A Woman's Rāmāyaṇa: Candrāvatī's Bengali epic PDF
Preview A Woman's Rāmāyaṇa: Candrāvatī's Bengali epic
A Woman’s Rāmāyaṇa The Rāmāyaṇa, an Indian epic, is one of the world’s best-loved stories. Made available in English for the first time, this version by a female poet from Bengal is very direct, touching, timely, and accessible. The three-part poem is a highly individual rendition of the ancient epic, and instead of celebrating masculine heroism it laments the suffering of women caught in the play of male ego. T his book presents a translation and commentary on the text, and pro- vides readers with an alternative view of the tale. It expands the understand- ing both of the history of women’s self-expression in India and the cultural potency of the epic tale. The book should be of interest to students and researchers of South Asian studies, R āmāyaṇa studies and women’s and gender studies. Mandakranta Bose is Professor Emerita at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She has published widely on the classical performing arts and literature of India, gender studies and Hinduism. Sarika Priyadarshini Bose is Lecturer in English at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her research interests include Victorian litera- ture, children’s literature, gender studies and composition. Routledge Hindu Studies Series Series Editor : Gavin Flood Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies The Routledge Hindu Studies Series , in association with the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, intends the publication of constructive Hindu theologi- cal, philosophical and ethical projects aimed at bringing Hindu traditions into dialogue with contemporary trends in scholarship and contemporary society. The series invites original, high quality, research level work on reli- gion, culture and society of Hindus living in India and abroad. Proposals for annotated translations of important primary sources and studies in the history of the Hindu religious traditions will also be considered. Epistemologies and the Limitations of Philosophical Inquiry Doctrine in Madhva Vedanta Deepak Sarma A Hindu Critique of Buddhist Epistemology Kumarila on perception The “Determination of Perception” chapter of Kumarilabhatta’s Slokarvarttika translation and commentary John Taber Samkara’s Advaita Vedanta A way of teaching Jacqueline Hirst Attending Krishna’s Image Chaitanya Vaishnava Murti-seva as devotional truth Kenneth Russell Valpey Advaita Vedanta and Vaisnavism The Philosophy of Madhusudana Sarasvati Sanjukta Gupta Classical Samkhya and Yoga An Indian metaphysics of experience Mikel Burley Self-Surrender (Prapatti) to God in Shrivaishnavism Tamil cats and Sanskrit monkeys Srilata Raman The Chaitanya Vaishnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami When knowledge meets devotion Ravi M. Gupta Gender and Narrative in the Mahabharata Edited by Simon Brodbeck and Brian Black Yoga in the Modern World Contemporary perspectives Edited By Mark Singleton and Jean Byrne Consciousness in Indian Philosophy The Advaita doctrine of ‘awareness only’ Sthaneshwar Timalsina Desire and Motivation in Indian Philosophy Christopher G. Framarin Women in the Hindu Tradition Rules, roles and exceptions Mandakranta Bose Religion, Narrative and Public Imagination in South Asia Past and place in the Sanskrit Mahabharata James Hegarty Interpreting Devotion The poetry and legacy of a female Bhakti saint of India Karen Pechilis Hindu Perspectives on Evolution Darwin, dharma, and design C. Mackenzie Brown Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition Salvific space Knut A. Jacobsen A Woman’s Rāmāyaṇa Candrāvatī’s Bengali epic Translated with Introduction and Notes by Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose A Woman’s R āmāyaṇa Candrāvatī’s Bengali epic Translated with Introduction and Notes by Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose First published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2013 Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose The right of Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Candravati, active 16th century. [Ramayana. English] A Woman’s Ramayana : Candravati’s Bengali epic / Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose. pages cm. – (Routledge Hindu studies series) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Candravati, active 16th century. Ramayana. 2. Valmiki. Ramayana. 3. Women in Hinduism–India–Bengal–History–16th cent. I. Bose, Mandakranta, 1938- II. Bose, Sarika Priyadarshini. III. Valmiki. Ramayana. IV. Title. BL1139.25.C3613 2013 294.5’92204521–dc23 2012033398 ISBN: 978-0-415-62529-6 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-203-44148-0 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Deer Park Productions In memory of Tripti Rini Bose Loving Mother-in-law and Grandmother This Page intentionally left blank Contents Preface xi Guide to pronunciation xiii 1 Introduction 1 2 Candrāvatī Rāmāyaṇa : Part 1 52 3 Candrāvatī Rāmāyaṇa : Part 2 68 4 Candrāvatī Rāmāyaṇa : Part 3 76 Appendix 1. The Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 92 Appendix 2. The Kṛttivāsī Rāmāyaṇa 103 Appendix 3. Narrative parallels and omissions 112 Appendix 4. Nayāncāñd Ghoṣa’s Candrāvatī 120 Appendix 5. The Ballad of Maluā 123 Appendix 6. The Ballad of Kenārām the Robber 135 Appendix 7. Glossary 140 Index 155 Illustrations Chapter 1, Introduction: Fig. 1. Sītā’s ordeal by fire. 33 Chapter 2, Part 1: Fig. 2. Rāvaṇa. 54 Chapter 3, Part 2: Fig. 3. The Golden Deer. 71 Chapter 4, Part 3: Fig. 4. Kukuyā looking at Sītā’s portrait of Rāvaṇa. 78
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