THE RAMAYANA OF VALMIKI
The Ramayana is perhaps the world's first ever epic poem. It was composed by India's greatest bard, the Sage Valmiki. It is known today in three different recensions referred to as the Bombay, the Bengal and the South Indian recensions. It is believed that originally the text contained 24000 verses- a thousand each for each letter of the supreme and sacred Gayatri chant of 24 syllables. Today, we have - in all the different versions or recensions put together - a collection of well-over 40,000 verses. This perhaps accounts for certain contextual and ideological inaccuracies carried by the texts. As available now, the whole epic is divided into seven books (Kandas) - Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kiskindha, Sundara, Yudha and Uttara - split into 647 cantos (Sarga-s). There are opposing theories of scholars that "Uttara" does not form part of the epic and in the main, the work emanated from the Sage. The orthodox view, however, is that the poem has seven books, reflected in the descriptive term Sapta Kanda. It is still a debated matter as to when actually this classic was composed as little is known about the composer - a characteristic feature of ancient Indians who did not leave behind any personal details about them, however great they were or whatever mighty they had achieved. They believed that it was not man but knowledge that was important. But, it is obvious that this monumental effort should have preceded the magnum opus, the Mahabharata of the Sage Vyasa, which is said to belong to the 5th century B.C. Suffice to say, the Ramayana is described as the first work (Adi Kavya) and its author as the path-finder (Margadarsi Maharshi). Indian culture has its fountain-head in the hoary Vedic lore which were the scriptures revealed to the ancient seers in the course of their transcendental experiences. Verily does the Ramayana have the character of the Vedas, as it weaves a story around a personification of that Ultimate Reality sought by the Vedas.
The Main Kandas In Ramayana
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BALA KANDA |
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AYODHYA KANDA |
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ARANYA KANDA |
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KISHKINDA KANDA |
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SUNDARA KANDA |
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YUDDHA KANDA |
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UTTARA KANDA |