The Ramayana, also known as Valmiki Ramayana, as traditionally attributed

to Valmiki, the epic narrates the life of Rama, the seventh avatar of the Hindu
deity Vishnu, who is a prince of Ayodhya 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; his travels across forests in the
Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana; the kidnapping
of Sita by Ravana, the king of Lanka, that resulted in war; and Rama's eventual
return to Ayodhya along with Sita to be crowned king amidst jubilation and
celebration.

Scholarly estimates for the earliest stage of the text range from the 7th to 5th
centuries BCE, it is one of the largest ancient epics in world literature and
consists of nearly 24,000 verses

The Ramayana was an important influence on the Hindu life and culture, and
its main figures were fundamental to the cultural consciousness of a number
of nations, both Hindu and Buddhist. Its most important moral influence was
the importance of virtue, in the life of a citizen and in the ideals of the formation
of a state or of a functioning society.

The Ramayana belongs to the genre of Itihasa, narratives of past events which
includes the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana, and the Puranas. The genre
also includes teachings on the goals of human life. It depicts the duties of
relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal son, servant, brother,
husband, wife, and king. Like the Mahabharata, Ramayana presents the
teachings of ancient Hindu sages in the narrative allegory, interspersing
philosophical and ethical elements.

Bāla Kāṇḍa
The marriage of the four sons of Dasharatha with the four daughters of
Siradhvaja Janaka and Kushavaha. Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Urmila, Bharata,
Mandavi, and Shatrughna with Shrutakirti.
The epic begins with the sage Valmiki asking Narada if there is a righteous man
still left in the world, to which Narada replies that such a man is Rāma. After
seeing two birds being shot, Valmiki creates a new form of meter called Sloka,
in which he is granted the ability to compose an epic poem about Rāma. He
teaches his poem to the boys Lava and Kusa, who recite it throughout the land
and eventually at the court of king Rāma. Then the main narrative begins.
Dasaratha was the King of Ayodhya. He had three wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and
Sumitra. He did not have a son and in the desire to have a legal heir performs a
fire sacrifice known as Putrīyā Iṣṭi. Meanwhile, the gods are petitioning to
Brahma and Viṣhṇu about Rāvaṇa, king of the rākṣasas who is terrorizing the
universe. Thus, Vishu had opted to be born into mortality to combat the demon
Rāvaṇa. Therefore, Rāma was first born to Kausalya, Bharata was born to
Kaikeyi, and Laksmana and Satrughna were born to Sumitrā.[27]

When Rāma was 16 years old, the r̥ṣi (sage) Visvamitra came to the court of
Dasaratha in search of help against demons who were disturbing sacrificial
rites. He chooses Rāma, who is followed by Laksmana, his constant
companion throughout the story. Rāma and Laksmana receive instructions
and supernatural weapons from Visvamitra and proceed to destroy Tāṭakā and
many other demons. Visvamitra also recounts much lore of the landscape, his
own ancestors, and the ancestors of the princes.[27]

The party then decides to go to attend king Janaka's sacrifice in the kingdom of
Mithilā, who has a bow that no one has been able to string. Janaka recounts the
history of the famed bow and informs them that whoever strings the bow will
win the hand of his daughter Sītā, whom he had found in the earth when
plowing a field. Rāma then proceeds to not only string the bow but breaks it in
the process. Rāma marries Sita; the wedding is celebrated with great festivity
in, Mithilā and the marriage party returns to Ayodhya.[27]

Ayodhya Kāṇḍa

Rama leaving for fourteen years of exile from Ayodhya

After Rāma and Sita have been married, an elderly Dasaratha expresses his
desire to crown Rāma, to which the Kosala assembly and his subjects express
their support. On the eve of the great event, Kaikeyi was happy about this, but
was later provoked by Mantharā, a wicked maidservant, to claim two boons
that Dasaratha had long ago granted her. Kaikeyi demands Rāma to be exiled
into the wilderness for fourteen years, while the succession passes to her son
Bharata.

The grief-stricken king, bound by his word, accedes to Kaikeyi's demands.

Rāma accepts his father's reluctant decree with absolute submission and
calm self-control which characterizes him throughout the story. He asks Sita
to remain in Ayodhya, but she convinces him to take her with him in exile.
Laksmana also resolves to follow his brother into the forest.

