The original Ramayana was composed in the distant past by the sage poet Valmiki. Arranged into twenty-four thousand Sanskrit verses and divided in to six books, this sacred scripture is a cornerstone of the Hindu, or more specifically the Vaishnava, faith. Ramayana, meaning ‘Rama’s travels’, documents Rama’s triumph over the demon-king Ravana, thereby enacting this fate as the ideal man and incarnation of the god lord Vishnu. Memorized in full by Valmiki’s disciplines, Ramayana has been passed down through generations. From public readings to fireside retellings, this oral tradition is through generations.

One great theme of Ramayana is the working out of karma, the consequences or past deeds. The basic plot of Ramayana is a simple struggle between good and evil—the princess is kidnapped by the great evil… Click here to read more