The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VII

The concluding volume of a critical English edition of the monumental Indian epic The seventh and final book of the monumental Ramayana of Valmiki, the Uttarakanda, brings the epic saga to a close with an account of the dramatic events of King Rama's millennia-long reign. It opens with a colorful history of the demonic race of the raksasas and the violent career of Rama's villainous foe Ravana, and later recounts Rama's grateful discharge of his allies in the great war at Lanka as well as his romantic reunion with his wife Sita. But dark clouds gather as Rama, confronted by scandal over Sita's time in captivity under the lustful Ravana, makes the agonizing decision to banish his beloved wife, now pregnant. As Rama continues as king, marvelous tales and events unfurl, illustrating the benefits of righteous rule and the perils that await monarchs who fail to address the needs of their subjects. The Uttarakanda has long served as a point of social and religious controversy largely for its accounts of the banishment of Sita, as well as of Rama's killing of a low-caste ascetic. The translators' introduction provides a full discussion of these issues and the complex reception history of the Uttarakanda. This translation of the critical edition also includes exhaustive notes and a comprehensive bibliography.