The Ramayana of Valmiki — All 7 Kandas Retold, 21 Key Shlokas with Meaning + What Valmiki Really Says

🏹 The whole story of Rama, from Valmiki’s own Sanskrit, told simply and faithfully. All seven kandas, from Rama’s birth in Ayodhya to the war in Lanka and the Uttara Kanda, in one beautifully designed book.

Most of us know the Ramayana from television, storytellers and later retellings. This book goes back to the source, the Valmiki Ramayana, and retells it in Valmiki’s own order of events, with the most famous shlokas in Sanskrit and their meaning. Along the way it shows you which well-loved details really come from Valmiki, and which were added later.

Language: English, with every Sanskrit verse in Devanagari, easy Roman transliteration and an English meaning. This is not a Hindi book.

What's inside (65 pages)

• The First Poem: Narada’s question, the krauncha bird and the birth of Sanskrit poetry
• Bala Kanda: the birth of the four princes, Vishvamitra, Tataka, Ahalya and the breaking of Shiva’s bow
• Ayodhya Kanda: Kaikeyi’s two boons, the exile, Dasharatha’s death and Bharata’s sandals
• Aranya Kanda: ten years among the sages, Shurpanakha, the golden deer, the abduction of Sita, Jatayu and Shabari
• Kishkindha Kanda: Hanuman, Sugriva, the death of Vali and the great search
• Sundara Kanda: Hanuman’s leap, Sita in the Ashoka grove, the ring, the chudamani and Lanka in flames
• Yuddha Kanda: Vibhishana’s refuge, the bridge, Kumbhakarna, Indrajit, the fall of Ravana and the return to Ayodhya
• Uttara Kanda: the history of Ravana and Hanuman, Sita in the forest, Lava and Kusha
• 21 key shlokas with transliteration and meaning, each with its kanda, sarga and verse number, from “Rama does not speak twice” to “Enmity ends with death”
• Companion pages: the people of the Ramayana and Rama’s family, the characters through their deeds, the route of the exile, the places, the many Ramayanas of India and Southeast Asia, reading the Ramayana at home, common doubts, the story at a glance and a glossary

Why this edition

• Every verse, number and event checked against the Sanskrit text of Valmiki, then checked again independently
• “Valmiki says” notes on details often told differently today: there is no Lakshmana Rekha in Valmiki, Ahalya is not turned to stone, and Hanuman carries the herb mountain twice
• Honest and balanced about the Uttara Kanda and the most debated episodes
• An evergreen edition, with no dates that go out of date

How we prepare our books →

Frequently asked questions

Is this the complete Ramayana? It retells the complete story of all seven kandas, with 21 key verses in Sanskrit. It is not a verse-by-verse translation of all 24,000 shlokas.

Is it based on Valmiki or on Tulsidas? On Valmiki’s Sanskrit Ramayana, the original. Where popular versions differ, the book says so.

Is it suitable for children? Yes. It is written simply and respectfully, for families and readers of every age.

How do I get it? A download link appears as soon as you pay and is also emailed to you. If you can't find it, check your spam folder or write to ourdigiverse@gmail.com.

Can I read it on my phone? Yes. It's an A5 PDF that reads well on any phone or tablet and prints neatly at home.

Format: PDF eBook, instant download.

Licensed for the personal use of the purchaser.