The seventh and final book of the monumental RÄmÄyaṇa of VÄlmÄ«ki, the UttarakÄṇá¸a, brings the epic saga to a close with an account of the dramatic events of King RÄma’s millennia-long reign. It opens with a colorful history of the demonic race of the rÄká¹£asas and the violent career of RÄma’s villainous foe RÄvaṇa, and later recounts RÄma’s grateful discharge of his allies in the great war at LankÄ as well as his romantic reunion with his wife SÄ«tÄ. But dark clouds gather as RÄma makes the agonizing decision to banish his beloved wife, now pregnant. As RÄma continues as king, marvelous tales and events unfurl, illustrating the benefits of righteous rule and the perils that await monarchs who fail to address the needs of their subjects. The UttarakÄṇá¸a has long served as a point of social and religious controversy largely for its accounts of the banishment of SÄ«tÄ, as well as of RÄma’s killing of a low-caste ascetic.
This seventh volume in the critical edition and translation of the VÄlmÄ«ki RÄmÄyaṇa includes an extensive introduction and describes the complex reception history of the UttarakÄṇá¸a, as well as exhaustive notes and a comprehensive bibliography.
| Country | USA |
| Brand | Princeton University Press |
| Manufacturer | Princeton University Press |
| Binding | Paperback |
| ItemPartNumber | 9780691182926 |
| ReleaseDate | 2018-09-11 |
| UnitCount | 1 |
| EANs | 9780691182926 |
