The Ramayana or Rmyan a (/rmjn/;[1] Sanskrit: , Rmya am, pronounced [r

mjm]) is one of the great Hindu epics. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an
important part of the Hindu literature (smti),
considered to be itihasa.[2] TheRamayaa is one of the
two great epics of Hinduism, the other being the Mahabhaata.[3] It depicts the duties of relationships,
portraying ideal characters like the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife,
and the ideal king. The name Ramayaa is atatpurusha compound of Rma and ayaa ("going,
advancing"), translating to "Rama's Jouey". The Ramayaa consists of 24,000 verses in seven
books (k as) and 500 cantos (sagas),[4] and tells the story of Rama (an avatar of the Hindu
supreme-god Vishnu), whose wife Sita is abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka (current day Sri
Lanka). Incidentally the first letter of every 1000 verses (total 24) make the Gayatri mantra.[citatio
eee]

Thematically, the Ramayaa explores human values and the concept of dharma.[5]

Verses in the Ramayaa are written in a 32-syllable meter called aus tubh.
The Ramayaa was an

important influence on later Sanskritpoetry and Hindu life and culture. Like the Mahabhaata,
the Ramayaa is not just a story: it presents the teachings of ancient Hindu sages (Vedas) in
narrative allegory, interspersing philosophical and devotional elements. The characters Rama,
Sita, Lakshman, Bharata,Hanuman, and Ravana are all fundamental to the cultural consciousness
of India, Nepal, and many south-east Asian countries such asThailand and Indonesia.
There are other versions of the Ramayaa in Indian languages,
besides Buddhist and Jain adaptations; and also Cambodian, Indonesian,Filipino,
Thai, Lao, Burmese, and Malaysian versions of the tale.