Ramayana

RAMAYANA retold by C. Rajagopalachari
(Edited by Jay Mazo, American Gita Society)

Contents
1. The Conception
2. Sage Viswamitra
3. Trisanku
4. Rama Leaves Home
5. Rama Slays The Monsters
6. Sita
7. Bhagiratha And The Story Of
Ganga
8. Ahalya
9. Rama Wins Sita's Hand
10. Parasurama's Discomfiture
11. Festive Preparations
12. Manthara's Evil Counsel
13. Kaikeyi Succumbs
14. WifeOr Demon?
15. Behold A Wonder!
16. Storm And Calm
17. Sita's Resolve
18. To The Forest
19. Alone By Themselves
20. Chitrakuta
21. A Mother's Grief
22. Idle Sport And Terrible Result
23. Last Moments
24. Bharata Arrives
25. Intrigue wasted
26. Bharata Suspected
27. The Brothers Meet
28. Bharata Becomes Rama's Deputy
29. Viradha's End
30. Ten Years Pass
31. The Surpanakha Episode32. Kamban's Surpanakha
33. Khara And His Army Liquidated
34. The Path Of Ruin
35. The Golden Stag
36. The Good Bird Jatayu
37. Closely Guarded
38. Rama Disconsolate

39. A Second Father Dies
40. Left Eyelids Throb
41. He Sees Her Jewels
42. Sugriva's Doubts Cleared
43. The Slaying Of Vali
44. Tara's Grief
45. Anger And Reconciliation
46. The Search Begins
47. Son Of Vayu
48.The Search In Lanka
49. Sita In The Asoka Park
50. Ravana's Solicitation
51. First Among The Astute
52. Sita Comforted
53. Sita And Hanuman
54. Inviting Battle
55. The Terrible Envoy
56. Hanuman Bound
57. Lanka In Flames
58. A Carnival
59. The Tidings Conveyed
60. The Army Moves Forward
61. Anxiety In Lanka
62. Ravana Calls A Council Again
63. Vibhishana
64. The Vanara's Doubt
65.Doctrine Of Surrender And Grace
66. The Great Causeway
67. The Battle Begins
68. Sita's Joy
69. Serpent Darts
70. Ravana's Defeat
71. The Giant Is Roused
72. Is This Narayana Himself?
73. The Death Of Indrajit
74. End Of Ravana
75. The End
76. Epilogue

AUTHOR'S PREFACE
The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has
added to the debt of gratitude owed it by
undertaking the publication of theEnglish
version of my Tamil Ramayana. They
achieved great success in the distribution
of my Mahabharata book and I trust this
book of the story of Rama and Sita will
receive similar welcome.
Once again, I repeat my confession that
in the evening of my busy life during a
great and eventful period of Indian
history, the writing of these two books
wherein I have retold the Mahabharata
andRamayana, is, in my opinion, the best
service I have rendered to my people.
At any rate, they embody the best joy I
have experienced; for in these two books I
helped our great sages to speak to our dear
men and women again in their own
language, elevating their minds through
the sorrows borne by Kunti, Kausalya,
Draupadi and Sita. The real need of the
hour is a recommunion between us andthe sages of our land, so that the future
may be built on rock and not on sand.
In presenting this English version to a
wider circle of readers spread all over the
world, I think I am presenting to them the
people of Bharat just as they are, with all
their virtues and their faults. Our classics
really embody our national character in all
its aspects and it is well the world sees u
s
aswe really are, apart from what we wish
to become.
The Ramayana is not history or
biography. It is a part of Hindu
mythology. One cannot understand Hindu
dharma unless one knows Rama and Sita,
Bharata,
Lakshmana,
Ravana,
Kumbhakarna and Hanuman. Mythology
cannot be dispensed with. Philosophy
alone or rituals alone or mythology alone
cannot be sufficient. These are the three
stands ofall ancient religions. The attitude

towards things spiritual which belongs to
a particular people cannot be grasped or
preserved or conveyed unless we have all
these three.
The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has
achieved great work by the very wide
distribution organised by it of my
Ramayana and Mahabharata books, which
seek to bring Valmiki and Vyasa near to
those who have no access to the...