THE RAMAYANA OF *VALMIKI (Rendered into English Prose in 2 Parts) PART 1 BALAKANDA AYODHYAKANDA. ARANYAKANDA & KISHKINDHAKANDA, by Sangeethabhishma, Sangeetha Vimarsakaacharya Abhinava Thyagabrahma, Keerthanacharya SRI C.R. SREENIVASA AYYANGAR, B.A. _ @ ¢ Publishers THE LITTLE FLOWER CO. T. Nagar” Madras 600 017 i [ Bans 1 & 2 together a Price Rs. 250 . 2© PUBLISHERS — 1991 Printed by SRI BALAJL OFFSET, 153-B, Lattice Bridge Road, ‘Madras 600 041 — STOCKISTS IN THE CITY, ‘Messrs. M. DAMODARAM & CO. | 108, Corporation Fruit Market, G.T., Madras 600 108 @)ch, 10 u 2 B 4 18 16 n 18 19 a 2 2 CONTENTS BALAKANDA Page VALMIKI AND NARADA oss: HOW VALMIKI CAME TO COMPOSE THE RAMAYANA 15 HOW THE RAMAYANA WAS COMPOSED pee9) KUSA AND LAVA SING THE RAMAYANA BEFORE RAMA .. 22 AYODHYA .. 25 DASARATHA 7 DASARATHA’S MINISTERS . 30 ‘A CHILDLESS KING .. 32 RISHYASRINGA — THE INNOCENT 4 RISHYASRINGA — THE INNOCENT — (Continue) 3 DASARATHA AND RISHYASRINGA .. a es ‘THE HORSE — SACRIFICE RESOLVED UPON 40 THE HORSE — SACRIFICE BEGUN . 41 THE HORSE — SACRIFICE (CONCLUDED) 4 THE GODS TAKE REFUGE WITH THE LORD... 48 ‘THE DIVINE PAYASA. : etsy THE COMING DOWN OF THE GODS «2... sa ‘THE COMING OF THE LORD . - 7 VISVAMITRA SEEKS RAMA OF DASARATHA ...., 61 DASARATHA'S REPLY esos eal VASISTHA ADVISES DASARATHA TO SEND RAMA ccsscoon. 64 RAMA AND LAKSHMANA GO WITH VISVAMITRA o KAMASRAMA ssc * a 6ch. 25 26 n 28 2» 31 32 3 4 35 36 37 38 39 41 a 8 45 4 48 49 31 2 3 st 35 TATAKA’S LAIR .. TATAKA «... ‘THE FALL OF TATAKA .. ‘THE GIFT OF VISVAMITRA THE MYSTERY OF THE WITHDRAWAL VAMANA AND BALL VISVAMITRA’S SACRIFICE .... ‘THE TRIP TO MITHILA KUSANABHA BRAHMADATTA. VISVAMITRA’S ANCESTRY .. GANGA AND UMA .... UMA’S CURSE, - ‘THE BIRTH OF KARTIKEYA. SAGARA .. SAGARA'S HORSE — SACRIFICE .. ‘THE WRATH OF KAPILA .... AMSUMAN’S QUEST sss BHAGIRATHA’S PENANCE .. DESCENT OF GANGA THE END OF THE QUEST ‘THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN ‘THE BIRTH OF THE MARUTS ... ‘THE BIRTH OF THE MARUTS AHALYA, AHALYA AND RAMA .. AT MITHILA : VISVAMITRA'S VISIT TO VASISHTHA VASISHTHA WELCOMES VISVAMITRA .. “GIVE ME THE COW OF PLENTY" .. SABALA FIGHTS .. a VASISHTHA AND VISVAMITRA .. w Page 101 os 106 108 110 m2 us 7 ng m1 124 126 128 129 131 133Page BRAHMANA VERSUS KSHATRIYA .. 136 ‘TRISANKU eas 138 THE ROYAL CHANDALA 140 VISVAMITRA CHAMPIONS TRISANKU ‘THE TRIUMPH OF VISVAMITRA AMBARISHA . eee VISVAMITRA SAVES SUNASSEPHA .., VISVAMITRA AND THE SIREN . 152 VISVAMITRA AND RAMBHA. ae Iss ADSYAMITRASTHE HRAHMARISHI Y=. peu akc. een) THE COMING OF SITA 160 ‘THE BROKEN BOW fea 161 DASARATHA INVITED TO MITHILA 164 JANAKA AND DASARATHA 166 ‘THE RACE OF THE SUN 168 THE LINE OF JANAKA .. 170 THE GODANA . m2 THE WEDDING 173 RAMA OF THE AXE .. 17 RAMA AND RAMA .. 179 ‘THE BITER RIT 181 BACK TO AYODHYA 184 143 145 AYODHYAKANDA DASARATHA RESOLVES TO CROWN RAMA KING .. VOX POPULI KINGLY PRECEPTS .. KAUSALYA’S JOY .. RAMA’S FAST . 188 194 GAY AYODHYA wo. cencten 208 MANTHARA, THE PLOTTER 210 ‘THE TEMPTER .. 213 sych. 10 n 2 B 4 15 16 7 19 BENS Pry 2s 26 2 28 29 31 2 33 35 36 37 38 39 40 Page ‘THE FALL OF KAIKEYI aca 217 ‘THE UXORIOUS MONARAH ‘THE FATAL BOONS IN THE TOILS «...-- IN THE TOILS (CONTINUED) « KAIKEYI'S TRIUMPH RAMA SENT FOR RAMA GOES TO HIS FATHER -. RAMA GOES TO HIS FATHER — jedi KAIKEYI’'S TRIUMPH .. “| PROMISE”. “YOU SHALL NOT GO’ Re «YOU SHALL NOT GO” — (Continued) ... LAKSHMANA ‘CALMED LAKSHMANA’S REPLY KAUSALYA CONSENTS ‘A MOTHER'S BLESSINGS “ITA! 1 GO TO THE FOREST” 292 295 SITA'S REPLY ... 