The greatest Indian epic, one of the world's supreme masterpieces of
storytelling
A Penguin Classic
A sweeping tale of abduction, battle, and courtship played out in a
universe of deities and demons, The Ramayana is familiar to virtually
every Indian. Although the Sanskrit original was composed by Valmiki
around the fourth century BC, poets have produced countless versions in
different languages. Here, drawing on the work of an eleventh-century
poet called Kamban, Narayan employs the skills of a master novelist to
re-create the excitement he found in the original. A luminous saga made
accessible to new generations of readers, The Ramayana can be enjoyed
for its spiritual wisdom, or as a thrilling tale of ancient conflict.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.