Ramayana

Gupta Seema

Description

The book offers vivid and vibrant ancient epic of Ramayana which is laced with adventures, excitement, love and war in the amazing stories intertwined with the main story line.This delightfully retold epic is sure to steal your heart. Jai Sri Rama #v&spublishersContents:Introduction to RamayanaMain Characters in Ramayana1. Bal Kanda) Youthful Majestiesb) Birth of Ramac) Vishwamitra's Arrival d) Tadaka, Mareecha, and Subahu e) Sage Gautama and Ahalya f) Sita Swayamvara 2. Ayodhya Kanda) Tumultuous Times b) Manthara's Devious Plotc) Rama's Banishment d) Dasharatha Remembers Shravan Kumar e) Bharata Meets Rama3. Aranya Kanda) Forest Retreat b) Panchvati c) Soorpanakha d) Sita's Abduction e) In Search of Sita f) Kishkindha Kandg) Grandeur of Alliance h) Rama-Sugriva Alliance i) Rama Kills Balij) Hanuman's Pursuit 4. Sundar Kanda) Fascinating Leap b) Hanuman Reaches Lankac) Ashok Vatika d) Hanuman Meets Sitae) Lanka Dahan 5. Yuddha Kanda) Devastating War b) Crossing the Ocean c) The Great Fightd) Sanjeevani Bootie) The Grand Finale f) Sita's Agni Pariksha6. Uttara Kanda) Post Scriptb) Rama - the King of Ayodhyac) Sita's Banishmentd) Luva and Kushae) The Ashwamedha Horsed) Sita Embraces Mother Earth f) Rama's Sonsg) Morals in the Ramayana

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: V & S Publishers
• Date de parution: 01 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789350573341
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

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© Copyright: ISBN 978-935-05733-4-1
DISCLAIMER
While every attempt has been made to provide accurate and timely information in this book, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, unintended omissions or commissions detected therein. The author and publisher make no representation or warranty with respect to the comprehensiveness or completeness of the contents provided.
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Contents

Introduction to Ramayana
Main Characters in Ramayana
Bal Kand
Youthful Majesties
Birth of Rama
Vishwamitra's Arrival
Tadaka, Mareecha, and Subahu
Sage Gautama and Ahalya
Sita Swayamvara
Ayodhya Kand
Tumultuous Times
Manthara's Devious Plot
Rama's Banishment
Dasharatha Remembers Shravan Kumar
Bharata Meets Rama
Aranya Kand
Forest Retreat
Panchvati
Soorpanakha
Sita's Abduction
In Search of Sita
Kishkindha Kand
Grandeur of Alliance
Rama–Sugriva Alliance
Rama Kills Bali
Hanuman's Pursuit
Sundar Kand
Fascinating Leap
Hanuman Reaches Lanka
Ashok Vatika
Hanuman Meets Sita
Lanka Dahan
Yuddha Kand
Devastating War
Crossing the Ocean
The Great Fight
Sanjeevani Booti
The Grand Finale
Sita's Agni Pariksha
Uttara Kand
Post Script
Rama – the King of Ayodhya
Sita's Banishment
Luva and Kusha
The Ashwamedha Horse
Sita Embraces Mother Earth
Rama's Sons
Morals in the Ramayana
Publisherës Note

The original Ramayana was a 24,000 couplet-long epic poem attributed to the Sanskrit poet Valmiki. Oral versions of the Ramayana circulated for centuries, and the epic was probably first written down sometime around the start of the Common Era. It has since been told, retold, translated and transcreated throughout South and Southeast Asia, and the Ramayana continues to be performed in dance, drama, puppet shows, songs and movies all across Asia and the world alike.
The Ramayana furnishes the ideals and wisdom of common life. From childhood most Indians learn the characters – Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Ravana, Dasaratha and others – and incidents of this great epic. The epic helps to bind together people of India, transcending caste, distance and language.
Throughout the centuries, countless versions of the Ramayana have been produced in numerous formats and languages for readers of all ages. But previous English versions have been either too short to capture the magnitude of the original or too bulky to finish in one sitting. In this special version of Ramayana , author Seema Gupta has rendered the tale in lyrical prose that conveys all the beauty and excitement of the original, while making this spiritual and literary classic accessible to a new generation of readers, specially for the teenagers. With amazing and captivating illustrations this masterpiece surely will satisfy your intellectual and visual thirst for knowledge.
Dedication

