Source recordAncient text
Ramayana
Valmiki · c. 500 BCE - 100 BCE · Sanskrit
Ancient text
Ramayana
Valmiki
The epic tale of Prince Rama, his exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by demon king Ravana, and his alliance with the monkey god Hanuman.
About this work
The epic tale of Prince Rama, his exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by demon king Ravana, and his alliance with the monkey god Hanuman.
Where to start
Arshia Sattar's abridged Penguin translation of Valmiki's Ramayana is a widely recommended, accessible starting point.
Figures in the text
Heroes and divinities who feature prominently, with where they appear.
Key scenes
Turning points of the work, in reading order.
Rama's Exile
Rama is exiled to the forest for fourteen years to honor a promise his father made to his stepmother Kaikeyi.
The Abduction of Sita
The demon king Ravana abducts Sita after luring Rama away with an illusory golden deer.
Hanuman's Leap to Lanka
Hanuman crosses the ocean to find Sita and sets fire to Ravana's city.
The War with Ravana
Rama, with an army of vanaras, kills Ravana and rescues Sita.
Sita's Trial and Rama's Reign
Sita undergoes a trial by fire to prove her fidelity, and later tradition follows Rama's long reign and Sita's eventual banishment.
Passages
Direct quotations are distinguished from editorial paraphrases and records awaiting verification.
“Ráma in truth and goodness bold Is Virtue's self in human mould, The sovereign of the world confessed As Indra rules among the Blest.”
Ramayana, Book III · Canto XXXVII, Márícha’s Speech, four lines beginning “Ráma in truth”
Translation: Ralph T. H. Griffith
1870–1874; Sacred Texts transcription. Canto numbering belongs to this English edition; verse whitespace normalized. English transcription checked 2026-09-23. Replaces prior unverified wording; no original-language text is supplied or certified.
Read source“He laid it on the twisted cord, He turned the point at Lanká's lord, And swift the limb-dividing dart Pierced the huge chest and cleft the heart, And dead he fell upon the plain Like Vritra by the Thunderer slain.”
Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda · Book VI, Canto CX, Rávan’s Death; six lines beginning ‘He laid it on the twisted cord’
Translation: Ralph T. H. Griffith
Griffith translation, Internet Sacred Text Archive transcription; this canto numbering belongs to the cited English edition. English excerpt checked against the cited transcription on 2026-09-23; no original-language text is supplied. This replaces the previously unverified passage.
Read sourceStories drawn from it
Retellings in the atlas that quote or cite this work.
The RamayanaepicEpic tale of Prince Rama's exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by demon king Ravana, and the great war to rescue her. Demonstrates the ideals of dharma, duty, devotion, and righteous conduct.
Hanuman's Leap to LankaadventureWhen Sita is held captive by the demon king Ravana, the monkey god Hanuman leaps across the ocean to Lanka, facing supernatural obstacles, to find her and bring hope before the war begins.
About this record
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Dates and authorship follow standard scholarly references; for many ancient works both are approximate or disputed.