Râmâyana

The Rāmāyana (रामायण in Sanskrit) which means in Sanskrit “the course of Râma” is shortest of the epopees of language sanskrite made up between third century BC and the 3rd century of our era. Composed of seven books and 24.000 worms, Râmâyana is, with the Mahâbhârata, one of the fundamental writings of the Hindouisme and the Indian Civilization.

Origins and contained

Rāmāyana starts well after the birth of Rāma with the complaint of the devastated Earth which, in the shape of a cow, is addressed to Vishnou and puts it opposite its responsibility.

Rāmāyana tells the birth and the education of prince Rāma who is the seventh misadventure of the god Vishnou, the conquest of Sîtâ and its union with it. Work also tells the exile of Rāma, the removal of Sîtâ, its delivery and the return of Rāma on the throne.

When it is isolated throne of his father (whereas he of it is the legitimate heir), Rāma exiles Ayodhya, accompanied by Sîtâ and its brother Lakshmana. Then Sîtâ is removed by the demon Râvana and is imprisoned in Lankâ (which one generally identifies in the island of Sri Lanka, but that certain authors as Louis Frederic place rather on one of the group of the seven islands - perhaps Heptanesia of Ptolémée - which are at the origin of the town of Mumbai). After long and painful research, Rāma delivers it with the assistance of Hanuman, general of the monkeys. Râvana is killed by Rāma which recovers then its throne and controls its kingdom with a great wisdom.

In the part which probably constitutes an addition written at one later time, Sîtâ is shown by the public rumor to have made an adultery during its captivity. Although it is innocent, it leaves Rāma while taking along its sons with it and is collected by the hermit Valmiki (it is thought that it would be about the true author of Rāmāyana). After several years, this injustice being repaired, Sîtâ turn over with Rāma.

Râmâyana includes/understands seven books:

  1. Balled Kanda or the Book of Youth
  2. Ayodhya Kanda or the Book of Ayodhya
  3. Aranya Kanda or the Book of the Forest
  4. Kishkindha Kanda or the Book of Kishkindha (the kingdom of the monkeys)
  5. Sundara Kanda or the Book of Sundara (another name of Hanuman)
  6. Yuddha Lanka Kanda or the Battle of Lanka
  7. Uttara Kanda or the Book Beyond

Critical reading

Rāmāyana contains many accounts vedic but he is not exclusively monk. He indeed also contains legendary accounts , mythical or cosmogonic (formation of the Ground seen by the Brahmans). Its recitation has value of devotion in the religion brahmanic and certain of its scenes are included as in the danced theater of the India of the South named Kathakali.

It still remains very popular, not only in current India, but also in Indonesia, and its history is largely known in the remainder of the Southeast Asia (Kampuchea, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Laos…) thanks to the many translations in vernacular languages and with the recensions whose most famous of the Indian Poète Tulsi Das is that which dates from the 16th century.


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