Dedicated to my twin sons Amit and Arpit for being the light of my life
Foreword

The Ramayana is the great saga of Lord Rama who is better known as Maryada Purushottam . The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of the Hindus, the other being the Mahabharata. Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, is a popular deity worshiped by the Hindus. The Ramayana is held in such reverence that the mere reading or hearing of it is believed to free us from sin and grant us every desire. According to the Hindu tradition, Rama is an incarnation (avatar) , of god Vishnu, who is part of the Hindu Trinity. The main purpose of this incarnation is to demonstrate the righteous path (dharma) for life on earth.
The Ramayana is not just a story of four brothers: Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughana, it talks about human values and family values in a subtle way. In today's world when these values are degenerating, the Ramayana revives them. In the spell of darkness looming large around us, the Ramayana acts as a guiding light showing us the path to enlightenment. Human relationships, their intricacies, and their balance is gently maintained in the Ramayana.
Ramayana revolves around the life of Rama who is a man of great virtues. His virtues survive all adversities that befall him. Today when every other person is obsessed with their own welfare, portrayal of Rama's character marks personal integrity, respect for previous generation, and love for the people.
The essence of the Ramayana is summed up as the victory of good over evil, and virtue over vice. The winning streak of humans combined with true meaning of duty and sacrifice, happiness and sorrow, devotion and selfless service offer valuable lessons on life at large. The pearls of wisdom strung into a beautiful and coherent compendium on every aspect of the ideals of life and living is the Ramayana.
The Ramayana is not just an ordinary story. It contains the teachings of ancient Hindu sages and presents them through allegory in narrative and the interspersion of the philosophical and the devotional thoughts. The characters of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata, Hanuman, and Ravana are all fundamental to the cultural consciousness of India.
Introduction to Ramayana

The Ramayana was originally written by Sage Valmiki in Sanskrit. The original Ramayana is said to have been composed based on each of the twenty-four letters of the Gayatri Hymn. Later Ramayana was translated into the Awadhi language by Goswami Tulsidas as ‘Ramcharitmanas’. It contains couplets in verse form called chaupai. The Ramayana has been traditionally divided into seven books, dealing with the life of Rama starting from his birth till his death.
Bal Kand – This is the book about young prince Rama which details the miraculous birth of Rama, his early life in Ayodhya, and his slaying of the demons at the Dandaka forest on the request of Vishwamitra. The book concludes with his wedding to Sita. Bal Kand has 77 chapters.
Ayodhya Kand– This is the book about Ayodhya in which Dasharatha comes to grief over his pledge to Kaikeyi and is forced to send Rama to exile. The book concludes with the death of Dasharatha. Ayodhya Kand has 119 chapters.
Aranya Kand – This is the book about forest which describes the life of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in the forest. The book concludes with the abduction of Sita by Ravana. This book has 75 chapters.
Kishkindha Kand – This book is about Kishkindha, the Vanara kingdom in which Rama befriends Sugriva and his army and begins the search for Sita. This book has 67 chapters.
Sundar Kand – This is the book of Sundar (Hanuman) in which Hanuman travels to Lanka in search of Sita. On finding Sita imprisoned there he burns the golden Lanka before returning to Rama to give him the good news. Sundar Kand has 68 chapters.
Yuddha Kand – This is the book about the war which narrates the Rama– Ravana war. The book concludes with the return of successful Rama to Ayodhya and his coronation. This book is the largest of all and it has 131 chapters.
Uttara Kand – This is the seventh book which details the life of Rama and Sita after their return to Ayodhya, Sita's banishment, and the birth of her twin sons in the hermitage of Valmiki.
Main Characters in Ramayana

Rama is the hero of the epic Ramayana. He is portrayed as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is the eldest and the favourite son of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya. He is a popular prince loved by one and all. He is the epitome of virtue. Dasharatha, forced by one of his wives Kaikeyi, commands Rama to relinquish his right to the throne for fourteen years and go into exile. Rama obeys his father unquestioningly and while in exile, Rama kills the demon king Ravana.
Sita is the beloved wife of Rama and the daughter of Janaka, the king of Mithila. She is the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi (Lord Vishnu's wife). Sita is the epitome of womanly purity and virtue. She follows her husband into exile and there she is abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka. Rama rescues her by defeating the demon king Ravana.
Hanuman is a vanara (monkey) belonging to the kingdom of Kishkindha. He worships Rama and helps him find Sita by going to Lanka after crossing the great ocean in one giant leap.
Laks