After Rāma's departure, King Dasaratha, unable to bear the grief, passes away.
Meanwhile, Bharata, who was on a visit to his maternal uncle, learns about the
events in Ayodhya. He is shocked and refuses to profit from his mother's
wicked scheming. He visits Rāma in the forest and implores him to return to
Ayodhya and claim the throne that is rightfully his. But Rāma, determined to
carry out his father's orders to the letter, refuses to return before the period of
exile. Bharata reluctantly returns to Ayodhya and rules the kingdom on behalf
of his brother.

Aranya Kāṇḍa
Main articles: Aranya Kanda and Exile of Lord Rama
In exile, Rāma, Sita, and Laksmana journey southward along the banks of the
river Godāvari, where they build cottages and live off the land. One day, in the
Pañcavati forest they are visited by a rākṣasī named Śurpaṇakhā, sister of
Ravana. She tries to seduce the brothers and, after failing, attempts to kill Sita
out of jealousy. Laksmana stops her by cutting off her nose and ears. Hearing
of this, her brothers Khara and Dushan organize an attack against the princes.
Rama defeats Khara and his rakshasas.

When the news of these events reaches Rāvaṇa, he resolves to destroy Rāma
by capturing Sita with the aid of the rakshasa Mārīca. Marica, assuming the
form of a golden deer, captivates Sita's attention. Entranced by the beauty of
the deer, Sita pleads with Rāma to capture it. Rāma, aware that this is the ploy
of the demons, cannot dissuade Sita from her desire and chases the deer into
the forest, leaving Sita under Laksmana's guard.

After some time, Sita hears Rāma calling out to her; afraid for his life, she insists
that Laksmana rush to his aid. Laksmana tries to assure her that Rāma cannot
be hurt that easily and that it is best if he continues to follow Rāma's orders to
protect her. On the verge of hysterics, Sita insists that it is not she but Rāma
who needs Laksmana's help. He obeys her wish but stipulates that she is not
to leave the cottage or entertain any stranger. He then draws a line that no
demon could cross and leaves to help Rāma. With the coast finally clear,
Rāvaṇa appears in the guise of an ascetic requesting Sita's hospitality.
Unaware of her guest's plan, Sita is tricked and is then forcibly carried away by
Rāvaṇa.[28]

Jatāyu, a vulture, tries to rescue Sita but is mortally wounded. In Lanka, Sita is
kept under the guard of rakshasas. Ravana asks Sita to marry him, but she
refuses, being totally devoted to Rāma. Meanwhile, Rāma and Laksmana learn
about Sita's abduction from Jatayu and immediately set out to save her. During
their search, they meet Kabandha and the ascetic Śabarī, who directs them
towards Sugriva and Hanuman.

Kishkindha Kanda
Citadel Kishkindha Kanda is set in the place of Vānaras (Vana-Nara) – Forest
dwelling humans.[29] Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa meet Hanuman, the biggest devotee
of Rāma, greatest of ape heroes, and an adherent of Sugriva, the banished
pretender to the throne of Kishkindha. Rāma befriends Sugriva and helps him
by killing his elder brother Vāli thus regaining the kingdom of Kishkindha, in
exchange for helping Rāma to recover Sita.

However, Sugriva soon forgets his promise and spends his time enjoying his
newly gained power. The clever former ape queen Tārā, (wife of Vali) calmly
intervenes to prevent an enraged Lakṣmaṇa from destroying the ape citadel.
She then eloquently convinces Sugriva to honor his pledge. Sugriva then sends
search parties to the four corners of the earth, only to return without success
from the north, east, and west. The southern search party under the leadership
of Aṅgada and Hanuman learns from a vulture named Sampātī the elder
brother of Jatayu, that Sita was taken to Lanka.

Sundara Kanda
Sundara Kanda forms the heart of Valmiki's Ramayana and consists of a
detailed, vivid account of Hanumān's heroics. After learning about Sita,
Hanuman assumes a gigantic form and makes a colossal leap across the sea
to Lanka. On the way, he meets with many challenges like facing a Gandharva
Kanya who comes in the form of a demon to test his abilities. He encounters a
mountain named Maināka who offers Hanuman assistance and offers him rest.
Hanuman refuses because there is little time remaining to complete the search
for Sita.

