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The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic
by
The great Indian epic rendered in modern prose
India's most beloved and enduring legend, the Ramayana is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's great literary masterpieces. Still an integral part of India's cultural and religious expression, the Ramayana was originally composed by the Sanskrit poet Valmiki around 300 b.c. The epic of Prince Rama's betrayal, exile, and ...more
India's most beloved and enduring legend, the Ramayana is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's great literary masterpieces. Still an integral part of India's cultural and religious expression, the Ramayana was originally composed by the Sanskrit poet Valmiki around 300 b.c. The epic of Prince Rama's betrayal, exile, and ...more
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Paperback, 661 pages
Published
May 26th 2004
by North Point Press
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I grew up in India, and learned the story told in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, India's great epics, literally back in first and second grade. The Ramayana, in particular, is the basis for Diwali, one of my favorite Hindu festivals.
I already have an excellent copy of the Mahabharata (although one that I'm sure is utterly out of print) but I never got a full length version of the entire Ramayana while we lived there. So I recently treated myself to one.
The one I selected and am reviewing here is ...more
I already have an excellent copy of the Mahabharata (although one that I'm sure is utterly out of print) but I never got a full length version of the entire Ramayana while we lived there. So I recently treated myself to one.
The one I selected and am reviewing here is ...more
Ramesh Menon truly deserves high praise for managing to write a retelling of this lengthy classic which is not only readable (not always a given), but actually quite compelling. Although it's quite verbose for my taste, and could tire the reader (especially with these endless descriptions of the battle between Rama's and Ravana's armies), I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book. Indian mythology never fails to mesmerize me, and same goes for Ramesh Menon whose rendering of The Mahabharata got me hoo
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JAI SHREE RAM JAI SHREE HANUMAN 🙏🙏🙏🙏
ONE OF THE TWO INDIAN EPIC TALES OF GOOD VS EVIL FIERCE BATTLES IN HINDU AND INDIAN GOD HISTORY (MAHABHARATA THE OTHER ONE)
AMAZING BOOK, AMAZING CHARACTERS...
BREATHTAKING GODLY EXPERIENCE..IT DON T MATTER WHAT FAITH ONE FOLLOWS..EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS HOLY BOOK AT LEAST ONCE..
THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND VIEWS ABOUT IT...
GOOD ALWAYS WINS OVER EVIL...GOD ALWAYS WINS OVER DEVIL...
LONG LIVE LORD SHREE RAM, SHREE HANUMAN, LAKSHMAN, LORD SUGRIVA, LORD ANG ...more
ONE OF THE TWO INDIAN EPIC TALES OF GOOD VS EVIL FIERCE BATTLES IN HINDU AND INDIAN GOD HISTORY (MAHABHARATA THE OTHER ONE)
AMAZING BOOK, AMAZING CHARACTERS...
BREATHTAKING GODLY EXPERIENCE..IT DON T MATTER WHAT FAITH ONE FOLLOWS..EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS HOLY BOOK AT LEAST ONCE..
THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND VIEWS ABOUT IT...
GOOD ALWAYS WINS OVER EVIL...GOD ALWAYS WINS OVER DEVIL...
LONG LIVE LORD SHREE RAM, SHREE HANUMAN, LAKSHMAN, LORD SUGRIVA, LORD ANG ...more
Ah, an excellent take on a classic story. I'm afraid I must demand that anyone reading this book have at least some cursory knowledge of The Ramayana first, both the basic plot and also its existence as scripture, because this is a retelling and not a direct translation. However, Menon does an excellent job of capturing the story, both as narrative and as spiritual instruction.
While the essential plot is more or less ancient, sexist, and generally uninteresting, Menon does well to include many o ...more
While the essential plot is more or less ancient, sexist, and generally uninteresting, Menon does well to include many o ...more
This is not an easy read! It requires the looking up of a lot of new words and understanding their meanings. The book has a great glossary and is very helpful in understanding the many new words you must learn to enjoy this book. I gave it five stars because it truly is an epic of unparalleled excellence. I think it far exceeds anything in Western literature.
