Hanuman: In Valmiki’s Ramayana

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The present work is a word-by-word translation, from Samskrit into English, of selected chapters of Valmiki’s Ramayana, mainly those chapters relating to the exploits of Hanuman. The aim was to present a complete picture of Hanuman’s life as described in Valmiki’s Ramayana. The Ramayana is a celebrated old Indian epic. The greater portion of the Ramayana must have been current in India as early as the fifth century B.C. It was Samskrit language. It describes the life of lord Rama and his purpose on earth, the victory of good over evil. The evil is personified by the demon Ravana who kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita and finally gets killed by Rama. In these events the great hero of this epic, the powerful monkey leader Hanuman, renders great help. Even nowadays both these important personalities of the Ramayana, lord Rama and Hanuman, are worshipped at home and in temples all over India. The present work is especially meant for students with a basic knowledge of Samskrit grammar, and for others interested in refreshing their Samskrit knowledge, to help them to read Samskrit texts on their own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Irma Schotsman

Irma Schotsman (1935) from the Netherlands retired early from her job because of health problems. In 1985 she began studying Samskrit in Kathmandu (Nepal). In 1990 she moved to Varanasi (Benares, India) where she continued her studies. Her word-by-word translation of Asvagosa's Buddhacarita was published in 1995. Her translation of Panditaraja Jagannatha's poem Ganga-lahari with its commentary was published in 1999. The present word-by-word translation of selected chapters on Hanuman in Valmiki's Ramayana and the forthcoming word-by-word translation of certain chapters of the Laghuyogavasistha are especially meant for students with a basic knowledge of Samskrit and for others interested in refreshing their Samskrit knowledge, to help them to read Samskrit texts on their own. However, these translations may also be of benefit to those who do not know Samskrit but are interested in the life of Hanuman and, or, the Yogavasistha philosophy, since it is easy to train the eyes to skip the Samskrit words in the translation so that one reads only the Enlgish.