The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse
Canto XVII. Sítá’s Guard.
Canto XVIII. Rávan.
Canto XIX. Sítá’s Fear.
Canto XX. Rávan’s Wooing.
Canto XXI. Sítá’s Scorn.
Canto XXII. Rávan’s Threat.
Canto XXIII. The Demons’ Threats.
Canto XXIV. Sítá’s Reply.
Canto XXV. Sítá’s Lament.
Canto XXVI. Sítá’s Lament.
Canto XXVII. Trijatá’s Dream.
Canto XXX. Hanumán’s Deliberation.
Canto XXXI. Hanumán’s Speech.
Canto XXXII. Sítá’s Doubt.
Canto XXXIII. The Colloquy.
Canto XXXIV. Hanumán’s Speech.
Canto XXXV. Hanumán’s Speech.
Canto XXXVI. Ráma’s Ring.
Canto XXXVII. Sítá’s Speech.
Canto XXXVIII. Sítá’s Gem.
Canto XLI. The Ruin Of The Grove.
Canto XLII. The Giants Roused.
Canto XLIII. The Ruin Of The Temple.
Canto XLIV. Jambumáli’s Death.
Canto XLV. The Seven Defeated.
Canto XLVI. The Captains.
Canto XLVII. The Death Of Aksha.
Canto XLVIII. Hanumán Captured.
Canto XLIX. Rávan.
Canto L. Prahasta’s Questions.
Canto LI. Hanumán’s Reply.
Canto LII. Vibhishan’s Speech.
Canto LIII. The Punishment.
Canto LIV. The Burning Of Lanká.
Canto LV. Fear For Sítá.
Canto LVI. Mount Arishta.
Canto LVII. Hanumán’s Return.
Canto LVIII. The Feast Of Honey.
Canto LXV. The Tidings.
Canto LXVI. Ráma’s Speech.
BOOK VI.
Canto I. Ráma’s Speech.
Canto II. Sugríva’s Speech.
Canto III. Lanká.
Canto IV. The March.
Canto V. Ráma’s Lament.
Canto VI. Rávan’s Speech.
Canto VII. Rávan Encouraged.
Canto VIII. Prahasta’s Speech.
Canto IX. Vibhishan’s Counsel.
Canto X. Vibhishan’s Counsel.
Canto XI. The Summons.
Canto XII. Rávan’s Speech.
Canto XIII. Rávan’s Speech.
Canto XIV. Vibhishan’s Speech.
Canto XV. Indrajít’s Speech.
Canto XVI. Rávan’s Speech.
Canto XVII. Vibhishan’s Flight.
Canto XVIII. Ráma’s Speech.
Canto XIX. Vibhishan’s Counsel.
Canto XX. The Spies.
Canto XXI. Ocean Threatened.
Canto XXII. Ocean Threatened.
Canto XXIII. The Omens.
Canto XXIV. The Spy’s Return.
Canto XXV. Rávan’s Spies.
Canto XXVI. The Vánar Chiefs.
Canto XXVII. The Vánar Chiefs.
Canto XXVIII. The Chieftains.
Canto XXIX. Sárdúla Captured.
Canto XXX. Sárdúla’s Speech.
Canto XXXI. The Magic Head.
Canto XXXII. Sítá’s Lament.
Canto XXXIII. Saramá.
Canto XXXIV. Saramá’s Tidings.
Canto XXXV. Malyaván’s Speech.
Canto XXXVI. Rávan’s Reply.
Canto XXXVII. Preparations.
Canto XXXVIII. The Ascent Of Suvela.
Canto XXXIX. Lanká.
Canto XL. Rávan Attacked.
Canto XLI. Ráma’s Envoy.
Canto XLII. The Sally.
Canto XLIII. The Single Combats.
Canto XLIV. The Night.
Canto XLV. Indrajít’s Victory.
Canto XLVI. Indrajít’s Triumph.
Canto XLVII. Sítá.
Canto XLVIII. Sítá’s Lament.
Canto XLIX. Ráma’s Lament.
Canto L. The Broken Spell.
Canto LI. Dhúmráksha’s Sally.
Canto LII. Dhúmráksha’s Death.
Canto LIII. Vajradanshtra’s Sally.
Canto LIV. Vajradanshtra’s Death.
Canto LIX. Rávan’s Sally.
Canto LX. Kumbhakarna Roused.
Canto LXI. The Vánars’ Alarm.
Canto LXII. Rávan’s Request.
Canto LXIII. Kumbhakarna’s Boast.
Canto LXIV. Mahodar’s Speech.
Canto LXV. Kumbhakarna’s Speech.
Canto LXVI. Kumbhakarna’s Sally.
Canto LXVII. Kumbhakarna’s Death.