What a great story! I haven't read any other versions, but I was thoroughly impressed with this one. It's a little hard to read because of all the Indian words, but there's a glossary in the back that I referred to often, and I studied Indian religions a bit in college so I wasn't coming in cold. The writing is poetic and engaging. The story itself is a masterwork, weaving different adventures into a grand overarching epic in a way that feels natural and not repetitive. I've read several Europea
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The Ramayana is the most underrated epic in the Western world, which is a shame, because this tale is quite extraordinary and breathtakingly thrilling. It's a story that seems all so familiar, even if you haven't read this before. This "modern retelling" truly captures the essence of the characters, the mythology, the beauty, and the excitement of an epic that's chock full of magic, mystery, war, violence, but most of all, faith, loyalty, courage, and love. It's a story that's both exciting and
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This was tedious. So much repetition - not only is every battle pretty much like every other battle, with one guy matching the super special weapon of the other guy until one of them pulls out the weapon the other cannot beat, but then whatever just happened is immediately recounted to another character. The whole thing is a string of dei ex machina. Furthermore, we know, if not from the beginning of the book, then at least from the beginning of chapter, who is going to win (hint - it's not Rava
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This book is an example of what really phenomenal writers do: take a piece of literature that is so old as to be nearly incomprehensible to modern thinking, and turn it into a page-turner that manages to convey some of the holiness of the original text.
Books like these are few and far between: they make you feel smarter, more alive, more compassionate and more hopeful that we can all get along.
Also, it was a fun experience.
Books like these are few and far between: they make you feel smarter, more alive, more compassionate and more hopeful that we can all get along.
Also, it was a fun experience.
This translation is slightly more poetic than the previous one I read, which gives it more of the quality it needs. It is still prose, however, so not very poetic. (Also, the cover is more beautiful - and yes, sometimes I can't help judging...) I love both of them, really. You just can't get enough of the Ramayana.
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I'd recommend this version for anyone interested in the mythological value of the Ramayana, in a way that won't put them to sleep like, say, how the strict retelling of Beowulf would.
It's actually fun, but it makes you want to adapt it. ...more
It's actually fun, but it makes you want to adapt it. ...more
Perhaps the best and comprehensive modern retelling of Valmiki's original epic. The expressions, the journey and the stories within stories are well catalogued unlike other lazy attempts of the same I've read in the past.
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Jul 01, 2021
Ezra
added it
this is a genuinely compelling narrative even aside from its religious significance although the last section uhh rly makes u think
The Ramayana is one of the longest lasting religious epics of all time, outlasting literature like the Bible. They say that which lasts longest speaks closet to the truth.
The epic focuses on the hero Rama, and his eternal quest to ride the world of ignorance and negativity. Themes of love and dharma are intertwined throughout. The myth of the Ramayana can be understood as the underlying principles of life itself. The Ramayana is the living expression of the Vedas. The outer layers reveal the ch ...more
The epic focuses on the hero Rama, and his eternal quest to ride the world of ignorance and negativity. Themes of love and dharma are intertwined throughout. The myth of the Ramayana can be understood as the underlying principles of life itself. The Ramayana is the living expression of the Vedas. The outer layers reveal the ch ...more
Can’t seem to recall who said that in India you never read the Ramayana or Mahabharata for the first time. As a child you are already exposed to many re-tellings from your parents, aunts, grand parents and passing strangers before you even learn to read. I thought this was a story I was already very familiar with. I only discovered how little I remembered when one afternoon I found myself having to entertain a dear friend’s baby and got done with it in a few minutes.
I started reading this versio ...more
I started reading this versio ...more
Having been to half a dozen Asian countries in the last year or so I've come to realize that there is a lot left for me to learn about Asian culture. So I've embarked on a study of some of the most important religious and philosophical texts that have influenced Asia, starting with some of the texts of Hinduism. The Ramayana has been my starting point as this epic, along with the Mahabharata, have influenced the arts and culture and architecture of not only the Indian subcontinent, but most of S
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A Great Epic
This is a truely great epic. Filled with passion, wisdom, insight and adventure it stands as a masterpiece of religion and psychological & emotional power!
This is a truely great epic. Filled with passion, wisdom, insight and adventure it stands as a masterpiece of religion and psychological & emotional power!
I have read multiple versions of this Indian classic, and Ramesh Menon's modern retelling of The Ramayana is far and away my favorite one. If you ever thought about reading this Indian epic and ingratiating yourself to this compelling tale of Rama, and his ordained heroic pilgrimage to the island of Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the evil demon king Ravana, This is the version I would recommend.
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Ramesh Menon has tried to write this interpretation of the Indian epic “Ramayana” in a style that is readable by a large section of the society. This is one of the few easy to read and comprehensive books that I could find when I wanted to read about the story of Ramanayana in English. The other alternative was C Rajagopalachari’s Ramayana and I will have to go through that as well before I can say which is better. For a casual reader however, who is looking to read the story, and but not necess
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I can't count how many times I have read this book. Yes I'm a fan of the epic. While I wish to find a true to life version and translation that I can actually read; as far as I've found this is the best and most detailed I've come across.
