The seven kandas (books)
- Bala Kanda — Rama's birth, his training with Vishvamitra and marriage to Sita
- Ayodhya Kanda — the plan to crown Rama, Kaikeyi's boons and the exile
- Aranya Kanda — life in the forest, Surpanakha and the abduction of Sita
- Kishkindha Kanda — the alliance with Sugriva and Hanuman
- Sundara Kanda — Hanuman's leap to Lanka and his meeting with Sita
- Yuddha Kanda — the war with Ravana and Rama's return to Ayodhya
- Uttara Kanda — Rama's reign and its later events
Ramayanas across India
- Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas (Awadhi, 16th century) — the most widely read in North India; its seven kands end with Lanka and Uttar Kand
- Kamba Ramayanam (Tamil, 12th century)
- Krittivasi Ramayana (Bengali, 15th century)
- Ranganatha Ramayanam (Telugu), Adhyatma Ramayana (Sanskrit) and many more, including versions across South-East Asia
Read on this site
- Shri Ramcharitmanas — the full text of all seven kands for Ramayan path, with 9-day and 30-day plans
- Sundar Kand — full text with meaning
- Ram Raksha Stotram
- Aditya Hridayam (from the Yuddha Kanda)
- Hanuman Chalisa and Sankat Mochan Hanumanashtak (Tulsidas)
The first verse of poetry (Valmiki Ramayana 1.2.15)
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः ।
यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम् ॥
mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṃ tvam agamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ |
yat krauñcamithunād ekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam ||
O hunter, may you find no rest for endless years, for you killed one of a pair of krauncha birds lost in love. (Valmiki's grief became the first shloka, and the Ramayana followed.)
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Ramayana?
The sage Valmiki, called the adi-kavi (first poet).
How many kandas does the Ramayana have?
Seven: Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha, Sundara, Yuddha and Uttara.
What is the difference between the Ramayana and the Ramcharitmanas?
The Ramayana is Valmiki's Sanskrit epic; the Ramcharitmanas is Tulsidas's Awadhi retelling, with a strong devotional emphasis.