Foreword The Ramayana of Valmiki is the most important Adikavya, one of the two National Epics of great national importance & significance. The Crucial Edition of the two Epics was a desideratum and was considered to be sine qua non for all historical and textual studies. pertaining to them. Therefore, the project of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata was undertaken and successfully completed by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. Pune (1919 to 1966). Similarly the project of the Critical Edition of the Valmiki Ramayana was undertaken & successfully completed by the Oriental Institute, Baroda (1951 to 1975) and was published in seven volumes namely Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kiskindha, Sundara, Yuddha and Uttara, edited by profound scholars such as Prof. G.H. Bhatt (Bala), Dr. P. L. Vaidya (Ayodhya & Yuddha), Shri P.C. Diwanji. (Aranya), Prof. DR. Mankad (Kiskindha). Prof. G.C. Jhala (Sundara) and Dr. U.P. Shah (Uttara).

The first two volumes of the Critical Edition of the Valmiki Ramayana - the Balakanda and Ayodhyakanda were recently reprinted. Most of the volumes of Valmiki Ramayana are fast going out of stock. As there is great demand from the scholarly world for their copies, we have an ambitious project of reprinting most of them. The modern method of reprinting by scanning has made the work of reprinting such books more easy and quick. We are glad to present to the world of scholars this reprinted Third volume Aranyakanda of Valmiki Ramayana. I hope this will also be welcomed & appreciated by the scholarly world, interested in Ramayana & its related studies, like its previous ones.

We are thankful to the University Authorities for releasing the necessary grant for the reprinting & publication of this volume. We are also greatful to Shri S.M. Pattni, I/c. Press Manager, the M.S. University of Baroda Press & his co-operative staff for reprinting it nicely in a very short period. We are also thankful to the staff members of the Oriental Institute for their assistance in various ways in re-printing this volume. We are also thankful to Shri Ashish Muley of Omni present for designing the Jacket of the book.

Preface I am glad to place before scholars the Third Volume of the Critical Edition of the Valmiki Ramayana, the Aranyakanda. A tragic interest, however, attaches to the publication of this Volume. The Aranyakanda was entrusted to Shri P. C. Divanji, M.A., LL.M. who was the first man to initiate the Scheme of an All India Critical Edition of the Ramayana in the Journal of the Gujarat Research Society (July 1950) and who received favourable response from scholars. Shri Divanji started his work in Naroda on 6-9-1959 and finished the censtitution of the text of the Aranyakanda on 3-5-1960 when the Ayodhyakinda was in the Press. He was very anxious that this Volume should see the light of day during his lifetime as he might pass away on account of advancing age (born on 28-6-1885). But it was not to be. He suffered from cancer and unfortunately collapsed on 8-7-1961 after operation in Bombay. He could not get an opportunity to revise the constituted text in the light of the Critical Apparatus. The work of revising the constituted text and writing the Critical Notes as well as the Introduction, therefore, devolved on me as the General Editor.

Regarding the progress of the Ramlyana Department it may be stated that the Kiskindhakanda edited by Prot. D. R. Mankad will now be sent to the Press. The constitution of the Sundarakanda is ready up to Sarga 35 (Vulgate). The remaining portion will be completed by the Editor, Prof. G. C. Jhala, by the end of the current year. The Yuddhakanda has been constituted by the Editor, Dr. P. L. Vaidya, up to Sarga 53 (Valgate). The Kloda will be completely constituted very probably by the end of June 1964. The Uttarakanda will then be taken up by the General Editor. It is hoped that the Ramayana will be completed in 1967. I am thankful to the scholars who have reviewed the Balakanda and the Ayodhyakanda in the Indological Journals and the Press for their appreciation and constructive criticism. I am also thankful to the members of the Board of Referees for their valuable suggestions. I must thank the University Grants Commission and the Gujarat State for the liberal financial help towards the publication of the Critical Edition of the Ramayana.

My sincere thanks are due to the Vice-Chancellor Dr. J. M. Mehta, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. C. S. Patel and the Syndicate for their keen interest in the Ramayana work and the facilities given to the Ramayana Department. I must also thank Dr. (Smt.) Hansaben Mehta, the ex Vice-Chancellor, for continuing her interest in the Ramayana work. I am again thankful to the Manager of the University Press, Shri Ramanlal J. Patel for his promptness, vigilance and sincerity. I am also grateful to the staff of the Ramayana Department for their sincere co-operation and ungrudging help. I thank the Director, Oriental Institute, Dr. B. J. Sandesara, for his interest in the Ramayana Department.

**Contents and Sample Pages**