298 ROUGHING IT eee oul SITA’S REPLY — ne Fe 08) ‘THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE .. 306 LAKSHMANA’S APPEAL «. 3 PILGRIM GIFTS .. 315 “OUR PLACE IS WITH RAMA" 319 ““PATHER GIVE ME LEAVE TO GO” 321 SUMANTRA REPROACHES KAIKEY! fa nant! SEF SIDDHARTHA REBUKES KAIKEYI «1.0 giant 320 VASISHTHA REBUKES KAIKEYI .. 334 DASARATHA REBUKES KAIKEYI .. 337 ‘THE IDEAL WIFE 340 RAMA’S DEPARTURE> 3a 6)Page 349 352 356 358 ‘THE CITIZENS’ LAMENT .... DASARATHA’S LAMENT KAUSALYA'S LAMENT e SUMITRA CONSOLES KAUSALYA ‘THE CITIZENS FOLLOW RAMA RAMA ABANDONS THE CITIZENS ‘THE BEREAVED CITIZENS . THE WOMEN OF AYODHYA. BEYOND KOSALA SRINGAVERAPURA LAKSHMANA LAMENTS RAMA CROSSES THE GANGA ‘THE SEARCHER OF HEARTS BHARADVAIA .. 369 373 374 378 381 389 392 CHITRAKOOTA. cscs 394 THEIR FOREST ABODE ........ 396 SUMANTRA RETURNS TO AYODHYA ... 399 RAMA’S MESSAGE J a REPENTANCE OF DASARATHA .... SUMANTRA CONSOLES KAUSALYA KAUSALYA REBUKES DASARATHA .. “LORD! 1 AM LOST”. ‘THE CRIME OF DASARATHA. DASARATHA PASSES AWAY . HIS WIVES’ LAMENT. KAUSALYA'S LAMENT KINGLESS AYODHYA .. BHARATA SUMMONED BHARATA’S DREAM BHARATA RETURNS TO AYODHYA s BHARATA RETURNS TO AYODHYA — (Continued) BHARATA’S GRIEF ...cn. B 4 5 16 n 7 y 80 8 82 3 85 87 88 89 91 BSVRREevs 100 101 102 103 104 Page ‘THE WAGES OF SIN .. ‘THE WAGES OF SIN — (Continued) 45 BHARATA’S ABJURATION 456 DASARATHA’S FUNERAL 460 DASARATHA’S FUNERAL — (Continued) « 462. THE PLOTTER’S REWARD «. 464 “NOT FOR ME, THIS CROWN” 466, ‘THE ROAD TO GANGA .. 467 ‘THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 468 ‘THE MARCH TO THE WOODS 470 ‘TO THE BANKS OF THE GANGA BHARATA AND GUHA .. GUHA’S DOUBTS DISPELLED GUHA’S NARRATIVE «2.0 GUHA’S NARRATIVE — (Continued) .. BHARATA’S LAMENT BHARATA CROSSES THE GANGA BHARATA AND BHARADVAIA .. BHARADVAJA’S FEAST a4 47s an 479 483 491 BHARATA JOURNEYS TO CHITRAKUTA 497 THE SEARCH FOR RAMA’S ASRAMA .. 500 MOUNT CHITRAKUTA .. sot ‘THE MANDAKINI ... 503 LAKSHMANA’S ANGER 505 RAMA CALMS LAKSHMANA 507 ‘THE SEARCH FOR THE ASRAMA .. 509 BHARATA MEETS RAMA ... su KINGCRAFT BHARATA’S TIDINGS FUNERAL RITES RAMA AND THE CITIZENS .. i BHARATA TAKES REFUGE IN RAMA 526 528 530 ro)a. los 106 107 108 109 No aL m2 113 1a 45 116 u7 118 ug u 2 B “4 1s Page 533 37 BHARATA’S DHARMA .. BHARATA RENEWS HIS PRAYERS RAMA’S REPLY JABALI THE MATERIALIST ‘THE REFUTATION ‘THE RACE OF THE SUN THE LAST WORD UPON IT RAMA’S SANDALS ..... . BHARATA RETURNS TO AYODHYA ..... A KINGLESS CAPITAL «..scssereores INSTALLATION OF THE SANDALS . ‘THE EXODUS OF THE RISHIS MAHARSHI ATRI SITA’S ANTECEDENTS erssssce RAMA ENTERS THE DANDAKA sal 543 347 548 $51 335 $56 558 559 sei 563 ARANYAKANDA RAMA MAKES A TOUR THROUGH THE ASRAMAS was... 568 VIRADHA x 573 RAMA AND VIRADHA .. S15 ‘THE DEATH OF VIRADHA sm THE PASSING AWAY OF SARABHANGA 318 ‘THE RISHIS TAKE REFUGE WITH RAMA .. 581 SUTIKSHNA 584 SUTIKSHNA — (Continued) 586 WIFELY SOLICITUDE .. 387 RAMA EXPLAINS HIMSELF 588 AMONG THE ASRAMAS AGASTYA TO PANCHAVATI ‘THE LINE OF JATAYU .. ‘THEIR COTTAGE 591 598 595 601 09)16 7 18 19 2 2B 25 n 28 29 30 31 2 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 41 2 48 45 a7 Page WINTER .. SURPANAKHA A ‘A NOVEL CURE FOR LOVE .. KHARA ROUSED TO FURY DEATH OF THE GENERALS SURPANAKHA UPBRAIDS HER BROTHER .. KHARA MARCHES TO BATTLE .. EVIL OMENS RAMA PREPARES HIMSELF .. RAMA AND THE RAKSHASAS ‘THE DEATH OF DUSHANA .. ‘THE DEATH OF TRISIRAS .. : A DUEL BETWEEN RAMA AND KHARA «1. A WAR OF WORDS ‘THE DEATH OF KHARA RAVANA HEARS THE NEWS .. SURPANAKHA SEEKS RAVANA .. SURPANAKHA INCITES RAVANA, THE FATAL ADVICE «0.1 RAVANA AGAIN SEEKS MARICHA MARICHA DISSUADES RAVANA -snsosctsrcssisssiceanenens 652 MARICHA’S ADVICE 653 MARICHA’S ADVICE — (Continued) 656 MARICHA’S ADVICE — (Continued) .. 