Ramayana
The Ramayana (; Sanskrit: रामायणम्, romanized: Rāmāyaṇam), also known as Valmiki Ramayana, as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics of Hinduism known as the Itihasas, the other being the Mahabharata. The epic narrates the life of Rama, the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is a prince of Ayodhya in the kingdom of Kosala. The epic follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest urged by his father King Dasharatha, on the request of Rama’s stepmother Kaikeyi; his travels across the forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana; the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana, the king of Lanka, that resulted in bloodbath; and Rama’s eventual return to Ayodhya along with Sita to be crowned as a king amidst jubilation and celebration.
Scholarly estimates for the earliest stage of the text range from the 7th–5th to 5th–4th century BCE, and later stages extend up to the 3rd century CE, although the original date of composition is unknown. It is one of the largest ancient epics in world literature and consists of nearly 24,000 shlokas (verses), divided into seven kāṇḍa (chapters). Each shloka is a couplet (two individual lines). The Ramayana belongs to the genre of Itihasa, narratives of past events (purāvṛtta), interspersed with teachings on the goals of human life.
There are many versions of the Ramayana in Indian languages, including Buddhist and Jain adaptations. There are also Cambodian (Reamker), Malay (Hikayat Seri Rama), Filipino, Thai (Ramakien), Lao, Burmese, Nepali, Maldivian, Vietnamese, and Tibeto-Chinese versions of the Ramayana.
The Ramayana was an important influence on later Sanskrit poetry and the Hindu life and culture, and its main figures were fundamental to the cultural consciousness of a number of nations, both Hindu and Buddhist. Its most important moral influence was the importance of virtue, in the life of a citizen and in the ideals of the formation of a state (from Sanskrit: रामराज्य, romanized: Rāmarājya, a utopian state where Rama is king) or of a functioning society .
There are numerous versions of the Ramayana, spanning different languages, regions, and time periods. The most well-known is the Valmiki Ramayana, written in Sanskrit. Other notable versions include the Ramcharitmanas in Hindi, the Kamba Ramayanam in Tamil, and the Adhyatma Ramayana in Sanskrit. Additionally, there are regional adaptations like the Krittivasi Ramayana in Bengali and the Torave Ramayana in Kannada.
Major Versions:
- Valmiki Ramayana: The original Sanskrit version, traditionally attributed to the sage Valmiki.
- Ramcharitmanas: A Hindi version by Tulsidas, known for its devotional and accessible language.
- Kamba Ramayanam (Ramavataram): A Tamil version by the poet Kambar, highly regarded in Tamil literature.
- Adhyatma Ramayana: A Sanskrit version with a focus on spiritual and philosophical aspects.
- Krittivasi Ramayana: A Bengali version by Krittibas Ojha, popular in the Bengal region.
- Torave Ramayana: A Kannada version by Kumara Valmiki.
- Ranganatha Ramayana: A Telugu version.
- Ananda Ramayana: A Sanskrit text focusing on aspects not found in Valmiki’s Ramayana.
- Adbuta Ramayana: Another Sanskrit text with unique episodes and characters.
- Sita’s Ramayana: A more recent version focusing on Sita’s perspective.
Other Notable Versions and Adaptations:
- Regional Versions: Many Indian languages have their own Ramayana adaptations, including Assamese, Marathi, Malayalam, and others.
- Jain Ramayana: A Jain version exists, presenting the story from a Jain perspective.
- Kakawin ramayana: An Old Javanese version.
- Ramakien: A Thai version.
- Reamker: A Khmer (Cambodian) version.
- Phra Lak Phra Lam: A Lao version.
- Yama Zatdaw: A Burmese version.
- Yoga Vasistha: While not strictly a Ramayana, it includes stories and teachings related to Rama.
- Adaptations in Other Media: The Ramayana has been adapted into various forms of media, including plays, dance dramas, films, and television series.
Multiple Versions:
It’s estimated that there are over 300 versions of the Ramayana. This is due to the epic’s popularity and its retelling and adaptation in different cultures and time periods.