Book recommendation for Srimad Valmiki Ramayana ( with commentary )

Question

It will be extremely useful if some one here can recommend a good translated version of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, either in English or Kannada.

I have considered C. Rajagopalachari's edition, but I am not sure if it's Valmiki Ramayana or Kamba Ramayana.

Regards

Answer 1

One of the users mentioned Gita Press, which is a good translation. Here is the link:

http://book.gitapress.org/product-category/topic/ramayan/

Another is by Parimal Publication, Delhi. Here is the link:

http://www.parimalpublication.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=7&product_id=218

Rajaji's version is an abridged one. It is good, but it skips some details for a well intended reason (to make it readable by all groups of people including a middle school kid).

Also there is an English translation by Smt. Kamala Subramaniam published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

https://www.amazon.com/Ramayana-Kamala-Subramaniam/dp/8172764324

But keep in mind that this is also an abridged version, albeit larger than Rajaji's one.

And there are many versions on the Internet like other users pointed out.

Answer 2

Gita Press Gorakhpur has a hard bound edition of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana in Sanskrit with English meaning / commentary in two volumes. If stocks still exist, the publication is very good.

Answer 3

If you are looking for an English translation of Critical Edition of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, you can buy:

• The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India: 6 Volumes in 7 parts by Robert P. Goldman, Sally J. Sutherland Goldman (mlbd.in)
• The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VII: Uttarakāṇḍa (amazon.com)

You can borrow Vol. 1, Bālakāṇḍa at archive.org and see if you like the series.

This translation includes notes from various commentaries:

• Cg:  the commentary called Bhūsaṇa (the name of the commentary on Bālakāṇḍa is Maṇimañjīrā, on Ayodhyākāṇḍa is Pītāmbarā) of Govindarāja
• Ck:  the commentary called the Amṛtakataka of Kataka Mādhavā Yogīndra
• Cm:  the commentary called Tattvadīpikā of Maheśvaratīrtha
• Cmu: the commentary called Munibhāvaprakāśikā - author unknown.
• Cna: the commentary of Sarvajña Nārāyaṇa (as cited by Lokanātha Cakravarti)
• Cr:  the commentary called Śiromaṇi of Bansidhara (Vaṃśīdhara) Śivasahāya
• Crā: the commentary of Rāmanuja
• Cs:  the commentary of Satyatīrtha
• Ct:  the commentary called Tilaka of Nāgeśa Bhaṭṭa, composed in the name of Rāmavarmā
• Ctr: the commentary called Dharmākūtam of Tryambaka Yajvan
• Cts: the commentary called Taniślokī of Ātreya Ahobala
• Cv:  the commentary called Vivekatilaka of Varadarāja Uḍāli (Uḍāri)

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Another English translation based on the CE of Rāmāyaṇa is the one by Bibek Debroy available in 3 volumes, with little or no commentary:

1. Valmiki Ramayana, Volume 1 (Bāla and Ayodhyā kāṇḍas)
2. Valmiki Ramayana, Volume 2 (Araṇya, Kiṣkindha and Sundara kāṇḍas)
3. Valmiki Ramayana, Volume 3 (Yuddha and Uttara kāṇḍas)

Answer 4

Valmiki Ramayana Gita Press, in English, on archive.org:

https://archive.org/details/valmiki-ramayana-gita-press-english/page/n1/mode/1up

It can be downloaded here also:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/og9i8et1hq3taa6/Valmiki_Ramayana_Gita_Press_English.pdf/file