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen- needs to be repeated
- By Amitabh Datta on 2023-09-07
Written by: Eknath Easwaran
-
Ramayana
- India's Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love and Wisdom
- Written by: Krishna Dharma, Valmiki Ramayana
- Narrated by: Krishna Dharma
- Length: 19 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
Ramayana must rank as one of the most loved and revered books of all time. A part of India's ancient Vedas, it is a beautiful story of romance and adventure. It recounts the history of Rama, said be an incarnation of the Godhead, and his divine consort Sita. Filled with magic and mysticism, it entrances the listener and stirs deeply moving emotions. At the same time its profound spiritual messages leave one feeling uplifted and enriched. This is a novelization of the classic. It contains all the essential narrative of the original Sanskrit poem.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Awful narration
- By Nick on 2020-10-10
Written by: Krishna Dharma, and others
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- Written by: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 214
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 213
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An accidental treasure. This is the God's gift
- By Pk on 2019-06-21
Written by: Eknath Easwaran
-
The Mahabharata
- Written by: John D. Smith - translator
- Narrated by: Shaheen Khan, Sagar Arya
- Length: 44 hrs and 7 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is of immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent and is a major text of Hinduism. Its discussion of human goals (artha or 'purpose', kama or 'pleasure', dharma or 'duty' and moksha or 'liberation') takes place in a long-standing tradition, attempting to explain the relationship of the individual to society and the world (the nature of the 'self') and the workings of karma.
Written by: John D. Smith - translator
-
Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time
- Written by: Krishna Dharma
- Narrated by: Sarvabhavana Das
- Length: 45 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 33
Said to be the world's longest poem, Mahabharata was originally composed in 100,000 Sanskrit verses by the ancient Indian sage Vyasa. Revered as a sacred text within Hinduism, it contains the great spiritual teaching Bhagavad-gita. Krishna Dharma has condensed the epic into a fast paced novel that fully retains the majestic mood of the original. A powerful and moving tale, it recounts the history of the five heroic Pandava brothers, sons of the Emperor Pandu.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
very poor rendition
- By Cherian Thomas on 2021-02-28
Written by: Krishna Dharma
-
The Rig Veda
- Written by: Anonymous
- Narrated by: Sagar Arya
- Length: 41 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
These 1028 poems, grouped as 10 ‘Circles’ (mandalas), have variously been called hymns, poems or songs by Sanskrit scholars. The Rik (so pronounced by the ancient Angirases clans, or Seer-Priest families) was an experiment with sound. The emphasis is always on sounding the words perfectly. The focus tends to be on the ideas rather than on the authors in Vedic literature, they are largely religious in nature, reflecting the world view and spiritual preoccupations of ancient India.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unlocking the Depths of Humanity's Patience...
- By Kindle Customer on 2024-05-20
Written by: Anonymous
-
The Upanishads
- Written by: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 6
In the Upanishads, illumined sages share flashes of insight, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. In extraordinary visions, they experience directly a transcendent Reality which is the essence, or Self, of each created being. They teach that each of us, each Self, is eternal, deathless, one with the power that created the universe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen- needs to be repeated
- By Amitabh Datta on 2023-09-07
Written by: Eknath Easwaran
-
Ramayana
- India's Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love and Wisdom
- Written by: Krishna Dharma, Valmiki Ramayana
- Narrated by: Krishna Dharma
- Length: 19 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
Ramayana must rank as one of the most loved and revered books of all time. A part of India's ancient Vedas, it is a beautiful story of romance and adventure. It recounts the history of Rama, said be an incarnation of the Godhead, and his divine consort Sita. Filled with magic and mysticism, it entrances the listener and stirs deeply moving emotions. At the same time its profound spiritual messages leave one feeling uplifted and enriched. This is a novelization of the classic. It contains all the essential narrative of the original Sanskrit poem.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Awful narration
- By Nick on 2020-10-10
Written by: Krishna Dharma, and others
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- Written by: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 214
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 213
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An accidental treasure. This is the God's gift
- By Pk on 2019-06-21
Written by: Eknath Easwaran
-
The Mahabharata
- Written by: John D. Smith - translator
- Narrated by: Shaheen Khan, Sagar Arya
- Length: 44 hrs and 7 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is of immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent and is a major text of Hinduism. Its discussion of human goals (artha or 'purpose', kama or 'pleasure', dharma or 'duty' and moksha or 'liberation') takes place in a long-standing tradition, attempting to explain the relationship of the individual to society and the world (the nature of the 'self') and the workings of karma.
Written by: John D. Smith - translator