To Valmiki we, Indians, owe a deeper debt of gratitude than to any other

poet. He gave us the Ramayana, one of the most fascinating stories of all
time. No words can describe the hold the Ramayana has had on the people
of India from ancient tim es to the present day. It has affected the life and
thought of our people and played an im portant role in shaping Indian
culture.. Valmiki was the Adikavi, the first poet, and his Ramayana the
Adikavya, the first poem. While remembering the man’s work, we must
not forget the man. How he wrote the Ramayana, and under what condi­
tions, is itself an absorbing story. This version is based on Valmiki Rama­
yana and Vail at hoi's Malayalam translation.

SAYINGS OF VALMIKI
• The wise honour their guests even though they are of the common folk.

• Mind is the cause for the direction of all senses leading to good and
evil acts. .i

• Cheer leads to prosperity. Cheer is happiness. All actions done with

enthusiasm lead to good results.

• Honour the wives of others and protect them , O Ravana, as you

will your own. Set an example by loving your own wife.

• Kindness is a supreme virtue.

• Great men when they undertake to do a great deed, are never upset.

• A man who has done both good and bad deeds cannot simultaneously
reap the fruits thereof. He will enjoy for his good deeds and suffer
for his sins only by turns.
• Thtey are the blessed who, by their wisdom, can control their anger,
ever) as w ater subdues a conflagration.

• W hoever does anything with enthusiasm rarely fails to achieve his

object.

Printed by H. K. Nasta at IBH Printers, Marol Naka, Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri East,
Bombay 59, Published by H. G. Mirchandani, trustee, IBH Education Trust, 12 Hassa Mahal,
Dalamal Park, 223 Cuffe Parade, Bombay-5.
Editor: Anant Pai Retold by: Mali Artwork: Prabhakar Khanolkar
VALM /K/ WAe> TH E AD/KAV/ O g E/RCTP O E T A/VO
N/S E/R ST POEM OR AP/KAi/VA WA$ THE RAMA</A/VA.
‘S TR AN G ELY, VALM /Kt WAS A H U N TER AND R o a m in g t h e j u n g l e m e s h o t
ROBBER (N HtS EA R LY L IF E . DOW N HARM LESS B/RDS.
H E ALSO W AVLAtD AN D ROBBED LONE TRAVELLERS /N TH E JU N G LE.

HANP OVER T H A T
BUNPLE OR ELSE m HAVE MERCV.
[ W ILL KILL YOU. m SPARE M E .

HERE IS
TO P A V ’S
LOOT.
IS
TH A T IT BE P A TIE N T ^
ALL? A (5ROUP O F RICH"
M ER CHANTS W ILL BE
PASSING THROUGH TH E
JUN G LE TOMORROW . I
THC/€> H E LIV E D A L /E E O F V/OLEAfCE AMD CE//HE. 0/VE D m //£ SAW EKQAA A
d /s t a n c e t h e s a p t a r /s h /s o & s e u e / v g x e a t s a g e s .
 WE ARE M E N O F OOP I HAVE T O M AIN TAIN M Y WIFE
A NP O W N NO WEALTH. ANP CHILDREN. ROBBERY IS MV
B U T W HV PO VOU MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD , _ ^
jL W A N T T O ROB U S ? .

B U T FIRST
O U T WITH
W ILL VOU ANSW ER
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M V Q U E S TIO N ? QUICK.
YOUR FA M ILY LIVES ON T H E F R U ITS
O F YOUR SIN. W IL L T H E Y PARTAKE / O F COURSE,
OF YOUR SIN S A S W E L L ? I I T H E Y W ILL,

<50 ANP ASK T H E M

COME BACK W ITH
T H E IR A N SW ER .

A L L RIGHT.
B U T IF YOU RUN
AW AY, I W ILL MAKE
YOU PAY FOR IX
THE ROBBER WALKED TOWARDS M S
H O T W W LE THE R fSH /S STOOP
WATCHING H/M . r------------------- = ------ PEAR W IFE, VOU BENEFIT FROM M V
S IN FU L L IF E . PON^T V O U ? /s.___

O F CO UR SE,
I PO. W H A T O F
TH A T?

CER7AINLV N O T !
VOU W IL L ^ VOU ARE T H E SIN NER
SHARE M V SINS W HV S H O U LP I
W O N ’T VOU ? SHARE VOUR SIN ? >
 W O N ’T YO U A T
L E A S T SHARE M Y
SIN, M Y
L PARLINS? Jk

NO FATHER.
I W ILL NO T.

