Description
ABOUT THIS BOOK
The book covers the six kandams of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam, upto Sri Rama Pattabhishekam. Uttara Kandam has not been covered. It has been written in very simple English, so that the understanding is easier for every literate person, irrespective of age and educational background. The original text of Sage Valmiki has been truthfully adopted, care being exercised to eliminate any deviation whatsoever. Only the elaborate descriptions in the original text have not been included and the sub-stories in the original have also not been dealt with. This is not a translation. However, all the episodes depicting the various characters have been brought out in such a way that the ‘soul’ of the original and messages which it conveys are retained in tact. This is Part 1 of the book.
Some episodes from KAMBA RAMAYANAM have also been written for a reader to get a glimpse of how the great Kavi Chakravarthi has dealt with the subject in a glorious manner, true to his devotion to RAMA as LORD NARAYANA, and to SITA as GODDESS LAKSHMI. This forms Part 2 of the book.
Part 3 contains some special commentaries on Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam for a reader to know also, (and believed to be) the inner meanings of what have been written by Sage Valmiki. There are very elaborate commentaries in Sanskrit, which are the result of thorough research by eminent scholars and their masterly knowledge of Vedas and Sastras. This book deals with a very few episodes only, for special comments.
References to parallel episodes in Kamba Ramayanam and the relevant special commentaries have been made in Part 1 by suitable notations. Foot notes have been avoided only with a view to facilitate the first reading without any break of the main text.
The “Contents” of the book has been written in such a way that a reading of that alone gives a synopsis of Ramayanam.
Sri S. Rajam, the renowned artist, has drawn 50 pictures in which almost all the important characters in Ramayanam figure. They add remarkably to the beauty of the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sri A. Krishnan hails from Madurantakam, a place 80 kms from Madras on GST Road and well known for Sri Kothanda Raman Temple. Lord Sri Rama, the presiding deity of the temple is also fondly worshipped as Erikatha Perumal. Sri Krishnan’s father and grand father were renowned Sanskrit scholars. Sri S. Aravamudhachariar, his father has very great publications to his credit.