Canto LXVIII. Rávan’s Lament.
Canto LXIX. Narántak’s Death.
Canto LXX. The Death Of Trisirás.
Canto LXXI. Atikáya’s Death.
Canto LXXII. Rávan’s Speech.
Canto LXXIII. Indrajít’s Victory.
Canto LXXIV. The Medicinal Herbs.
Canto LXXV. The Night Attack.
Canto XCIII. Rávan’s Lament.
Canto XCVI. Rávan’s Sally.
Canto C. Rávan In The Field.
Canto CI. Lakshman’s Fall.
Canto CII. Lakshman Healed.
Canto CIII. Indra’s Car.
Canto CVI. Glory To The Sun.
Canto CVIII. The Battle.
Canto CIX. The Battle.
Canto CX. Rávan’s Death.
Canto CXI. Vibhishan’s Lament.
Canto CXII. The Rákshas Dames.
Canto CXIII. Mandodarí’s Lament.
Canto CXIV. Vibhishan Consecrated.
Canto CXV. Sítá’s Joy.
Canto CXVI. The Meeting.
Canto CXVII. Sítá’s Disgrace.
Canto CXVIII. Sítá’s Reply.
Canto CXIX. Glory To Vishnu.
Canto CXX. Sítá Restored.
Canto CXXI. Dasaratha.
Canto CXXII. Indra’s Boon.
Canto CXXIII. The Magic Car.
Canto CXXIV. The Departure.
Canto CXXV. The Return.
Canto CXXVI. Bharat Consoled.
Canto CXXVII. Ráma’s Message.
Canto CXXVIII. Hanumán’s Story.
Canto CXXIX. The Meeting With Bharat.
Canto CXXX. The Consecration.
APPENDIX.
Section XIII. Rávan Doomed.
Caput XIV. RATIO NECANDI RAVANAE EXCOGITATA.
Caput XIV. IL MEZZO STABILITO PER UCCIDERE RÁVANO.
XIV.
Uttarakánda.
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
Queen Fortune.
Indra.
Vishnu.
Siva.
Apsarases.
Vishnu’s Incarnation As Ráma.
Kusa and Lava.
Parasuráma, Page 87.
Yáma, Page 68.
Fate, Page 68.
Visvámitra, Page 76.
Household Gods, Page 102.
Page 107.
Page 108.
Page 109.
Page 110.
Page 120.
Page 125.
Page 125.
Page 136.
Page 152.
Page 157.
Page 161.
Page 169.
Page 174. The Praise Of Kings
Page 176. Sálmalí.
Page 178. Bharat’s Return.
Page 183.
Page 203.
Page 219.
Page 249.
Page 250.
Page 257.
Page 286. Urvasí.
Page 324.
Page 326.
Page 329. Ráma’s Alliance With Sugríva.
Page 342. The Fall Of Báli.
Page 370. The Vánar Host.
Page 372.
Page 374.
Page 378. Northern Kurus.
Page 428.
Page 431.
Page 434.
Page 436.
Page 452.
Page 462.
Page 466.
Page 470.
Page 497.
Page 489.
Page 489.
Page 492. Rávan’s Funeral.
Page 496.
Page 503. The Meeting.
Final Notes.
INDEX OF PRINCIPAL NAMES
Footnotes
INVOCATION.(1)
Praise to Válmíki,(2)bird of charming song,(3)
Who mounts on Poesy’s sublimest spray,
And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong
Ráma, aye Ráma, in his deathless lay.
Where breathes the man can listen to the strain
That flows in music from Válmíki’s tongue,
Nor feel his feet the path of bliss attain
When Ráma’s glory by the saint is sung!
The stream Rámáyan leaves its sacred fount
The whole wide world from sin and stain to free.(4)
The Prince of Hermits is the parent mount,
The lordly Ráma is the darling sea.
Glory to him whose fame is ever bright!
Glory to him, Prachetas’(5)holy son!
Whose pure lips quaff with ever new delight
The nectar-sea of deeds by Ráma done.
Hail, arch-ascetic, pious, good, and kind!
Hail, Saint Válmíki, lord of every lore!
Hail, holy Hermit, calm and pure of mind!
Hail, First of Bards, Válmíki, hail once more!
BOOK I.(6)
Canto I. Nárad.(7)
OM.(8)
To sainted Nárad, prince of those
Whose lore in words of wisdom flows.
Whose constant care and chief delight
Were Scripture and ascetic rite,
The good Válmíki, first and best
Of hermit saints, these words addressed:(9)
“In all this world, I pray thee, who
Is virtuous, heroic, true?
Firm in his vows, of grateful mind,
To every creature good and kind?
Bounteous, and holy, just, and wise,
Alone most fair to all men’s eyes?