TH E ROBBER COULD H O T BELIEVE

H/& EARS. H E STOOD STUMMED AMD
PAZEQ.-— - - - - -
T H E R/SH/S> TOOAC P /T Y O N H/M

W ^>\T P O W N A N P *
R E C ITE ‘M A - R A ’. j
P U T YOUR HEART j
A N P S O U L IN TO I T
PO N ’T S T O P FOR
A M O M E N T T IL L
I WE R ETU R N ,
k G O P B L E S S YOU,

TH ER EU P O N TH E ROBBER SQUATTED O/V T H E GROUND* CLOSED H/S E Y E S , A/VD

FO R G ETTIN G H/M S E L F B EG AN REC/T/N G ‘M A -R A 9(NH/CH ACTUALLY WAS
\RAMA 9INVERTED.

M ONTHS PASSED INTO YEARS, AND ST/LL H E S A T UNMOUYNG. AROUND H/M A N ANTH/LL
W AS FORM /N6/TSELF. T/M E ROLLED ON AND TH E A/VTH/LL COVERED H/M COM PLETELY.
 N O W COM E O U T
IN T O T H E OPEN.

TH E ANTH/LL B U R S T OPEN AND O U T STEPPED A PERSON D IFFE R EN T (N EVER Y R ESPECT.

T O LORD
R A M A TH E M IR A C LE
ie P U E ,A N P T O
YO U , O G R E A T
RI&HIS. ^ -----

g; AM ONG TH E
G R E A T E S T RISHI6 YOU
ARE O N E sO V A LM IK I.ANP
G R EA TER G LO R Y
A W A ITS YOU. >
rrr l l v 'v^S W B //£■ 04/VfcF O U T O F “ VALM/K *'MEAN//)/G A ATTN/LL
AND SO T H E RfSH/S CALLED H/M B Y TH E NEIA/ N AM E O F ‘W ALM fKtl
II
LO/VG AFTERW ARDS MAMA R/GHl NA&ADA M A Y ©OP BLESS
PA/P H/M A V/e/T. YOU, O H O LIEST AMONG
HOLY M E N . ' ^

WELCOME
O NARAPA.
 L E T M E T E L L VOU
T H E W ONDERFUL
STO R Y OF R A M A .

P LEASE BEG IN.

I A M IM PATIENT "PD
HEAR I T

S O/VARAPA N ARRATED RAM A’9 STORY. A//1RAPA TO O K LEA V E O E VACM/KL

I HAVE T O L P .
VOU A LL I KNOW.

W H A T A FASCINATING
STO R V . I A M <5RATEFUL
T O VOU.
\ O NARAPA.
 TH E STORY REMA//VEP
/YE CALLED O NE O F H/S PaP/LG.
VALM/AC/’S M//VP, UC/ST
HAP HEARP F T
( A M GO ING T O
A LL TH E T/M E / CAM T H E T A M A S A RIVER FOR
TH/HR O F MOTHfNG A B A TH . COM E
ELS E . STRANGE W ITH M E . R

LEAD '
MASTER.
I FOLLOW.

A FTER TH EY HAP COl/EREP SOM E P/STA/VCE...

o/v T H E g/ZANCM O F A T/2EE S A T TW O S/£DS> /YC/S3AA/& A/VD W/FE^g/£.t//V<5 AMD
COO/NO,

15
 //V HfS G R/EF VALM /Kf CURSED T//E
WUNTER. mm— ---------- r-
',rrr-v.— ----- J [ YO U HAVE
HAV SLAIN
^ A H AR M LESS
CREATURE.
mfff M a y y o u
M NEVER
< ar prosper,
O CRUEL
W > M AN .

VALM/Kf'S UTTERANCE W///C// WAS //V THUS CAME W TO 3E//V6 77/E P/R ST
5A/VSKR/T, CAME OUT//V VERSE W/T// STANZA EVER. AS / T AROSE FROM H/S
M ELODY AND RHYTHM . “SHOJ<A”OR GfiUBFHE CALLED /T " SHLOKA ”

A SHLOKA!
A 5HLOKA!

TH E W ORPSI
T H E FORM !
SOM ETHING
Q U IT E NEW/
A M A Z IN G (
I IN D EEP !
TH AT DAY/YE HAD A V/S/TOg -B R A H M A
TH E C/ZEATO& H/MGELE.

B LES SE D
IN P E E P A R E W LORP, 1
VOU, IAM
O VALMIKI OVERW HELMED.

Y O U H AVE H E A R P RAM A’ S
S T O R Y F R O M N A R A P A . W R ITE
W H A T YO U KN O W A N P A LS O W H AT
IS U N K N O W N T O YO U .

B U T LORD,, w
H OW CAN I
W R IT E A B O U T
TH IN G S
I I D O N 'T
ft K N O W ?
* W H ATEVER K N O W LE D G E VOU DO N O T POSSESS
S H A LL BE REVEALED T O VOU. AS LONG AS M OUNTAINS
i-' AN D S E A S E X IS T O N E A R T H , S O LONG W IL L

VALM/k/ S A T fN VOG/C M ED/TAT/ON. N E

SAW EVE/2V fNCSPENT //V TH E KAAAAYANA
AS /F / T W EKE HAPPENING OUST/N F/ZONT
YEARS LATER, SOME DSSC/PLES W E N T D E E P //VTO THE. W OODS.THERE TH E Y EOU/VD A
WOMA/V LY/NG ON T//E GROUND AN D CRY/NO AS /E H E # H EA R T WOULD BREAK.

