Volumes from O to Z
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Click on the titles for more information about each volume. The Ocean of the Rivers of Story (volume one of seven)Somadeva
Sir James Mallinson Soma·deva composed his “Ocean of the Rivers of Story” in Kashmir in the eleventh century CE. It is a vast collection of tales based on “The Long Story,” a now lost (and perhaps legendary) repository of Indian fables, in which prince Nara·váhana·datta wins twenty-six wives and becomes the emperor of the... more » The Ocean of the Rivers of Story (volume two of seven)Somadeva
Sir James Mallinson “The Ocean of the Rivers of Story” was written by Soma·deva in Kashmir in the eleventh century CE, in order to amuse queen Súryavati. Its frame narrative is so swamped in the flood of stories that it is not until volume two of this CSL edition, 3000 verses into the text,... more » Princess Kadámbari (volume one of three)Bāṇa
David Smith No Sanskrit poet is more interesting, original, or greater than Bana. His prose poem “Princess Kadámbari” is his supreme achievement. His patron, King Harsha, ruled much of northern India from 606 to 647 CE from his capital at Kannauj. “Princess Kadámbari,” a work of fiction set in keenly observed royal courts, has... more » The Quartet of CauseriesŚyāmilaka, Vararuci, Śūdraka & Īśvaradatta
Csaba Dezső & Somadeva Vasudeva “The Quartet of Causeries” date to the Gupta era, the time of Kali·dasa, but nothing certain is known about their four authors. Though stylistically divergent, they share a common plot: the hero is an inept, bungling procurer, who mismanages his client’s love-affairs to an unexpectedly successful ... more » Rákshasa’s RingViśākhadatta
Michael Coulson Foreword by Romila Thapar (To be published in the second edition) The final, benedictory stanza of this political drama may refer to Emperor Chandra Gupta II (r. c.376-415 CE). Other than this clue to the date of the author, all we know about him is that he came of a princely family, and would have had political ... more » Ramáyana I: BoyhoodVālmīki
Robert P. Goldman Foreword by Amartya Sen (To be published in the second edition) Rama, the crown prince of the city of Ayódhya, is a model son and warrior. He is sent by his father the king to rescue a sage from persecution by demons, but must first kill a fearsome ogress. That done, he drives out the demons, restores peace and attends a tournament... more » Ramáyana II: AyódhyaVālmīki
Sheldon I. Pollock In the great city of Ayódhya, the king decides to abdicate in favor of his beloved son Rama; but just as the celebrations reach their climax, a court intrigue involving one of the king’s junior wives and a maidservant results in Rama being forced into a fourteen-year banishment. He dutifully accepts... more » Ramáyana III: The ForestVālmīki
Sheldon I. Pollock This is the third book of the seven books of India’s most beloved and influential epic tale—the Ramáyana of Valmíki. This third book carries forward the narrative by following the exiled hero Rama, his wife, and his brother on their wanderings. The book contains the narrative center of the epic, the... more » Ramáyana IV: KishkíndhaVālmīki
Rosalind Lefeber After losing first his kingship and then his wife, Rama goes to the monkey capital of Kishkíndha to seek help in finding Sita, and meets Hánuman, the greatest of the monkey heroes. The brothers Valin and Sugríva are both claimants for the monkey throne. In exchange for... more » Ramáyana V: SúndaraVālmīki
Robert P. Goldman & Sally J. Sutherland Goldman The fifth and most popular book of the Ramáyana of Valmíki, “Súndara” recounts the adventures of the monkey hero Hánuman in leaping across the ocean to the island citadel of Lanka. Once there, he scours the city for the abducted Princess Sita. The poet vividly describes the opulence of the court... more » Rama’s Last ActBhavabhūti
Sheldon I. Pollock Foreword by Girish Karnad “Rama’s Last Act” by Bhava·bhuti is counted among the greatest Sanskrit dramas. The work at once dramatizes the “Ramáyana”—it is one of the earliest theatrical adaptations of Valmíki’s epic masterpiece—and revises its most intractable episode, the hero’s rejection of his beloved wife. Human agency in the face of destiny, the power... more » Rama Beyond PriceMurāri
Judit Törzsök “Rama Beyond Price,” a dramatised remake of the Ramáyana, is one of the most challenging pieces of Sanskrit poetry to read. Because of its elegant style, learned allusions and often striking imagery, the poem has been a great favourite among pundits, although it received little attention in the West until recently.... more » The Recognition of ShakúntalaKālidāsa
Somadeva Vasudeva The play Shakúntala was one of the first examples of Indian literature to be seen in Europe, first translated into English, and then into German. It attracted considerable attention (from Goethe, among others) and, indeed, pained surprise that such a sophisticated art form could have developed without the rest of the... more » The Rise of Wisdom MoonKṛṣṇamiśra
Matthew Kapstein Foreword by J.N. Mohanty “The Rise of Wisdom Moon” (Prabodhacandrodaya) was composed during the mid-eleventh century by Krishna·mishra, an otherwise unknown poet in the service of the Chandella dynasty, whose cultural and religious capital was Khajuraho. The early popularity of Krishna·mishra’s work led to its frequent translation into the vernaculars of both North and... more » “Self-Surrender,” “Peace,” “Compassion,” and “The Mission of the Goose”: Poems and Prayers from South IndiaAppayya Dīkṣita, Nīlakaṇṭha Dīkṣita, Vedānta Deśika
Yigal Bronner & David Shulman Foreword by Gieve Patel This volume offers a selection from the vast literature of prayers, devotional lyrics, and introspective meditations composed in Sanskrit in South India over the last thousand years. Three poets of particular salience and artistic genius are represented here. Vedánta Déshika (1268–1369) was perhaps the most outstanding Sanskrit author within the South... more » Seven Hundred Elegant VersesGovardhana
Friedhelm Hardy When Go·várdhana composed his “Seven Hundred Elegant Verses” in Sanskrit in the twelfth century CE, the very title suggested to an educated Indian audience that this was a response to the 700 verses in the more demotic Prakrit language traditionally attributed to King Hala, composed almost a thousand years earlier. Both... more » Three SatiresNīlakaṇṭha, Kṣemendra, and Bhallaṭa
Somadeva Vasudeva Foreword by Mani Shankar Aiyar (To be published in the second edition) Written over a period of nearly a thousand years, these works show three very different approaches to satire. Nila·kantha gets straight to the point: swindlers prey on stupidity. When asked about the length of life, the astrologer will predict longevity. Those who survive will be in awe of him. Who will the dead... more » What Ten Young Men DidDaṇḍin
Isabelle Onians Foreword by Kiran Nagarkar (To be published in the second edition) The crown prince becomes separated from his nine friends. Each of the ten young men has several adventures on his quest to be reunited with the others, culminating in their conquest of all competitor kingdoms. Variegated violence and sorcery figure in their exploits, but love affairs are even more prominent as... more » |
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