658 RAVANA COERCES MARICHA .... ene MARICHA AGAIN DISSUADES RAVANA w.vscoccsssseututes 663 630 on 33 639 ‘THE GOLDEN DEER ... 664 “CATCH THAT DEER FOR ME” 666, DEATH OF MARICHA .. 670 SITA SENDS LAKSHMANA AFTER RAMA svscstosseatorsene OTL RAVANA THE SANYASI .... RAVANA AND SITA .. (10)ch. 49 st 32 33 s4 ss 56 7 38 9 6 Sisecege 6 6 o 0 n n B 4 15 Page 681 683 RAVANA AND SITA — (Continued) ‘THE ABDUCTION OF SITA JATAYU RESISTS RAVANA, FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH ‘THE ABDUCTION OF SITA — (Continued) ... SITA REBUKES RAVANA. SITA’S PRISON-HOUSE, 7 RAVANA ENTREATS SITA .. 99 SITA REBUKES RAVANA. 701 LAKSHMANA MEETS RAMA .. 708 RAMA LAMENTS RAMA LAMENTS — (Continued) RAMA LAMENTS — (Continued) ..... RAMA LAMENTS — (Continued) RAMA LAMENTS — (Continued) RAMA LAMENTS — (Continued) .... RAMA SEARCHES FOR SITA . LAKSHMANA CONSOLES RAMA LAKSHMANA CONSOLES RAMA — (Continued)... 7m RAMA MEETS JATAYU a peaga3) JATAYU'S REWARD 76 KABANDHA, 78 DEATH OF KABANDHA ... ma ‘A LEAF FROM KABANDHA'S PAST 732 THE LIBERATION OF KABANDHA ....... | 74 ‘THE LIBERATION OF KABANDHA — (Continued) 736 ‘THE LIBERATION OF SABARI ... 738 ‘THE PRINCES REACH LAKE PAMPA m2 m 113 m4 116 no KISHKINDHAKANDA m4 155 THE SPRING SUGRIVA SENDS ANJANEYA TO THE PRINCES apch. n 2 B “4 15 16 7 8 19 2 2 2B 2s 26 2 29 30 31 32 3 Page ANJANEYA MEETS THE PRINCES fig 157 RAMA AND LAKSHMANA MEET SUGRIVA ...jc:sccssnis 760 “FEAR NOT! SUGRIVA . 163 ‘THE ORNAMENTS OF SITA. 765 SUGRIVA MAKES A VOW .. 761 SUGRIVA’S GRIEF 169 VALI FIGHTS WITH MAYAVI ™ “YOU HAVE MY WORD”, SUGRIVA 73 ‘THE MIGHT OF VALI .... ‘ 74 RAMA PIERCES THE SALA TREES 79 ‘THE SAPTAJANAS ... fs RAMA ENCOURAGES SUGRIVA. TARA WOULD KEEP BACK VALI .. DEATH OF VALI 783 786 788 VALI ACCUSES RAMA. 792 RAMA’S REPLY 796 VALI MEETS TARA 802 ‘TARA’S LAMENT ... 804 MARUTHI CONSOLES TARA .. 806 ‘THE LAST WORDS OF VALI 808 TARA'S LAMENIS .. 810 SUGRIVA'S GRIEF — (Continued) ... 813 VALI’S FUNERAL, 820 ‘THE CORONATION OF SUGRIVA 84 RAMA GRIEVES FOR SITA 826 THE RAINS .. 29 ‘THE COUNSEL OF MARUTI .. 835 RAMA WROTH AT SUGRIVA 837 SUGRIVA IS INFORMED OF LAKSHMANA'S VISIT a4 MARUTI’S COUNSEL TO HIS KING TARA PACIFIES LAKSHMANA .. RAMA’S MESSAGE ... asi 856 (2)ch. 35 36 37 38 39 41 2 a 45 a 49 so 31 32 3 s4 35 56 7 38 9 1 o 6 65 6 TARA PACIFIES LAKSHMANA ....... SUGRIVA PACIFIES LAKSHMANA THE GATHERING OF HOSTS ..... oe ‘SUGRIVA SEEKS THE PRESENCE OF RAMA 861 863 THE MONKEY HOSTS ...... 865 VINATA GOES EAST ..... 867 THE SEARCH IN THE SOUTH am ‘THE SEARCH IN THE WEST Madea eee OF ns SATABALI GOES NORTH ........ 2 SHE AL) RAMA ENTRUSTS HIS SIGNET TO MARUTI os... . 879 THE EXPEDITION STARTS sniciidsslifeirinianorsulanneecdes', £60 SUGRIVA CHASED ROUND THE WORLD .. sei ‘THE RETURN OF THE EXPEDITIONS 882 ‘THE SEARCH IN THE SOUTH g 883 THE SEARCH IN THE SOUTH — (Continued) 884 IN THE BEAR-DEN ,, 885 THE BEAR-DEN — (Continued) 887 MARUTI'S REPLY 4 888 THE DESPAIR OF THE MONKEYS 889 MARUTI DISSENTS 891 THE FAST sor SAMPATI ¥ 804 THE REPLY OF ANGADA 896 WELCOME NEWS .. 