W HAT A
W HO IS SH E B E A U T IF U L
A N P W H Y IS L A P 1/. IS
' SHE SHE A
L C R Y IN G ? GOPPESS?

VALM/K/’G SP/R/TUAL tN S /G H T
TOLD H/M WHO TH E LA D Y W AS.
r O M A S TE R ,TH E R E IS A L A P Y IN T H E
WOODS. SH E IS WEEPING W ITH O U T A O H GOD. S H E /S .
STOP. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL! LIKE (SOPPESS S/7%, LOGO GAM A’S
iiiiMi LA K SH M f. ^ - I
th e m m m Hcm &$c> t o t h e p l a c e i/v h e r e s /t a l a v .

O £ IT A ,C H A S T E S T A M O N G
W O M E N , DO N O T G R IEVE.

S/TA WHO HAP S E E N ABANDONED O JE W E L OF

/N TH E FO R E S T S V KAM A FOUND W O M AN HOOP,
A B EN EFA C TO R fN M L M frt. . COME W ITH '
. ME TO MY
jl HERMITAGE;
llji CONSIDER
IT YOUR '
OWN
■ HOME.
 S m O r ^ M A L S «S C E T ,C S //V 7/VSF

PLEASE T A K E SPECIAL
CARE O F SITA . SHE IS SOINS
T O BE A M O TH E R .

W DO E COUPGE S/TA W AS B LE S S E O T H E B O Y S , LUV ANP KUSH W E P E

M T /Y TM M S . BPOC/(5H7~ C/P B Y l/ALM/W A/VD
EPOCAT&D S V W M.
 AMO/V6 TH E M A N V TH/MSS H E TAC/GHT THEM WAS TO & EC /TE TH E &AMAVA/VA
TO TH E ACCOMPA/V/ME/VT O E TH E VEEA/A.

CWE DA</ /VEWe CAM E T H A T KAM A UVAS PE/ZEO/?M/N<b

23
KAMA AMD TH E ASSEM BLY W ERE E/VTgAMCED &Y TH E S/HGfHG OE TH E SOYS.

WONDERFUL
POETRY AND
I M USIC.

CHILDREN, WHO W H O IS YOUR FA TH ER ?

C O M PO SED T H IS G R E A T
___ POEM ?
WE ARE DISCIPLES
OUR OF VALMIKI,
M A S TE R
VALM IKI!
^ . . . IF V O U W ILL
5 W EA R BEFORE T H E
ASSEM BLY T H A T
YOU ARE
B LAM ELESS.

27
THE INMATES O F THE HERMITAGE PAPE $(TA A TEARFUL FAREWELL.

TH6 V ARR/VED A T T H E VEA/C/E O E RAMA *S ASWWAMEDWA GACR/E/C£.

 ALL EYE9 NOW TURNEP TOW ARPS
VALM IKI ANP SITA .
■ ' I AM N,
/ H ONO UREP BY |
: ^ I YOUR VISIT, 1

4 \)

O R A M A , I TA K E F U L L RESPONSIBILITY
O N BEHALF O F S ITA . I DO SOLEM NLY SWEAR
T H A T SHE IS PURE IN • ____
 ^ W IT H E A R T H , M V M O T H E R ,
A S W ITN E S S I SW EAR T H A T I
HAVE A LW A YS BEEN FA ITH F U L

TH EN A M t&ACLE TOOK PLACE. TH E EA R TH OPENED S Y /TS E LE A/VO C/P CAME

Bfi/OOM/ DEW S/TTf/VS O/V H ER THRO/VE.

S IT A , M V D EA R P A U 6 M TE R
I HAVE C O M E T O TA K E
VOU. H

/V V V A ^\A 'A
TH E GODDESS 0/? EA R TH U E T E O S/TA TO TH E THRO/VE AMD D/SAPPEARED DOW/V
TH E OPENtMG W /TH HER.

€ > \TA l
M V € »ITA !

31
 SUCH WAS VALMtRl^
AUTHOR O F THE RAMA<fA/VA
THROUGH TH E CEMTUR/ES
HfS WORK HAS LW EO,
TH E SAM E AS WHEM H E
WROTE /T FOR H/S OWM
PLEASURE AMO TH A T O F
(5EA/ERA T/OMS TO COME.
AND / T W/LL L/t/E* AS
BRAHMA SAfD, T/CL T/YE
MOUMTAtNS AMD TH E Z '
SEAS E X /S T OM H
TH E B A R TH jlm
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