The Ramayana (along with the Mahabharata) is to India what the epics of Homer and the stories of the Bible are to Western culture: works that cast a spell over an entire civilization. It is also one of the most entertaining of the great works of world literature. Populated with a cast of superhuman characters and imbued with a profound sense of moral purpose, the magical tale of the young prince Rama’s adventures as he seeks to find his abducted wife, Sita, has been central to Indian cultural life for centuries—told to children as bedtime stories and studied by philosophers and theologians. This version returns to the core story in its earliest written form, revealing a taut, vibrant, skillfully constructed heroic romance.