The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic

“They explained, ‘The ten-headed Ravana and his brothers have acquired from us extraordinary powers through austerities and prayers, and now threaten to destroy our worlds and enslave us. […] You alone are the Protector and should save us.’”

At the start of the epic, as Dasaratha’s sage Vasishtha hears the king’s lament regarding the absence of a son who can be Dasaratha’s successor, the sage recalls an “inner vision” involving the gods above pleading with Vishnu, the Supreme God and protector of the universe, for help. This passage, from Vasishtha’s vision, contains the pleas of the gods who seek assistance from Vishnu; these pleas start the action of the plot of the epic. Vishnu tells the gods that he will incarnate as a man because only a human can kill Ravana. The sage connects his vision to Dasaratha’s plight, and this vision enables the sage to advise Dasaratha to follow a set of instructions that lead to the birth of Rama and three other sons.

“When they were all seated again, Vasishtha addressed the King: ‘There must be a divine purpose working through this seer, who may know but will not explain. It is a privilege that Rama’s help should be sought. Do not bar his way. Let him go with the sage.’” 

When the sage Viswamithra comes to Dasaratha’s palace in need of Rama’s help to contend with demons in order to “realize holiness,” Dasaratha reacts with anxiety and fear, demonstrating his attachment to Rama. His reluctance to allow Rama to accompany the sage foreshadows Dasaratha’s death by heartbreak, which takes place when Rama leaves Ayodhya for the forest under the terms of his 14-year exile. Only when the sage persuades Dasaratha that Rama has been honored by the request is Dasaratha able to allow his son out of his sight.

“A woman of demoniac tendencies loses all consideration to be treated as a woman. This Thataka is more dreadful than Yama, the god of death, who takes a life only when the time is ripe. But this monster, at the very scent of a living creature, craves to kill and eat. Do not picture her as a woman at all. You must rid this world of her. It is your duty.”

According to Rama’s studies, women are exempt from the threat of death in combat. When Rama must confront the man-eating demon Thataka, he hesitates before attacking her, remembering the teachings of his boyhood. The sage Viswamithra teaches him a subtle point: Thataka’s status as a monster and her terrifying appearance, her power, and her “ruthlessness” disqualify her from the protected status. Thataka’s remarkable ugliness contrasts with the beauty of Sita; Thataka’s frightening appearance plays a role in her worthiness to live, just as Sita’s otherworldly beauty suggests her immortality.

“Sita, decked in ornaments and flowers, in the midst of her attendants, flashed on his eyes like a streak of lightning. She paused to watch Rama slowly pass out of view, along with his sage-master and brother. The moment he vanished, her mind became uncontrollably agitated. The eye had admitted a slender shaft of love, which later expanded and spread into her whole being. She felt ill.” 

reflects the theme of disruption and harmony; prior to making eye contact with Rama, Sita was content in her father Janaka’s palace, but after she sees Rama, she is disturbed and unwell. Her love for Rama is compared to “a slender shaft,” emphasizing the link between Rama and his weapon of choice, the bow and arrow. The use of this metaphor at this moment in the epic emphasizes Rama’s prowess with the weapon; with this “slender shaft of love,” Rama is able to capture the love of Sita.

“He should be my successor, an embodiment of all perfection. He is perfect and will be a perfect ruler. He has compassion, a sense of justice, and courage, and he makes no distinctions between human beings—old or young, prince or peasant; he has the same consideration for everyone.” 

When Dasaratha determines that he is too old to rule, he decides that Rama must take his place on the throne and calls an assembly to make this announcement. In this passage, Dasaratha lists the qualities that will make Rama an excellent king; his use of the words “perfect” and “perfection” are interesting because Rama is in fact imperfect. Rama’s flaws are to be understood as part of his perfection, making him an accessible role model who possesses both god-like capabilities and the human potential to learn from his own failures and mistakes.

“You know everything, but I still feel it a duty to say a few words. You will have to pursue a policy of absolute justice under all circumstances. Humility and soft speech—there can be really no limit to these virtues. There can be no place in a king’s heart for lust, anger, or meanness.” 

When Dasaratha tells Rama that he is to be crowned king of Ayodhya, he gives Rama this piece of advice. Dasaratha lives and dies by his own advice, as illustrated by the scenes in which Kaikeyi takes the throne away from Rama with her two promises. In response to Kaikeyi’s betrayal, Dasaratha internalizes his feelings, “muttering” at Kaikeyi softly before going completely silent in the room of the palace where he sits with Kaikeyi when she tells him her plan. Dasaratha eventually grows weak and dies in his bed, quietly overwhelmed by his “lamentations and fears” (49).