After entering Lanka, he finds a demon, Lankini, who protects all Lanka.
Hanuman fights with her and subjugates her to get into Lanka. In the process,
Lankini, who had an earlier vision/warning from the gods, therefore, knows that
the end of Lanka nears if someone defeats Lankini. Here, Hanuman explores
the demons' kingdom and spies on Rāvaṇa. He locates Sita in Ashoka grove,
where she is being wooed and threatened by Rāvaṇa and his rakshasas to
marry Rāvaṇa.

Hanuman reassures Sita, giving Rāma's signet ring as a sign that Rāma is still
alive. He offers to carry Sita back to Rāma; however, she refuses and says that
it is not the dharma, stating that Ramayana will not have significance if
Hanuman carries her to Rāma – "When Rāma was not there Rāvaṇa carried Sita
forcibly and when Rāvaṇa was not there, Hanuman carried Sita back to Rama."
She says that Rāma himself must come and avenge the insult of her abduction.
She gives Hanuman her comb as a token to prove that she is still alive.

Hanuman takes leave of Sita. Before going back to Rāma and tell him of Sita's
location & desire to be rescued only by him, he decides to wreak havoc in Lanka
by destroying trees in the Naula Kha Bagh and buildings and killing Ravana's
warriors. He allows himself to be captured and delivered to Rāvaṇa. He gives a
bold lecture to Rāvaṇa to release Sita. He is condemned and his tail is set on
fire, but he escapes his bonds and leaps from roof to roof, sets fire to Ravana's
citadel, and makes the giant leap back from the island. The joyous search party
returns to Kishkindha with the news.

Yuddha Kāṇḍa
Also known as Lanka Kāṇḍa, this book describes the war between the army of
Rāma and the army of Rāvaṇa. Having received Hanuman's report on Sita,
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa proceed with their allies towards the shore of the
southern sea. There they are joined by Ravana's renegade brother Vibhiṣaṇa.
The viharas named Nala and Nīla construct the Rama Setu.[30]

The princes and their army cross over to Lanka. A lengthy war ensues. During a
battle, Ravana's son Meghanāda hurls a powerful weapon at Lakṣmaṇa and he
gets mortally wounded. So Hanuman assumes his gigantic form and flies from
Lanka to the Himalayas. Upon reaching Mount Sanjeevani, Hanuman is unable
to identify the herb that will cure Lakṣmaṇa and so he decides to bring the
entire mountain back to Lanka. Eventually, the war ends when Rāma kills
Rāvaṇa. Rāma then installs Vibhishaṇa on the throne of Lanka.

On meeting Sita, Rāma says; "The dishonor meted out to him and the wrong
done to her by Rāvaṇa have been wiped off, by his victory over the enemy with
the assistance of Hanuman, Sugriva and Vibhishana".[31] However, upon
criticism from people in his kingdom about the chastity of Sita, Rāma gets
extremely disheartened. So, Sita, to prove the citizens wrong and wipe the false
blame on her, requests Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to prepare a pyre for her to enter.
When Lakṣmaṇa prepares the pyre, Sita prays to Agni and enters it, to prove her
conjugal fidelity. Agni appears in person from the burning pyre, carrying Sita in
his arms and restores her to Rāma, testifying to her purity.[32] Rama later joyfully
accepts her. The episode of Agni Pariksha varies in the versions of Ramayana
Valmiki and Tulsidas. In Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, Sita was under the
protection of Agni (see Māyā Sītā) so it was necessary to bring her out before
reuniting with Rāma. The gods led by Brahma arrive and glorify Rama as the
incarnation of Supreme God Narayana. Indra restores the dead Vanaras back
to life.

After the exile, Rāma returns to Ayodhya and the people are so happy they
celebrate it like a festival. Deepavali is the day considered that Rāma, Sita,
Lakṣmaṇa and Hanuman reached Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile
after Rāma's army of good, defeated demon king Ravana's army of evil. The
return of Rāma to Ayodhya was celebrated with his coronation. It is called
Rāma Patt abhisheka. There are mentions in Ramayana that Rama gave several
donations to Sugriva, Jambavan, other Vanaras, and gave a pearl necklace to
Sita telling her to give it to a great person. She gives it to Hanuman. Rāma was
so thankful to Vibhisaṇa and wanted to give him a great gift. Rāma gave his
Aradhana Devata (Sri Ranganatha swamy) to Vibhishana as a gift. Rama's rule
itself was Rāma Rajya described to be a just and fair rule.[34] It is believed by
many that when Rama returned people celebrated their happiness with diyas,
and the festival of Deepavali relates to Rāma's return.