897 SAMPATI SPEAKS OF SITA 899 ‘THE ADVENTURES OF SAMPATI 901 THE ADVENTURES OF SAMPATI — (Continued) cscs 903 THE ADVENTURES OF SAMPATI — (Continued) ... ON THE SEA-SHORE THE TRIAL OF STRENGTH . Be THE TRIAL OF STRENGTH — (Continued) ‘THE EXPLOITS OF HANUMAN A COLOSSAL SPRING-BOARD 3)PUBLISHERS NOTE We have great pleasure in bringing out this edition of the monumental work of Sri C.R. Sreenivasa Ayyangar. We had published earlier his Tamil translation of the Ramayana. After publishing this, we had the desire to bring out the reprint of his English translation also. The first edition of the English translation from Balakanda to Sundarakanda with exhaustive notes based ‘on the commentaries was published by Sri C.R. Sreenivasa Ayyangar ‘during the years 1910 to 1932 (Balakanda in 1910; Ayodhyakanda jn 1914; Aranyakanda in 1914; Kishkindhakanda in 1927 and ‘Sundarakanda in 1932). The Author could not complete the Yuddha- Kanda before his life time; it was partly done by him and completed by several other scholars. We have been in search of a scholar of a dedicated service, who can undertake the correcting and editing the age-worn typed manuscripts of the Yuddhakanda and to correct the printer’s proofs of the whole book when taken up for printing. It is indeed our good fortune that Dr. N. Gangadharan, Reader, Department of Sanskrit, University of Madras came forward to assist us in this noble venture. ‘The first edition of Balakanda to Sundarakanda was published with notes; but our this edition is published without the notes. The Tinique feature of the translation is that it is not a mere translation; but it incorporates the rich cream from the popular commentaries ‘on the text as stated by the translator himself in his introduction. The rich material contained in the ‘commentaries has been utilised to explain, amplify or reconcile certain ideas in the text according to the need. The translator has referred to the different recensions, editions and translations of the text in the introduction to his translation. «aay‘sides those,it may be pointed out that a critical edition of the xt was brought out by the Oriental Institute, Baroda, during the vars 1960 to 1971. This edition gives a concordance of verses in different editions. Quite recently, a pada index has been brought t by the same institution, The Ramayana has been very popular with the public. It has ‘read to different parts of the country and the world as a whole, It as permeated every class of literature — the sister epic Mahabharata and the Puranas, etc. It could be known from Dr. Raghavan’s “Greater Ramayana” published by the All India Kashiraj Trust, Varanasi in 1973. The Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi hosted an Inter- national seminar on the Ramayana in 1975 and the papers presented at the seminar have been published in 1978 in the form of a book bearing the title, “Ramayana Tradition in Asia’’. A conference devoted exclusively to the study of the Ramayana has become a regular annual feature held at different places of the world. Besides the dramas on the Ramayana mentioned by the translator, we may bring to the notice of the readers that several acts of Rama plays — now not available — have been collected by Dr. Raghavan, in his work, ‘‘Some old lost Rama Plays” published by the Annamalai University, in 1961. We will be failing in our duty, if we do not express our grate- fulness to Dr. N. Gangadharan for the pains he had taken for correcting the typed Manuscripts of Yuddhakanda and for his unstinted co-operation and dedicated service in this task. Although, we