Ramayana and Mahabharata were always in the backround of my childhood. Not a single day went by when I didn't hear or see a line from the "serial", someone reading out loud, telling/teaching us the morals of a story.
I do like this book, the ease of details, eas ...more
Ramayana and Mahabharata were always in the backround of my childhood. Not a single day went by when I didn't hear or see a line from the "serial", someone reading out loud, telling/teaching us the morals of a story.
I do like this book, the ease of details, eas ...more
Great book. And this translation is the one I recommend. Hinduism has its own Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad of India is the Mahabharata, a story of a war between two branches of one family. The Odyssey of India is this, The Ramayana, about the good Prince Rama, his brother Lakshmana, and his wife Sita. This book is quite dense, with tons of great scenes and adventures, climaxing with Rama bringing a vast animal army to Lanka (Sri Lanka) to rescue Sita from the evil, ten-headed rakshasa demon
...more
The Ramayana is the second of two great Hindu epics, the first being the Mahabharata. If the Mahabharata can be loosely considered to be the Hindu version of the Iliad, then the Ramayana is the Odyssey. But both are so very much more. They are also treatises on how to live a life of dharma, your spiritual and moral path in life. And then there are the stories...
This version of the Ramayana excises the added-on diversions and lectures of the original Sanskrit poem and simply keeps to the story of ...more
This version of the Ramayana excises the added-on diversions and lectures of the original Sanskrit poem and simply keeps to the story of ...more
I dont know whether the flaw lies in the story or in the way Mr. Ramesh Menon has written it.
If the book is an authentic retelling of the Ramayana, then the story is super flimsy.
The hero/ protagonist Rama is so confused. He is partial and his ethics change according to his convenience. The most irritating part of his character is the way he deals with Vali and Sugriva's internal rivalry.
Moreover, this book is full of portions dedicated to 'gyan' which is totally irrelevant to the story or any ...more
If the book is an authentic retelling of the Ramayana, then the story is super flimsy.
The hero/ protagonist Rama is so confused. He is partial and his ethics change according to his convenience. The most irritating part of his character is the way he deals with Vali and Sugriva's internal rivalry.
Moreover, this book is full of portions dedicated to 'gyan' which is totally irrelevant to the story or any ...more
By far the most beautiful translation of any ancient epic I've ever read. Menon's language is lush, beautiful, evocative, and perfectly conjures up the magic of the original story. I had been introduced to the work using the half-baked R.K. Narayan "abridged" version, and there's really no comparison. While much of the appreciation of this work depends on having a basic knowledge of ancient Hindu customs and culture, this is no different from, say, the Bible, the Iliad, or any other ancient epic
...more
One of the most splendid epic book in the World. With a smooth as silk modern retelling of the Great Indian Epic, I can't put it down along the weekend.
Previously, I think I can't read this kind of epic because of the thousand of the players. If I can't read it through the whole book in one shot, then surely I will forgot the one which I already read it...
Amazingly, once I read this book only the preface section, then I know that this is one of the MUST-Read book for the entire of my life.
You wi ...more
Previously, I think I can't read this kind of epic because of the thousand of the players. If I can't read it through the whole book in one shot, then surely I will forgot the one which I already read it...
Amazingly, once I read this book only the preface section, then I know that this is one of the MUST-Read book for the entire of my life.
You wi ...more
A great adventure story and moral story about always doing the right thing. Reads like a novel with beautiful metaphors that elevate it a bit closer to the epic poetry it translates.
The only drawback in my mind is the use of non-English words inconsistently, making trips to the glossary frequently for minor words that are only used once or twice in non-English. I liked that the author uses certain phrases over and over (like Kshatriyas), they become part of the flow of the book, but once off wo ...more
The only drawback in my mind is the use of non-English words inconsistently, making trips to the glossary frequently for minor words that are only used once or twice in non-English. I liked that the author uses certain phrases over and over (like Kshatriyas), they become part of the flow of the book, but once off wo ...more
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Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself.He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The Yoga Vasistha is attributed to him. A religious movement called Va
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“Valmiki the Poet held all the moving world inside a water drop in his hand.
The gods and saints from heaven looked down on Lanka,
And Valmiki looked down at the gods in the morning of Time.”
—
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The gods and saints from heaven looked down on Lanka,
And Valmiki looked down at the gods in the morning of Time.”
“He lit the night he brought with the fire that puts out the planets when time ends.”
—
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