The Adhyatma Ramayana

The Adhyatma Ramayana forms part of the Brahmanda Purana. Here the story of Rama is narrated, by God Mahadeva to his consort Parvati, in the form of a dialogue so that its message could be propagated as effectively as that of the Bhagavad Gita. The passage of many centuries has not succeeded in abating either the freshness of its appeal or the veneration in which it is held. It is this which provided the impetus to Tulsidas for his Ramacharitamanas. Valmiki’s Ramayana is an epic poem. Here Rama is portrayed as intensely human. He is in pursuit of those lofty ideals which everyone, from the dawn of creation, has aspired to. The Adhyatma Ramayana is a didactic poem. Here Rama is depicted as the personification of the Supreme Spirit, so that he could be used as a vehicle for the exposition of the Vedic doctrine of anadi avidya (beginningless error), the bhakti marga (path of devotion) and the jnana marga (path of knowledge). The translator Rai Bahadur Lala Baij Nath has spared no pains to make this book confirm to the spirit of the original. He has added notes to facilitate the understanding of recondite Vedic doctrines. A book that everybody shall find inspiring.