had planned to publish this edition in May 1990, to commemorate the completion of our sixty years of service to the Public, it has been delayed so long on account of reasons beyond our control. We are beholden to all those who have helped us in one way or the other in the publication of this monumental work. May the Benevolence of Lord Sri Rama shower on all all: happiness and prosperity and the entire world be assured of eternal Peace and prosperity! ‘THE LITTLE FLOWER CO. ate: 3.3. Deca! Publishers (syEDITOR’S PREFACE TO THIS EDITION ‘The Ramayana still enjoys popularity in the world making true the prophecy made in the Ramayana itself. Its influence on the people of the Far-east could be well-understood from the different versions — such as the Javanese, Thai and Kakawin Ramayanas — found in the countries of the Far-cast. Even the very name JAKARTA, the capital of Indonesia, in its full name JOJOKARTA. is only a BAHASA form of AYODHYAKARTA meaning a duplicate AYODHYA. Even several institutions in these regions bear the names of one or the other characters in the Ramayana such as the Bank of Rama etc. The Ramayana enjoys such a popularity all over the world that a conference in different parts of the world has become a regular annual feature. Still people in large numbers listen to an exposition of the Ramayana with deep interest whenever discourses are held. Inspite of the fact that many editions and translations of the text have been brought out in the course of the last hundred years, a new edition or translation will not be out of place, because it may be throwing fresh light. The English translation of Sri Srinivasa Ayyangar has got its own charm that it incorporates the salient points from the ‘commentaries on the text. The present reprint fulfils a long-felt need as the first edition has been long out of print. In addition to the different publications relating to the Ramayana referred to in the Publishers’ note, I wish to mention that an ‘American Orientalist is currently engaged in compiling a BIBLIOGRAPHY on the Ramayana. (16)Ideem it a rare privilege extended to me to be associated in this noble task. I am extremely grateful to The Little Flower Company for the same. It is our earnest hope that due patronage will be extended to this publication, Dr. N. GANGADHARAN Reader Department of Sanskrit Madras University of Madras 3rd March 1991 Madras-600 005hishma, Sangeetha Vimarsakaacharya ‘Abhinava Thyagabrahma, Keerthanacharya SRI C.R. SREENIVASA AYYANGAR, B.A; (1867 - 1936) Sangeethabl as)PREFACE F.. Ramayana of Valmiki is a most unique work. The Aryans are the oldest race on earth and the most advanced; and the Ramayana is their first and grandest epic. ‘The Eddas of Scandinavia, the Niebelungen Lied of. Germany, the liad of Homer, the Enead of Virgil, the Interno, the Purgatorio, and the Paradiso of Dante, the Paradise Lost of Milton, the Lucid of Canioens, the Shah Nama of Firdausi are Epics - and no ‘more; the Ramayana of Valmiki is an Epic — and much more If any work can claim to be the Bible of the Hindus, it is the Ramayana of Valmiki, Professor MacDonell the latest writer on Samskrita Literature, says : «The Epic contains the following verse toretelling its everlasting fame : As long as mountain ranges stand And rivers flow upon the earth, So long will this Ramayana Survive upon the lips of men ‘This prophecy has been perhaps even more abundantly fulfilled than the well-known prediction of