The Rāmāyana of Valmīki
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Narrated by:
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Sagar Arya
About this listen
The ancient Indian Sanskrit epic the Rāmāyana was composed some time between the first and fifth centuries BCE. As is the case with most ancient literature firmly rooted in the oral tradition, precise dating is problematic. Traditionally attributed to the sage Valmīki, and composed in rhyming couplets, it is one of the two great Indian epics (the other being the Mahābhārata); consequently it is known and revered not just throughout the Indian subcontinent but also in South-East Asian countries as well, including Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia - indeed wherever Hindu culture became established.
It relates the tale of a Prince of Ayodhya, Rāma, and recounts the various episodes of his exile and subsequent return. The narrative follows Rāma's quest and rescue mission, bringing home his beloved Sita from the clutches of the demon king of Lanka, Ravana, aided by an army of monkeys. While the basic story involves palace politics and battles with demon tribes, it is also infused with ethics, philosophy, logic and notes on duty.
In the Mahābhārata, characters are presented with all their human follies and failings; the Rāmāyana by contrast leans towards an ideal state of things. For instance, Rāma is the ideal son and king, Sita the ideal wife, Hanuman the ideal devotee, Lakshman and Bhārat the ideal brothers, and even Ravana, the demon villain, is not entirely despicable. This translation, by Ralph T. H. Griffith, first published in 1870, was the first complete English version and has retained its initial reputation as an outstanding achievement - as much for its literary as its scholastic qualities.
There are six Books or Khandas (a seventh which is sometimes included is generally regarded as a much later addition) containing some 24,000 verses which, as with the original, are presented in rhyming couplets. This makes the Rāmāyana of a similar length to the Iliad and Odyssey combined, and there are a handful of occasions when, to avoid repetition, Griffith inserts a prose précis.
Curiously he declined to translate The Glory of Uma followed by The Birth of Kartikeya in Book 1 on the grounds that it might offend the sensibility of his contemporaries! As one commentator remarked, Griffith was sometimes reluctant to ‘show much leg.’ In this case, the ‘offending’ verses have been newly translated for this Ukemi recording by Anwesha Arya, and delightful they are too!
The Rāmāyana and its stories have been part of the cultural life and language of the reader, Sagar Arya, since childhood; thus this recording was especially important to him, and he infuses it with a special understanding and authority.
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Why is The Book of Enoch so important to anyone interested in Biblical history? The answer is simple: It is directly quoted in the New Testament by Jude (vv.14-15). Themes of the book referenced in 2 Peter 2:1. Jesus also used content from The Book of Enoch in many of his sermons in Matthew and Luke. In this text, you will hear the word of God through this amazing document. We will take this amazing journey together and learn why this text is not an official book of the Bible.
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Amazing and disturbingly accurate celestial calc.
- By Susan I Carter on 12-05-17
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- By: Unknown
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The book of Enoch was thought to be lost for over 2,000 years until, in 1773, a traveller brought three copies back from Ethiopia. Whether or not this ancient book was actually authored by Enoch, the father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah, is an ongoing debate among historians and theologians. But all recognise the book of Enoch as one of the most important apocalyptic works outside of the Bible.
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Further Information
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By: Unknown
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You may know Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat from Paranormal Activity, the 2007 found-footage horror film that launched a blockbuster franchise. Now, inspired by the fictional haunting that brought them together, the friends and former co-stars are examining real-life stories of demonic possession, tracing the phenomenon from its earliest known accounts to its modern-day headlines.
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Ready to turn what you want into the life that you live? The number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back shows you how. In Super Attractor, Gabrielle Bernstein lays out the essential methods for manifesting a life beyond your wildest dreams. This book is a journey of remembering where your true power lies. You'll learn how to co-create the life you want. You'll accept that life can flow, that attracting is fun, and that you don't have to work so hard to get what you want.
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Not a huge fan
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The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
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Interesting, but centered on Britain
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Neville Goddard: The Complete Reader, Includes all 10 of Neville Goddard's Spiritual Classics: At Your Command, Awakened Imagination & the Search, Feeling is the Secret, Freedom For All, Out of This World, Prayer, The Art of Believing, Seedtime and Harvest, The Law and The Promise, The Power of Awareness, and Your Faith Is Your Fortune. If you are familiar with the great American mystic, this will be a goldmine of wisdom in one book. If you are new to his work, you are in for a spiritual journey.
