Several famous and popular episodes and stories in the Ramayana are actually interpolations added to the epic over time. This essay unravels some major such episodes using evidence-backed scholarship.
Much confusion, debates and distortions have occurred owing to the hundreds of versions and retellings of the Ramayana that have appeared in all Indian (and foreign) languages. This episode begins a detailed decoding of several of these versions and attempts to arrive at the most accurate and origin
The Ramayana captures every aspect of Sanātana-dharma that is in practice today. In fact, the word ‘Sanātana-dharma’ itself occurs quite a few times in the epic. The Ramayana is also a wonderfully artistic exposition of the Purusharthas that formed the bedrock of the Hindu society since time immemor
The journey of Rāma is the story of Sītā; the epic captures their extraordinary life as an ideal couple. Rāvaṇa’s interference disrupts their life, their journey and their story. Maharshi Valmiki points out in a splendid manner how the wicked deeds of an individual can have cascading effects on innu
Srimad Ramayana is an immortal work of poetry imbued with great artistry. It is not a treatise on history, geography, anthropology, flora and fauna although these elements occur profusely in the epic. Neither the Rāmāyaṇa nor the Mahābhārata has claimed itself to be a treatise on biology, geography
Srimad Ramayana has been justly hailed as the Adi Kavya (The First Poem) and Maharshi Valmiki as the Adi Kavi (The First Poet). The Rāmāyaṇa, however, paved a hitherto untrodden and unrealised path – the path of artistic charm, where everything worldly is sublimated to the spiritual. This poetic pa
This is the introductory episode of a series exploring the various nuances of Maharshi Valmiki's immortal epic, Srimad Ramayana. It is part of the Prologue written by scholar and researcher, Sri Arjun Bharadwaj's latest work titled "The Essential Ramayana."
An essay on this Rama Navami exploring various facets of Srimad Ramayana, the genius of Maharshi Valmiki and the true value of studying this immortal epic.