Horace, No product of Sanskrit Literature has enjoyed a greater popularity in India down to the Present day than the Ramayana, Its story furnishes the subject of shany other Sanskrit poems as well as plays and still delights, trom the lips of reciters, the hearts of the myriads of the Indian People, (as)fas at the great annual Rama-festival held at Benares. It has been translated into many Indian vernaculars. Above all, it inspired the greatest poet of medieval Hindustan, Tulasi Das, to compose in Hindi his version of the epic entitled Ram Charit Manas, which with its ideal standard of virtue and purity, is a kind of Bible to a hundred millions of the people of Northern India.” — Sanskrit Literature, p. 317. So much for the version. It is.a fact within the personal observation of the elders of our country, that witnesses swear upon a copy of the Ramayana in the Taw-courts, Any one called upon to pay an unjust debt contents himself with saying. “I will place the money upon the Ramayanas Tet him take it if he dares.”” In private life, the expression, “I swear by the Ramayana,” is an inviolable oath. I know instances where sums of money were lent upon no other security than a palm leaf manuscript of the Ramayana — too precious a Talisman to lose. When aman yearns for a son to continue his line on earth and raise hhim to the Mansions of the Blessed, the Elders advise him to read the Ramayana or hear it recited, — or at least the Sundarakanda, When a man has some great issue at stake that will either mend or mar his life, he reads the Sundarakanda or hears it expounded. When a man is very ill, past medical help, the old people about hhim say with one voice, ‘Read the Sundarakanda in the house and Maruti will bring him back to life and health.”” When an evil spirit voubles sore a man or woman, the grey-beards wag their wise heads fand cracularly exclaim, “Ah! the Sundarakanda never fails.”” When any one desires to know the result of a contemplated projects he decines a child to open a page of the Sundarakanda and decides by the nature of the subject dealt with therein. (Here is a case in point. ‘A yeat of two ago, I was asked by a young man to advise him. ‘whether he should marry or lead a life of single blessedness. 1 promised to give him an answer a day or two later. When I was dlone, I took up my Ramayana and asked my child to open it- And Jo! the first line that met my eye was + Kumbhakarna-siro bhati Kundala-lamkritam mahat. «The severed head of Kumbhakarna shone high and huge in the heavens, its splendour heightened by the earrings he wore.” (20)Thad not the heart to communicate the result to the poor man. His people had made everything ready for his marriage. I could plainly see that his inclinations too lay that way. I could urge nothing. against it — his health was good, and his worldly position and prospects high and bright. Ah me! I was myself half-sceptical. So, quite against my better self, I managed to avoid giving him an answer. And he, taking my silence for consent, got himself married. Alas! within a year his place in his house was vacant; his short meteoric life was over; his health shattered, his public life a failure, his mind darkened and gloomy by the vision of his future, Death was a welcome deliverer to him; and an old mother and a child-wife are left to mourn his untimely end. ‘The Karma-kanda of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Smritis, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, nay, no