“Calm yourself. Sometimes a river runs dry, and then it cannot be said the fault of the river—it’s dry because the heavens are dry. […] These are really not our doing, but some higher powers have decreed them. Fate…” 

Lakshmana dresses for combat when he hears the news of Kaikeyi’s schemes and her plans to rule the country with her son, Bharatha. When Rama sees Lakshmana in his battle dress, he notices that Lakshmana is “wild and angry” and attempts to calm his brother with his own explanation for the last-minute change in plan (51). Rama’s calm acceptance of his fate stems from his belief that he was at fault for accepting the offer of the throne too quickly. His calmness and grace contrasts with his brother’s uncontrolled emotion and thus validates Dasaratha’s choice to put Rama on the throne as his successor. Even when the throne is taken from Rama, he responds to the situation with equanimity and compassion for the usurpers.

“None but you could have uttered these terrible words in this manner. Is your heart made of stone? I should never have left his side. My misfortune, my mistake. The world has not seen a greater ruler; no son has had a nobler father. I was not fated to be with him, to hear his voice, to feel his glorious presence—enjoying my holiday indeed! What a time to have chosen for relaxation!” 

When Kaikeyi tells Bharatha that his father has died, he responds in anger. His reaction to his mother suggests that he does not trust her and that her manner of speaking is unsympathetic. As Bharatha laments the loss of his father, he lambastes his own poorly timed decision to leave Ayodhya to rest and relax, exhibiting his innocence and his lack of awareness regarding his mother’s plan to put him on the throne. A few moments later, Kaikeyi tells Bharatha that he is to be the next ruler, and he immediately understands that she has “trap[ped] the King into a promise” that led directly to his death (58). Bharatha’s response to his mother shows that he suspects her of subterfuge and that something happened earlier in his life to suggest that she has ambitions for the throne.

“‘Oh! A woman!’ Lakshmana muttered, and decided to spare her life. Instead of taking out his arrow, he pulled out his sword and chopped off her nose, ears, and breasts. When his anger subsided, he let go of her hair.”

Lakshmana punishes the demon Soorpanaka, sister of Ravana, when he finds her “stalking” Sita in the forest. Like his brother Rama earlier in the epic, Lakshmana hesitates to kill the demon because she is female, choosing instead to mutilate her and remove parts of her femininity. Lakshmana’s hasty decision to punish Soorpanaka by lopping off her breasts is both clever and ill-advised; she is a threat to Sita because she seeks to seduce Rama, and Lakshmana’s punishment compromises Soorpanaka’s sexual power. The punishment angers Soorpanaka deeply and exacerbates her disappointment at Rama’s refusal to marry her. The combined effect of these two insults inspires Soorpanaka to seek revenge and to involve her brother Ravana in her pursuit of Rama.

“Ravana said, ‘My mind is shattered. I am going through a phase of utter shame. The gods doubtless watch and rejoice, but on our supreme race a great shame has fallen […]. Your beloved niece is now without nose, ears, or breasts. He chopped them off when she approached his miserable hut.’” 

Soorpanaka successfully whets her brother’s appetite for the beautiful Sita. When Ravana decides he must have Sita, he seeks the advice of his uncle Mareecha. Ravana is dishonest with his uncle, omitting the fact that he covets Rama’s wife and using his sister’s experience to justify his declaration of war on Rama. Ravana’s duplicity reveals that his capacity for evil is complex. That Ravana is aware that his desire for Sita is wrong suggests that he makes a deliberate choice to act immorally. The demons of the Ramayana are not simple beings who enact destruction and violence on the world without thought; they are as complicated, thoughtful, and emotional as the heroic characters in the epic.

“Twice have I escaped Rama’s arrow; now, this third time, I shall be doomed. I am like a fish in a poisoned pond. Sooner or later I am bound to die, whether I stay in it or get out of it.” 

Mareecha resigns himself to his fate, following Ravana’s order to take the form of a golden deer so that he may lure Sita away from the safety of her forest abode. His fate mingles with the other fates “at work,” and these fates all work together to endanger Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and all the others who are soon to take part in the battle against the evil Ravana. The role of the fates in the lives of Mareecha and the others contrasts with Rama’s many decisions and choices to act in certain ways. According to the epic, Rama’s free will and virtue may assist him when he seeks to protect others and rid the earth of evil, but the fates will always be present in his life, setting challenges for him to overcome.

