The work examines the nature and contents of the Sanskrit epic poem, generally called the Valmiki Ramayana in the form(s) it has come down to us in modernity. It discusses the issues the poem presents to the contemporary translator and reader in light of the ancient epic's pervasion, popularity and profound influence on religious, ethical, social and political thought since its composition on the culture of India and other nations of Southeast Asia. The essay examines the poem in terms of western and Indian aesthetic norms and tastes as a work of world literature and as an outstanding example of Indian poetry.

Studies in Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, is founded on the view that the study of literatures and the arts in multilingual and culturally diverse contexts such as India demands a comparative approach. It is informed by an interdisciplinary and intercultural focus on bhasha literatures, translation, orality and performance as well as other arts and digital humanities, in the context of local, national and international literary and cultural transactions. The series is meant for students, scholars, and teachers of comparative literature as well as of single literature and other humanities departments. It brings together the work of faculty members and scholars at the Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, as well as of national and international visiting scholars who have enriched its research and debates.

Robert P. Goldman is Professor of Sanskrit and India Studies, and Catherine and William L. Magistretti Distinguished Professor in South and Southeast Asian Studies, at University of California at Berkeley.

**Contents and Sample Pages**