The Rámáyan of Válmíki, Translated Into English Verse

One of the two great epics of ancient India, this Sanskrit poem attributed to the sage Valmiki follows Prince Rama through exile, war, and homecoming. Banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya by court intrigue, Rama wanders the forests with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana until the demon king Ravana carries Sita off to Lanka. What follows is a long campaign of rescue, fought with the help of the monkey general Hanuman and his armies. Beneath the adventure runs a study of dharma, the pull of duty against desire, and the shape of an ideal life. Ralph T. H. Griffith’s Victorian verse translation opened the story to English readers. This free PDF and EPUB edition carries a work that still anchors Hindu belief and storytelling.