Sri Ramayana (Epic Story as a Poetry)

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Ramayana is the sky; Rama is in its blue, All across the space, in the light of truth. Ramayana is the cloud and Rama is the rain, Of wisdom in life between pleasure and pain. Ramayana is a river; Rama is the boat, To float from banks of evil, to the divine shore. Ramayana is the ocean with lessons in the deep, Rama is the salt in the food that we eat.

Ramayana is the fire where Rama is the flame, Burns the evil desire, 'Ravana' is the name. In the wind of life, Ramayana is the breeze, Where Rama is 'virtue'- the air that we breathe.

The object of this work on 'Ramayana', is to place before the general reader, the leading story of the Epic in a poetic format. A simple style of expression is maintained to keep it attractive for the youngsters to read and comprehend easily.

This version is sufficient for the youngsters to be inspired to explore into the interpretations of the epic as given in many versions, in different languages by many poets and pundits of the past and scholars of the present and the future.

This version does not detail the Uttra Kanda which as per legend is not written by 'Valmiki' who has written the other parts. Rama's coronation is the last part of Yuddha Kanda where we stop and stay.

Srirangam Ramesh, a Mechanical Engineer, successfully implemented "wireless language labs in 250 schools and colleges across the country. He is a part of a research team that enhances the linguistic abilities of the first generation English learners using phrasal methodologies.

Srirangam Ramesh has authored Thirukkural, which was written by the Tamil saint poet Thiruvalluvar, deriving the meaning of the 1330 couplets in English and Tamil. He has also authored and voiced the works of the ancient lady saint, 'Tamil' poet, Auvvaiyar in his book Avvai Sonna Aram.

Srirangam Ramesh, whose mother tongue is Telugu, considers such literary works as enlightening resources that guide the society and mankind on ethics and values. With his passion to translate classical works in Indian languages, this book is another effort to depict the epic Ramayana in the form of poetry. This book is close to his heart for he is an ardent devotee of 'Lord Rama' - the hero of this book.

Ramayana is the foremost of the classical literatures the world has seen. Hence it is also called as 'Adi Kavya' and its Author Vaalmiki is called 'Adi Kavi.' The poem is not seen as just a literary monument, but serves as an integral part of Hinduism and is held in such reverence that merely reading or hearing certain passages is believed to free one from sins and blesses the respective reader or listener.

Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, is one of most popular deities worshipped in the Hindu religion. Each year, many devout pilgrims trace their journey through India and Nepal, halting at each of the holy sites along the way.

Though Indian in origin, Ramayana is universal in its hold on mind. Absorbing, elevating and thought provoking to people of all ages.

Like a plunge bath refreshes the body time and again, repeated reading of this great epic opens up new faculties of understanding eve, time. It never becomes stale or outdated. Th. Ramayana is regarded as an eternal epic of the highest Reverence.

The object of this work is different from that of many meritorious editions and translations. The purpose of this work, is not to attempt a complete translation of a voluminous Epic, but to place before the general reader the leading story of the Epic in a poetic format.

A simple style of expression is maintained to keep it attractive for the youngsters to read and comprehend easily. This version is sufficient for the youngsters to be inspired to explore into the interpretations of the epic as given in many versions, in different languages by many poets and pundits of the past, scholars of the day and perhaps in the future.

The general reader who seeks to read the long poetry would read the story move in almost every line, thereby reading the most abridged version of the Epic. At the same time those who read the story would also have the joy of the rhyme and rhythm of a poetry to cherish.

The function of mythology is to magnify and allegorize the happenings in the epic thus giving the magnificence needed for an eternal impression. However, for humanity, the essence of the epic is in no way reduced even if the epic is no elements are eschewal.

It is interesting to note that Poet ‘Kambar' in his Tamil version of Valmiki Ramayana given the Prayer without mentioning the name of the deity he worshipped, but paid Reverence to the cosmic force, that causes the creation, protection and destruction of animate and inanimate matter found. I am inspired by his idea of addressing God and hence have translated it coarsely in Chapter Similarly, he is known for his humility even after writing about 11,000 versus. which I chose to aptly translate and express in the following, manner:

in a story told, there was a hungry,' cat in anger,

That marched in search of food to alleviate hunger,

The cat walked up the hill to reach the Milky Way

Not to spare a drop of milk but to drink them all away.

On the way, in a house nearby, a bowl of milk was kept aside

The cat lapped up the milk and soon was satisfied.

He turned around halfway and chose a corner place to stay,

Settled them to sleep,' and rest to glory all the day.

My eagerness to write this epic poetry,

Is like the desire of the cat in the story.

How I am better or how am I different,

Rama's greatness has no end, how could l say 'I'm done?'

Like the blind who wish to paint or a dumb taw who to speak.

Is my wish to tell the story of Rama in this, great epic.

The picture of a Palace with doors and with windows,

With a chalk piece on the floor as the children choose and draw

An artisan, a passer-by would smile with joy to see,

The little children draw those pictures with their zeal

So would be the learned and the scholars of the day,

The saints and those poets of the future and today.

They would not spot what is short and left unsaid,

But appreciate the Epic story, written as Poetry instead.

**Contents and Sample Pages**