The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume IV: Kiskindhakāṇḍa (Princeton Library of Asian Translations)

This is the fourth volume of a translation of India's most beloved and influential epic tale--the __Ramayana of Valmiki__. As befits its position at the center of the work, Volume IV presents the hero Rama at the turning point of his fortunes. Having previously lost first his kingship and then his wife, he now forms an alliance with the monkey prince, Sugriva. Rama needs the monkeys to help him find his abducted wife, Sita, and they do finally discover where her abductor has taken her. But first Rama must agree to secure for his new ally the throne of the monkey kingdom by eliminating the reigning king, Sugriva's detested elder brother, Valin. The tragic rivalry between the two monkey brothers is in sharp contrast to Rama's affectionate relationship with his own brothers and forms a self-contained episode within the larger story of Rama's adventures. This volume continues the translation of the critical edition of the __Valmiki Ramayana__, a version considerably reduced from the vulgate on which all previous translations were based. It is accompanied by extensive notes on the original Sanskrit text and on several untranslated early Sanskrit commentaries. Contents List of Abbreviations Preface Guide to Sanskrit Pronunciation PART I. INTRODUCTION 1. Prologue 2. Synopsis 3. The Critical Edition 4. The Commentaries 5. The Description of the Four Directions 6. Rāma 's Allies 7. The Death ofValin 8. The Translation and Annotation PART II. KIṢKINDHĀKĀṆḌA PART I II. NOTES Glossary of Important Sanskrit Words, Proper Nouns, and Epithets Glossary of Flora and Fauna Bibliography of Works Cited Index