The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VI: Yuddhakāṇḍa

The sixth book of the Ramayana of Valmiki, the Yuddhakanda, 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. The Yuddhakanda contains 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 the Valmiki Ramayana includes an extensive introduction, exhaustive notes, and a comprehensive bibliography.

Author: Robert P. Goldman
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 01/24/2017
Pages: 1680
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 4.35lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.10w x 2.80d
ISBN: 9780691173986

About the Author
Robert P. Goldman is professor of Sanskrit and Indian studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and general editor of the Ramayana Translation Project. Sally J. Sutherland Goldman is lecturer in Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley, and associate editor of the Ramayana Translation Project. Barend A. van Nooten is professor emeritus of Sanskrit at the University of California, Berkeley.