(Text with Introduction & English Translation)
                                           Dr. K. P. A. Menon
                                                  Part. 1
                   (Balkandam, Ayodhya Kandam, Arnya Kandam,
                                         Kiskindha Kandam)
The Adhyatma Ramayanam is, as the title would indicate, a spiritual version of the Ramayanam. While Valmiki Ramayanam as an Itihasa was composed with the objective of giving proper advice on all the four goals of life, Dharma, Arttha, Kama and Moksha, the Adhyatma version is primarily concerned with the last and final goal. Devotion to the feet of the Supreme Lord in the form of Ramna is the surest and easiest means of achieving this objective. To give it a special sanctity, the whole composition is in the form of a dialogue between Goddess Parvati and here lord Siva who himself is described as the greatest devotee of Rama. Included at a later stage as an appendix to the Bramanda Purana, its actual authorship is still a matter of speculation. A palm leaf manuscript of great antiquity which is an heirloom of the translator's family has been utilised for bringing the most authentic version as prevalent in Kerala.
 
                       CLASSICAL SANSKRIT LITERATURE OF KERALA - VOL. NO. 5