Rāmopākhyāna—the story of Rāma in the Mahābhārata: a close English prose translation.
By Peter M. Scharf. 2023.

• Preface ... iii
• Table of contents ... v
• List of tables ... ix

Introduction ... 1

• I. Divine, historical, and spiritual dimensions ... 3
• A. The story of Rāma ... 4
• 1. The human dimension ... 4
• 2. The divine dimension ... 5
• B. The Rāmopākhyāna ... 6
• C. Textual limits to the divine dimension ... 7
• 1. Limits in the Rāmāyaṇa ... 8
• 2. Limits in the Rāmopākhyāna ... 9
• D. Rāma and Sītā’s humanity ... 11
• 1. Human emotions, intelligence, etc. ... 11
• 2. Rāma’s ethics... 12
• a. The mutilation of Śūrpaṇakhā ... 12
• b. The slaying of Vālin ... 13
• c. The rejection of Sītā ... 13
• E. Moral versus mundane factors in Sītā’s rejection ... 15
• F. Moral revisionism in narrative adaptation ... 18
• 1. Parallels to Sītā’s case ... 20
• 2. Comparison of Yudhiṣṭhira’s and Rāma’s exiles ... 21
• G. The historical basis ... 22
• 1. The monkeys ... 22
• H. The spiritual dimension ... 24
• 1. Various classes of beings ... 24
• 2. Siddhis ... 25
• 3. Transcending and enlightenment ... 30
• II. A note on the text and translation ... 33

Translation ... 35

• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 257
  Yudhiṣṭhira's lament over the abduction of Kr̥ṣṇā ... 37
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 258; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 1
  The birth of Rāma and Rāvaṇa ... 39
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 259; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 2
  The obtainment of boons by Rāvaṇa and his siblings ... 41
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 260; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 3
  The birth of the gods in the form of monkeys and bears ... 45
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 261; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 4
  The departure of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sitā to the forest ... 47
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 262; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 5
  The slaying of Mārīca and abduction of Sītā ... 53
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 263; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 6
  The slaying of Kabandha ... 57
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 264; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 7
  The consolation of Sītā by Trijaṭā ... 61
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 265; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 8
  The dialogue of Sītā and Rāvaṇa ... 67
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 266; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 9
  The return of Hanūmat ... 71
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 267; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 10
  The building of the bridge to Laṅkā ... 77
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 268; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 11
  The first assault on Laṅkā ... 81
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 269; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 12
  The battle between the pairs Rāma and Rāvaṇa, etc. ... 85
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 270; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 13
  The emergence of Kumbhakarṇa ... 87
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 271; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 14
  The slaying of Kumbhakarṇa, Vajravega and Pramāthin ... 91
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 272; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 15
  Indrajit's felling of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa ... 95
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 273; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 16
  Lakṣmaṇa's slaying of Indrajit ... 99
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 274; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 17
  Rāma's slaying of Rāvaṇa ... 103
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 275; Rāmopākhyāna, Adhyāya 18
  Rāma's reunion with Sītā, return to Ayodhyā and consecration ... 107
• Mahābhārata Āraṇyakaparvan, Adhyāya 276
  Mārkaṇḍeya's encouragement of Yudhiṣṭhira ... 113

Appendices ... 115

• A. Glossary of proper names... 117
• B. Genealogy ... 151
• C. Bibliography ... 153
• 1. Related books by the author ... 153
• 2. Critical editions of the epics ... 153
• 3. English translations of the epics ... 153
• 4. Production in audio visual media ... 154
• 5. Research on the story of Rāma ... 155
• 6. Other references ... 164