“Be kind to me. I am dying for your love. I will give you a position greater than anything a goddess can have. Have consideration. Have mercy. I prostrate myself before you.” 

When Ravana first approaches Sita in the forest, he takes the form of a sanyasi, or a saintly hermit who lives in seclusion. As Sita unknowingly insults Ravana, his disguise disappears, and he terrifies Sita when his true self becomes evident. Ravana is first angry with Sita for her disrespect, then humble as he declares his love. His humility, as evidenced by the passage above, has no effect on Sita, and Ravana realizes he must take her by force, carrying her away on a piece of earth. Ravana’s attempt to plead with Sita, during which he declares his love for her, reveals that he has the potential to be respectful and good. He gives Sita a momentary opportunity to consent to his declarations of love before kidnapping her.

“At this Ravana, remembering an ancient curse that if he touched any woman without her consent, he would die that instant, dug the ground under Sita’s feet, lifted it off with her, placed it in his chariot, and sped away.”

Sita’s deep affinity for nature serves her even as she is being stolen away by the demon Ravana. He must carry her on a piece of earth to protect himself from a curse, and the earth in this moment protects Sita from his touch. When Sita was a baby, her father found her in a plowed field, in the earth, and saved her life. The earth continues to safeguard Sita as she survives her ordeal at the hands of Ravana.

“Strife between brothers is common among human beings too. Instances like Bharatha’s are rare indeed. We should not become too analytical about a friend, nor look too deeply into original causes; but accept only what appears good to us in the first instance, and act on it.” 

Rama’s understanding of brotherly relationships allows him to feel sympathetic toward Sugreeva, whose willingness to fight with his own brother, Vali, casts him as an untrustworthy character. Rama recognizes that his own relationships with his brothers are unique and blessed by the gods. Lakshmana’s reluctance to trust Sugreeva fully gives Rama the opportunity to show empathy and wisdom; Rama’s faith in goodness is clear in his decision to give Sugreeva the benefit of the doubt and to act on his positive first impressions of the monkey. Rama’s decisions enable the inner vision of the sage Vasishtha to play out fully as monkeys were predicted to be involved in the destruction of Ravana.

“How could you do this? You have destroyed the firm basis of your own virtues. Is it because of the separation from your wife that you have lost all sense of fairness and act recklessly? If some demon like Ravana has acted treacherously, is that any justification for you to come here, slaughter the head of a monkey clan, entirely unconnected with the affair?” 

Vali, the brother of Sugreeva, is dying as he speaks these words, chiding Rama for killing him, in what Narayan calls the most “controversial” incident in the Ramayana. He tells Rama that Rama has acted immorally by applying the expectations of human society on monkey society, involving strangers in a marriage-related crisis. Rama defends his actions and explains that he does not believe that monkeys are any different from humans. As he dies, Vali realizes that Rama has elevated his status as a monkey; Vali hands over his throne to Sugreeva before his “essential spirit” goes to heaven, at peace with his own demise, demonstrating to the audience that Rama’s decisions may not always be clear at first, but that they are always good.

“He explained how he should guard the interests of his subjects, how important gentleness in speech was: ‘Even when you realize that the one before you is an enemy and must be treated sternly, do not hurt with words. Even in jest, do not hurt anyone’s feelings, not even the lowliest,’ he said […].”

Rama, the true ruler of Kosala, gives Sugreeva kingly advice as Sugreeva is crowned king of Kiskinda and takes command of the monkey clan. Rama’s emphasis on “gentleness” is consistent with his compassionate nature and his ability to prioritize the feelings of others over his own complex feelings. This virtuous gift is one of many that make Rama an ideal ruler and man.

“To go after a couple of human beings heading a horde of monkeys, with all the paraphernalia of war, would not be in keeping with our dignity. We should rather wait for the creatures to venture onto our soil, in their own time, and then we can end their adventure.” 

Before engaging in battle with Rama, Hanuman, and Sugreeva, Ravana calls a council so that his advisers may speak on the matter. Together, they decide that they are superior to the humans and the monkeys that have joined forces against them; they suggest a plan in this passage, revealing arrogance and ignorance. The demons are unaware of the fact that they can be destroyed by humans and monkeys; ironically, Ravana ignores their advice, unknowingly seeking his own destruction when he decides they must immediately march against Rama and his band of followers.

