The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki - (Princeton Library of Asian Translations) by Robert P Goldman & Sally J Sutherland Goldman

About the Book

"The definitive translation of the classic Sanskrit work in a single-volume paperback edition"--

Book Synopsis

The definitive English translation of the classic Sanskrit epic poem--now available in a one-volume paperback

The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki, the monumental Sanskrit epic of the life of Rama, ideal man and incarnation of the great god Visnu, has profoundly affected the literature, art, religions, and cultures of South and Southeast Asia from antiquity to the present. Filled with thrilling battles, flying monkeys, and ten-headed demons, the work, composed almost 3,000 years ago, recounts Prince Rama's exile and his odyssey to recover his abducted wife, Sita, and establish a utopian kingdom. Now, the definitive English translation of the critical edition of this classic is available in a single volume.

Based on the authoritative seven-volume translation edited by Robert Goldman and Sally Sutherland Goldman, this volume presents the unabridged translated text in contemporary English, revised and reformatted into paragraph form. The book includes a new introduction providing important historical and literary contexts, as well as a glossary, pronunciation guide, and index. Ideal for students and general readers, this edition of the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki introduces an extraordinary work of world literature to a new generation of readers.

Review Quotes

"Readers interested in India's sacred texts, poetic traditions, and conventions of Sanskrit poetry will find much to savor in The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: The Complete English Translation."---Paula Richman, Reading Religion

"A masterpiece of scholarship."---Wendy Doniger, New York Review of Books

"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year"

About the Author

Robert P. Goldman is the William and Catherine Magistretti Distinguished Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and general editor of the Rāmāyaṇa Translation Project. Sally J. Sutherland Goldman is senior lecturer in Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley, and associate editor of the Rāmāyaṇa Translation Project.