Uttara Kanda
See also: Exile of Sita
Sita with Lava and Kusha
Scholars note "linguistic and rhetorical differences" between the Uttara Kanda
and books 2 through 6 of the Ramayana, especially in stories such as Sita's
exile and death of Shambuka, and together with Bala Kanda it is considered by
some scholars to be an interpolation, and that "the 'original' poem ended with
the Yuddhakanda.[36]

This kanda narrates Rama's reign of Ayodhya, the birth of Lava and Kusha, the
Ashvamedha yajna, and last days of Rama. At the expiration of his term of exile,
Rama returns to Ayodhya with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, where the
coronation is performed. On being asked to prove his devotion to Rama,
Hanuman tears his chest open and to everyone's surprise, there is an image of
Rama and Sita inside his chest. Rama rules Ayodhya and the reign is called
Rama-Rajya (a place where the common folk is happy, fulfilled, and satisfied).
Then Valmiki trained Lava and Kusha in archery and succeeded to the throne
after Rama.

Versions
See also: Versions of the Ramayana
The epic story of Ramyana was adopted by several cultures across Asia. Shown
here is a Thai historic artwork depicting the battle which took place between
Rama and Ravana. A relief with part of the Ramayana epic, shows Rama killed
the golden deer that turn out to be the demon Maricha in disguise.
PrambananTrimurti temple near Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
As in many oral epics, multiple versions of the Ramayana survive. In particular,
the Ramayana related in north India differs in important respects from that
preserved in south India and the rest of southeast Asia. There is an extensive
tradition of oral storytelling based on Ramayana in Indonesia, Cambodia,
Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam and Maldives.

Buddhist version
In the Buddhist variant of the Ramayana (Dasaratha Jataka), Dasharatha was
king of Benares and not Ayodhya. Rama was the son of Kaushalya, first wife of
Dasharatha. Laksman was a sibling of Rama and son of Sumitra, the second
wife of Dasharatha. Sita was the wife of Rama. To protect his children from his
wife Kaikeyi, who wished to promote her son Bharata, Dasharatha sent the
three to a hermitage in the Himalayas for a twelve-year exile.
After nine years, Dasharatha died and Laksmaṇ and Sita returned. Rāma, in
deference to his father's wishes, remained in exile for a further two years. This
version does not include the abduction of Sita. There is no Ravana in this
version, or the Rama-Ravana war. However, Ravan appears in other Buddhist
literature, the Lankavatara Sutra.

Jain versions
Jain versions of the Ramayana can be found in the various Jain agamas like
Saṅghadāsagaṇī Vāchaka's Vasudevahiṇḍī Avisena's Padmapurana (story of
Padmaja and Rama, Padmaja being the name of Sita), Hemacandra's
Trisastisalakapurusa charitra(hagiography of 63 illustrious persons),
Sanghadasa's Vasudevahindi and Uttarapurana by Gunabhadara. According to
Jain cosmology, every half time cycle has nine sets of Balarama, Vasudeva and
prativasudeva.

Rama, Lakshmana and Ravana are the eighth Baldev, Vasudeva and
Prativasudeva respectively. Padmanabh Jaini notes that, unlike in the Hindu
Puranas, the names Baladeva and Vasudeva are not restricted to Balarama
and Krishna in Jain Puranas. Instead, they serve as names of two distinct
classes of mighty brothers, who appear nine times in each half time cycle and
jointly rule half the earth as half-chakravartins.

In the Jain epic of Ramayana, it is not Rama who kills Ravana as told in the
Hindu version. Perhaps this is because Rama, a liberated Jain Self in his last
life, is unwilling to kill.[55] Instead, it is Lakshmana who kills Ravana. In the end,
Rama, who led an upright life, renounces his kingdom, becomes a Jain monk
and attains moksha. On the other hand, Lakshmana and Ravana go to Hell.
However, it is predicted that they both will be reborn as upright people and
attain liberation in their future births. According to Jain texts, Ravana will be the
future Tirthankara (omniscient teacher) of Jainism.

