Epics

[Starting this Rāmanavami, every Friday, Prekshaa presents a condensed prose rendering of the Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa based on the critically constituted text. We attempt to present the best aspects of the grand epic and also capture as many poetic details as possible. As envisioned by literary stalwarts like Prof. A R Krishnasastri and Dr. D V Gundappa, we hope this English rendering of the Rāmāyaṇa serves to be an easily accessible pen-picture of the vast landscape of the epic, with all its nuances.]

Bāla-kāṇḍa

The literature related to the Great Epic is legion – be it commentary, translation, adaptation, or literary criticism. We give but a tiny sample here—largely English works—in addition to the primary sources, which are in Sanskrit. Mahābhārata scholars differ in their view on several topics. Needless to say, we do not subscribe to all the opinions presented in the treatises and essays given below. We have enumerated them simply because they are worthwhile references.