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Hidden Gem
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A declaration of your sovereign divinity, The Sophia Code is a visionary, sacred text for the Divine Feminine Christ movement sweeping the planet now. This book is a living transmission encoded with direct revelations to activate your important role as a revolutionary wayshower for humanity's awakening.
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It’s not the complete book.
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This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
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Amazing introduction to Buddhism
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Confusing arrangement ruins it
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Incredible story
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Wonderful! Just blessing Wonderful!
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Sri Ramakrishna is revered in India and the West as a prophet belonging to the spiritual line of Krishna, Buddha, and Christ. Seekers of all religions will find in this book courage, faith, hope, and illumination. You will feel God to be very real and within reach. Listen to Sri Ramakrishna’s conversations and be in the company of a great soul.
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Narrator has ZERO grasp of Ramakrishna’s nature
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Hinduism
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Hinduism is practiced by nearly 80 percent of India's population, and by some 70 million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyzes the challenges facing it in the 21st century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of Brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the cultural and moral importance of epics such as the Ramayana.
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Content and narration reduced me to tears
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Obsessive categorization
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The epic poem, by Maharishi Valmiki Muni, narrates the life of Lord Rama, a legendary prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala. The epic follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest urged by his father King Dasharatha, on the request of Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi. He traveled across forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. Rama endured the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana–the demon king of Lanka, which resulted in a great war; and Rama's eventual return to Ayodhya to be crowned king amidst jubilation and celebration. The
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Dhammapada means "the path of dharma", the path of harmony and righteousness that anyone can follow to reach the highest good. This classic Buddhist scripture is a collection of vivid, practical verses gathered from direct disciples who wanted to preserve what they had heard from the Buddha himself. Easwaran's translation of this classic Buddhist text is the best-selling translation in the US.
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Audio doesn’t include full book
- By Montgomery on 01-25-18
By: Eknath Easwaran
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Essence of the Upanishads
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Easwaran's classic manual is a unique source of practical spiritual support for new and experienced meditators, and gives all the instruction needed to establish a vibrant meditation practice and keep it going. In passage meditation, you focus attention on passages, or texts, drawn from all the world's sacred traditions. You choose the passages that appeal to you, so this universal method stays fresh and inspiring, prompting you to live out your highest ideals.
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Not a Summary
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Valmiki Ramayan (Hindi Edition)
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An essential classic, now available in Hindi.
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Some parts are derivative by speaker
- By Anonymous User on 04-24-24
By: Valmiki
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The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living
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This audiobook includes all three volumes in the Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living series. A comprehensive manual for living a spiritual life, based on a verse-by-verse commentary on India’s timeless scripture - from the author of its best-selling translation. This audiobook includes all three volumes in this series. The Bhagavad Gita is set on the battlefield of an apocalyptic war between good and evil. Faced with a dire moral dilemma, the warrior prince Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life.
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My favorite translation of the Bhagavad Gita
- By Tom Benner on 01-27-21
By: Eknath Easwaran
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Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana
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Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of Ramayana is an epic story based on the life of India’s most admired prince - ‘Rama’ and his wife ‘Sita’. Ramayana is a mythological story, which has been passed down for many generations. Since ages, the character that is most emphasized has been that of Rama, who has always been known to keep his word whatever be the circumstances. The role of Sita has been generally overlooked in the past. Sita, too, is a pivotal character. Still, she has often been portrayed as a frail and meek character.
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Amazing book, bad narrator/read
- By Suparna on 12-13-19
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The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
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- By: Bhikkhu Ñānamoli, Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Narrated by: Taradasa
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This book offers a complete translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, or Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections of texts in the Pāli Canon, the authorised scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This collection - among the oldest records of the historical Buddha's original teachings - consists of 152 suttas or discourses of middle length, distinguished as such from the longer and shorter suttas of the other collections.
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I can't believe it's FINALLY an audible book!
- By Yetanotherguy on 12-08-19
By: Bhikkhu Ñānamoli, and others
What listeners say about The Rāmāyana of Valmīki
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-07-20
Awesomely Done!