Southeast Asian

Indonesia
There are several Indonesian adaptations of Ramayana, including the Javanese
Kakawin Ramayana[56][57]and Balinese Ramakavaca. The first half of Kakawin
Ramayana is like the original Sanskrit version, while the latter half is very
different. One of the recognizable modifications is the inclusion of the
indigenous Javanese guardian demigod, Semar, and his sons, Garang, Petruk,
and Bagong who make up the numerically significant four Punokawan or
"clown servants".

Kakawin Ramayana is believed to have been written in Central Java circa 870
ADS during the reign of Mpu Sindok in the Mataram Kingdom.[58] The Javanese
Kakawin Ramayana is not based on Valmiki's epic, which was then the most
famous version of Rama's story, but based on Ravanavadha or the "Ravana
massacre," which is the sixth or seventh century poem by Indian poet
Bhattikavya.

Kakawin Ramayana was further developed on the neighboring island of Bali

becoming the Balinese Ramanayake. The bas-reliefs of Ramayana and
Krishnayana scenes are carved on balustrades of the 9th century Prambanan
temple in Yogyakarta,[60] as well as in the 14th century Penataran temple in East
Java.[61] In Indonesia, the Ramayana is a deeply ingrained aspect of the culture,
especially among Javanese, Balinese and Sundanese people, and has become
the source of moral and spiritual guidance as well as aesthetic expression and
entertainment, for example in wayang and traditional dances.[62]

The Balinese kecak dance for example, retells the story of the Ramayana, with
dancers playing the roles of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Jatayu, Hanuman, Ravana,
Kumbhakarna and Indrajit surrounded by a troupe of over 50 bare-chested men
who serve as the chorus chanting "cak". The performance also includes a fire
show to describe the burning of Lanka by Hanuman. [63] In Yogyakarta, they
Wayang Wong Javanese dance also retell the Ramayana. One example of a
dance production of the Ramayana in Java is the Ramayana Ballet performed
on the Trimurti Prambanan open air stage, with dozens of actors and the three
main prasad spires of the Prambanan Hindu temple as a backdrop.[64]

Malaysia
The Malay adaptation of the Ramayana, also known as the Hikayat Seri Rama,
incorporates elements of both Hindu mythology and Islamic mythology.
Philippines
The Maharadia Lawana, an epic poem of the Maranao people of the Philippines,
has been regarded as an indigenized version of the Ramayana since it was
documented and translated into English by Professor Juan R. Francisco and
Nagasura Madale in 1968.[68][69] The poem, which had not been written down
before Francisco and Madale's translation,[68] narrates the adventures of the
monkey-king, Maharadia Lawana, to whom the Gods have granted
immortality.[70]

Francisco, an Indologist from the University of the Philippines Manila, believed

that the Ramayana narrative arrived in the Philippines sometime between the
17th to 19th centuries, via interactions with Javanese and Malaysian cultures
which traded extensively with India.

By the time it was documented in the 1960s, the character names, place
names, and the precise episodes and events in Maharadia Lawana's narrative
already had some notable differences from those of the Ramayana. Francisco
believed that this was a sign of "indigenization" and suggested that some
changes had already been introduced in Malaysia and Java even before the
story was heard by the Maranao, and that upon reaching the Maranao
homeland, the story was "further indigenized to suit Philippine cultural
perspectives and orientations."[72]

Thailand
Thailand's popular national epic Ramakien is derived from the Hindu epic. In
Ramekin, Sita is the daughter of Ravana and Mandodari (thotsakan and
montho). Vibhishana (phiphek), the astrologer brother of Ravana, predicts the
death of Ravana from Sita's horoscope. Ravana throws her into the water, but
she is later rescued by Janaka (chanok).[73]

While the main story is identical to that of Ramayana, many other aspects were
transposed into a Thai context, such as the clothes, weapons, topography and
elements of nature, which are described as being Thai in style. It has an
expanded role for Hanuman, and he is portrayed as a lascivious character.
Ramekin can be seen in an elaborate illustration at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.