Chapter Seven: Literature of the Rasika Tradition

5. Rāmāyaṇa Maṇiratna

Sri Ramdas Gaur also mentions this text in Hindutva. Cast as a dialogue between Vasishtha and Arundhati, it contains approximately 36,000 verses. It describes Rama’s spring festivals in Mithila and Ayodhya.

6. Mainda Rāmāyaṇa

The Mainda Rāmāyaṇa is likewise discussed in Hindutva. It consists of 52,000 verses in the form of a dialogue between Mainda and Kaurava. The loving recreation of Rama and Sita in Janakpur’s garden is described with particular emphasis.

7. Mañjula Rāmāyaṇa

This work too is mentioned in the foregoing Hindutva and is said to have been composed by Sutikshna. Rama explains the ninefold devotion to Shabari, and in the same connection gives an especially detailed account of passion-filled love as parā-bhakti.

Ramdas Gaur’s Hindutva additionally discusses the Saṃvṛta Rāmāyaṇa, Lomaśa Rāmāyaṇa, Agastya Rāmāyaṇa, Rāmāyaṇa Mahāmālā, Sauhārda Rāmāyaṇa, Saurya Rāmāyaṇa, Cāndra Rāmāyaṇa, Svāyambhuva Rāmāyaṇa, Subrahma Rāmāyaṇa, Suvarcas Rāmāyaṇa, Deva Rāmāyaṇa, Śravaṇa Rāmāyaṇa, Duranta Rāmāyaṇa, and Rāmāyaṇa Campū.

8. Bhuśuṇḍī Rāmāyaṇa

The Bhuśuṇḍī Rāmāyaṇa is also regarded as a universally accepted text of the Rasika tradition. A manuscript can be seen at Shravan Kunj in Ayodhya. It contains 36,000 verses in the manuṣya metre. Gita Press, Gorakhpur, has made a photographic copy. One verse reads:

There the delighted Radhika will arise from a portion of Jānaki, while in the Dvapara age Krishna will arise from a portion of Rama.

Drama, narrative, and līlā poetry

1. Mahānāṭaka, or Hanumannāṭaka

This drama, composed by the great poet Hanuman, is especially beloved by Rasika worshippers. Two editions are available: one published by Girish Printing Works, Calcutta, in 1939, and another by Mumbai Vaibhav Printing Press, Bombay, in Vikrama year 1981.

The drama contains the complete story of Rama. Its second act gives a highly romantic description of Rama and Jānaki’s loving recreation—one which, in the judgement of some scholars, reaches the boundary of obscenity. In any case, their sport in the second act is remarkable and deserves to be read.¹