other work in the vast range of Samskrita literature is regarded by the Hindus in the same light as the Ramayana. The Karma-kanda is accessible only to a very few, an infinitesimal minority of the Brahmanas — the Purohits who are making a living out of it; and they too know not its meaning, but recite it parrot-like. The Upanishads are not for the men of the world; they are for hard-headed logicians or calm-minded philosophers. The Smritis are but Rules of daily life. The Bharata is not a very auspicious work; no devout Hindu would allow it to be read in his house, for it brings on strife, dissensions and misfortune; the temple of the Gods, the Mathas of Sanyasins, the river-ghats, and the rest-houses for the travellers are chosen for the purpose. The Bhagavad-gita enjoys a unique unpopularity; for, he who reads or studies it is weaned away from wife and child, house and home, friends and kin, wealth and power and seeks the Path of Renunciation. The Puranas are bat world-records, 1 histories. But, for a work that gives a man everything he holds dear and valuable in this world and leads him to the Feet of the Almighty Father, give me the Ramayana of Valmiki. ‘The Lord of Mercy has come down among men time and oft; and the Puranas contain incidental records of it short or long. But, the Ramayana of Valmiki is the only biography we have of the Supreme One. ay“Nothing that relates to any of the actors in that great world- drama shall escape thy all-seeing eye — Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, men and monkeys, gods and rakshasas, their acts, their worlds, nay, their very thoughts, known or secret. Nothing that comes out of your mouth, consciously or otherwise, shall prove other than true”. Such was the power of clear vision and clear speech conferred. on the poet by the Demiurge, the Ancient of Days. “What nobler subject for your poem than Sri Ramachandra, the Divine Hero, the soul of righteousness, the perfect embodiment of all that is good and great and the Director of men’s thoughts, words and deeds in the light of their Karma?’ And this Ideal Man is the Hero of the Epic “The cloud-capped mountains, the swift-coursing rivers and all created things shall pass away and be as nought. But, your noble song shall outlive them and never fade from the hearts of men”. This is the boon of immortality the poem shall enjoy. “And as long as the record of Rama’s life holds sway over the hearts of men, so long shall you sit by me in my highest heaven”. This is the eternity of fame that comes to the singer as his guerdon. The Hero, the Epic, and the Poet are the most perfect any one can conceive. It was composed when the Hero was yet upon earth, when his deeds and fame were fresh in the hearts of men. It was sung before himself. ‘‘And the poem they recite, how wonderful in its suggestiveness! Listen we to it”” — such was his estimate of the lay. It was not written, but sung to sweet music. Who were they that conveyed the message to the hearts of men? The very sons of the Divine Hero. ‘Mark you the radiant glory that plays around them? Liker gods than men!.... Behold these young ascetics, of kingly form and mien. Rare singers are they and of mighty spiritual energy withal”” — and this encomium was from him who is Incarnate Wisdom. What audience did they sing to? “Large concourses of Brahmanas and warriors, sages and saints.... Through many a land they travelled and sang to many an audience. (2)