The R
m
yaGa of V
lm+ki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VI: Yuddhak
Ga [Paperback]

The sixth book of theRamayana of Valmiki, theYuddhakanda, recounts the final dramatic war between the forces of good led by the exiled prince Rama, and the forces of evil commanded by the arch demon Ravana. The hero Rama's primary purpose in the battle is to rescue the abducted princess Sita and destroy the demon king. However, the confrontation also marks the turning point for the divine mission of the Ramavatara, the incarnation of Lord Visnu as a human prince, who will restore righteousness to a world on the brink of chaos. The book ends with the gods' revelation to Rama of his true divine nature, his emotional reunion with his beloved wife, his long-delayed consecration as king of Kosala, and his restoration of a utopian age. TheYuddhakandacontains some of the most extraordinary events and larger-than-life characters to be found anywhere in world literature.

This sixth volume in the critical edition and translation of theValmiki Ramayanaincludes an extensive introduction, exhaustive notes, and a comprehensive bibliography.

"Winner of the 2017 World Sanskrit Award, Indian Council for Cultural Relations"Robert P. Goldmanis professor of Sanskrit and Indian studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and general editor of the Ramayana Translation Project.Sally J. Sutherland Goldmanis lecturer in Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley, and associate editor of the Ramayana Translation Project.Barend A. van Nootenis professor emeritus of Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley. An 118-page scholarly introduction and 1,161 octavo pages of back-matter annotations, bibliography, glossary, and index support, but don't intrude upon, the body of the text. The introduction takes up matters of meaning, theme and character, style and structure, commentary and translation. There's even a discussion of Yuddhakdikanda's cinematic qualities. The extensive annotation consilc