Devoid of envy, firm, and sage,
Whose tranquil soul ne’er yields to rage?
Whom, when his warrior wrath is high,
Do Gods embattled fear and fly?
Whose noble might and gentle skill
The triple world can guard from ill?
Who is the best of princes, he
Who loves his people’s good to see?
The store of bliss, the living mine
Where brightest joys and virtues shine?
Queen Fortune’s(10) best and dearest friend,
Whose steps her choicest gifts attend?
Who may with Sun and Moon compare,
With Indra,(11) Vishṇu,(12) Fire, and Air?
Grant, Saint divine,(13) the boon I ask,
For thee, I ween, an easy task,
To whom the power is given to know
If such a man breathe here below.”
Then Nárad, clear before whose eye
The present, past, and future lie,(14)
Made ready answer: “Hermit, where
Are graces found so high and rare?
Yet listen, and my tongue shall tell
In whom alone these virtues dwell.
From old Ikshváku’s(15) line he came,
Known to the world by Ráma’s name:
With soul subdued, a chief of might,
In Scripture versed, in glory bright,
His steps in virtue’s paths are bent,
Obedient, pure, and eloquent.
In each emprise he wins success,
And dying foes his power confess.
Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb,
Fortune has set her mark on him.
Graced with a conch-shell’s triple line,
His throat displays the auspicious sign.(16)
High destiny is clear impressed
On massive jaw and ample chest,
His mighty shafts he truly aims,
And foemen in the battle tames.
Deep in the muscle, scarcely shown,
Embedded lies his collar-bone.
His lordly steps are firm and free,
His strong arms reach below his knee;(17)
All fairest graces join to deck
His head, his brow, his stately neck,
And limbs in fair proportion set:
The manliest form e’er fashioned yet.
Graced with each high imperial mark,
His skin is soft and lustrous dark.
Large are his eyes that sweetly shine
With majesty almost divine.
His plighted word he ne’er forgets;
On erring sense a watch he sets.
By nature wise, his teacher’s skill
Has trained him to subdue his will.
Good, resolute and pure, and strong,
He guards mankind from scathe and wrong,
And lends his aid, and ne’er in vain,
The cause of justice to maintain.
Well has he studied o’er and o’er
The Vedas(18)and their kindred lore.
Well skilled is he the bow to draw,(19)
Well trained in arts and versed in law;
High-souled and meet for happy fate,
Most tender and compassionate;
The noblest of all lordly givers,
Whom good men follow, as the rivers
Follow the King of Floods, the sea:
So liberal, so just is he.
The joy of Queen Kauśalyá’s(20)heart,
In every virtue he has part:
Firm as Himálaya’s(21) snowy steep,
Unfathomed like the mighty deep:
The peer of Vishṇu’s power and might,
And lovely as the Lord of Night;(22)
Patient as Earth, but, roused to ire,
Fierce as the world-destroying fire;
In bounty like the Lord of Gold,(23)
And Justice self in human mould.
With him, his best and eldest son,
By all his princely virtues won
King Daśaratha(24) willed to share
His kingdom as the Regent Heir.
But when Kaikeyí, youngest queen,
With eyes of envious hate had seen
The solemn pomp and regal state
Prepared the prince to consecrate,
She bade the hapless king bestow
Two gifts he promised long ago,
That Ráma to the woods should flee,
And that her child the heir should be.
By chains of duty firmly tied,
The wretched king perforce complied.
Ráma, to please Kaikeyí went
Obedient forth to banishment.
Then Lakshmaṇ’s truth was nobly shown,
Then were his love and courage known,
When for his brother’s sake he dared
All perils, and his exile shared.
And Sítá, Ráma’s darling wife,
Loved even as he loved his life,
Whom happy marks combined to bless,
A miracle of loveliness,
Of Janak’s royal lineage sprung,
Most excellent of women, clung
To her dear lord, like Rohiṇí
Rejoicing with the Moon to be.(25)
The King and people, sad of mood,
The hero’s car awhile pursued.
But when Prince Ráma lighted down
At Śringavera’s pleasant town,
Where Gangá’s holy waters flow,
He bade his driver turn and go.
Guha, Nishádas’ king, he met,
And on the farther bank was set.
Then on from wood to wood they strayed,
O’er many a stream, through constant shade,
As Bharadvája bade them, till
They came to Chitrakúṭa’s hill.
And Ráma there, with Lakshmaṇ’s aid,
A pleasant little cottage made,
And spent his days with Sítá, dressed
In coat of bark and deerskin vest.(26)
And Chitrakúṭa grew to be
As bright with those illustrious three
As Meru’s(27) sacred peaks that shine
With glory, when the Gods recline
Beneath them: Śiva’s(28) self between