“Whereupon Rama felt angry and threatened to shoot his arrows into the sea so that all the water might evaporate and facilitate his passage. The sea god implored him to desist and not to destroy the sea and its living creatures, and suggested, ‘I will accept and put to best use whatever is brought to me to bridge the sea.’” 

Rama’s imperfection is revealed in this passage when he nearly acts hastily out of frustration. When the sea god tells Rama that he is “subject to the laws of nature” (132), denoting the power of nature over the gods, Rama becomes exasperated; he has prayed and fasted for help from the gods, but to no avail. Unlike Hanuman, who was able to leap across the strait of waters between the mainland and Lanka, Rama and his army must cross the sea with a bridge of some kind. The sea god cooperates with Rama, and they are eventually able to land on Lanka.

“Every moment, news came to Ravana of fresh disasters in his camp. One by one, most of his commanders were lost. No one who went forth with battle cries was heard of again.” 

After the siege of Lanka, the battle intensifies, and Ravana commands from the safety of his palace, unaware that he is doomed to lose the battle and to be destroyed. As he loses more and more leaders, he hears the sounds of warfare and the “wailings” of the warriors’ widows. The combined effect of constant bad news and the atmosphere of grief inspire Ravana to don his battle dress. As Ravana heads to battle, he realizes that either he or Rama will die on this day, and his determination to finish the battle alerts the gods above. That Ravana’s renewed sense of purpose inspires the gods to help Rama proves that the gods favor Rama and that he is fated to win the battle against evil.

“To Link Up the Narrative, an Extract from ‘Valmiki.’” 

Through the subtitle of the Interlude between Chapters 12 and 14, Narayan breaks the fourth wall to let the reader of his modern prose translation know that he is interrupting his own narrative to include a summary from the original Sanskrit version of the epic written by Valmiki. The description of the reunion of Rama and Sita is brief; her demonstration of loyalty to Rama in the face of his doubt is addressed in only a few paragraphs, contrasting with the lengthy battle scenes of the previous chapters. Narayan’s choice to summarize the reunion rather than present it in narrative form prioritizes the significance of Rama’s warrior prowess over his role as a husband.

“Under these circumstances, it was very strange that Rama should have spoken harshly as he had done at the first sight of Sita, and subjected her to a dreadful trial.”

Rama’s show of “inconsistency” regarding his wife’s loyalty worries the gods, who feel Rama has lost his sense of divinity. To remind Rama of his true identity, Brahma, the Creator, addresses Rama directly, and the gods send Dasaratha down from heaven to talk with Rama of his role on earth. Though Rama’s heroism is remarkable and his advice to other rulers like Sugreeva is true, he appears to be most capable and virtuous in the context of conflict with other powerful beings when his warrior skills shine. In the context of his relationship to his wife, however, Rama is less heroic and more human, requiring the assistance of gods to be aware of his responsibilities as a man.

“That God is yourself, and Sita at your side is now a part of that Divinity. Please remember that this is your real identity and let not the fear and doubts that assail an ordinary mortal ever move you. You are beyond everything; and we are all blessed indeed to be in your presence.” 

Brahma, the Creator, speaks to Rama about his true identity, asserting that Rama is the Supreme God and that Sita is his partner in this divine role. Brahma acknowledges that Rama’s inconsistency in his treatment of Sita reflects his human tendency to experience suspicion and mistrust, but Rama must remember his divine self in order to fend off his misgivings. This speech has the double effect of encouraging Rama and giving him awareness of his status as an incarnation of Vishnu. Until this point, others could observe supernatural qualities in Rama, but Rama himself did not know he was divine. Now, at the end of The Ramayana, Rama’s journey has ended, and he can carry on as the ruler of Kosala with a full understanding of his role and duties.

“At Nandigram, Bharatha had been counting the hours and realized that the fourteenth year was nearly over. There was no sign of Rama yet; nor any news. It seemed as though all his austerities and penances of all these years were fruitless. He had kept Rama’s sandals enthroned on a pedestal and was reigning as a regent […] He made preparations to immolate himself in fire.” 

Even after 14 years, Bharatha is still tormented by grief at his mother’s actions and her decision to send Rama into exile. He promises to immolate himself if Rama does not return to take the throne after his 14 years in exile, but Hanuman arrives in time to announce Rama’s imminent arrival. Hanuman’s role in saving the life of Bharatha reflects both his devotion to Rama and Bharatha’s innocence; Bharatha’s constancy to Rama and his willingness to follow through on his promise to end his own grief demonstrate the strength of his fraternal tie to Rama.