Awesome writing well expressed and read! I couldn't stop listening and was sad when it was done. So I shall start again!
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3 people found this helpful
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- Daniel TRAVER
- 12-22-21
This is the best academic translation that you could have in English.
This is the best academic translation that you could have in English, the narrator is a superb orator and does this timeless classic justice without having to learn another language.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Kevin Vecchione
- 05-23-20
Ending is Disappointing
The story of the Ramayana, like the Mahabharata is well known long before you ever get around to listening or reading it. You don't have to be of Indian heritage to know the story. Needless to say, I was truly excited to finally listen to the Ramayana in its entirety.
So you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when, having pushed through the slower parts of the story filled with seemingly endless repetitive conversation, the final battle scene, the climax of the story I'd spent 40 hours listening to, had a multitude of chapters admittedly cut out for "repetition" ironically, and then an ending contrary to everything I know about the story. The ending has been changed and the story ended long before the famous ending of the actual account of the well known Ramayana.
I don't know what happened here, but Valmiki famously wrote his story after a hunter killed a bird in love in front of him. There's no happy endings in the Ramayana, contrary to this retelling.
What's even more upsetting is that the narration is fantastic! Way better than the vast majority of audiobooks. I'm so destroyed by the changed ending and the multiple chapter just removed for no apparent reason from the climax of the story! I don't understand, it simply makes no sense.
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32 people found this helpful
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- Shubho
- 09-11-20
So close to perfect but equally as close to failur
I first want to thank the author for taking on such a hard task and putting all the work in.
However, when it comes to something as magnificent as the Ramayana, if you are taking up this task you are responsible to uphold a certain quality.
Reading the first 3/4 it is obvious the level of care and dedication it took. So the expectations were set high. But at the end the most intense moments of the story parts are omitted. The strongest villain (besides Dashanan) is killed and we hear it as an after thought.
As mentioned by another reviewer, we hear so much depth and detail about so many mundane parts of the story and when it gets to the climax(es) it falls flat.
Frankly, I've never seen anything made so beautifully and with so much care that was fumbled, like this, at the finish line.
Also missing a big chunk of the story at the end.
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18 people found this helpful
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- AnnieS
- 04-28-24
Ramayana Minus the Uttarakanda
Ramayana Minus the Uttarakanda: Overlooking the Absence of 'Happily Ever After' for Lord Rama and Devi Sita During Their Lifetime
This version of the Ramayana was beautifully written and narrated, but it felt incomplete because it was missing the Final book, the Uttarakanda.
There are many who prefer to have the story of Lord Rama and Devi Sita end with a Happily Ever After ending. If we lived in a perfect world, I can understand that. This version is perfect for those who like a happy ending.
I do not believe that Lord Rama and Devi Sita had a Happily Ever After during their lifetime on earth because the world wouldn't allow them that. I do believe that horrible, narrow-minded people chose to doubt Devi Sita and would continue to do so regardless of what tests she passed to prove her virtue. I do believe that in order to protect her from the maliciousness, Lord Rama sent her to Valmiki's Ashram for her safety as she wouldn't be any safer with her father than with him. Even if it meant being separated from his love, Lord Rama always did what was correct. His comfort and happiness never came first. He did what was best for his kingdom and for his wife, whom he loved with all his heart. He knew that his Sita was a strong woman; she followed him into exile and survived her captivity. She loved him with all her heart and would also do what was best even if it meant being separated from her love.
Two great references to support the existence of the Uttarakanda are:
A wonderful video on YouTube, "Uttara Ramayanam is Real or a Myth? || A research-based documentary film by Project Shivoham," points out that The Bala Kanda's 4th Sarga, 2nd Shloka - twenty-four thousand verses and divided them into five hundred chapters and six books. In addition, he composed the epilogue.
"The Ramayana of Valmiki: The Complete English Translation" from Princeton Library of Asian Translations also points out in The Bala Kanda's 4th Sarga - "It was after Rama had regained his kingdom that the holy and self-controlled seer Valmiki composed this entire history in such wonderful words. When the wise master had completed, including the sections dealing with the future and final events."
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- Satish M
- 11-23-21
Not for casual listening
The English is too hard to follow and understand. It would serve everyone best if it is in spoken English rather than poetic!
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