The Rāmāyaṇa of the great sage Vālmīki is an authorized presentation of Vedic knowledge. In fact, as we learn from the scriptures, it is an authentic summary of the original Rāmāyaṇa composed by Lord Brahmā. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya, commenting on the aphorism dṛśyate tu (Vedānta-sūtra 2.1.6), quotes the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa as follows:

ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvāś ca bhārataṁ pañcarātrakam
mūla-rāmāyaṇaṁ caiva veda ity eva śabditāḥ

purāṇāni ca yānīha vaiṣṇavāni vido viduḥ
svataḥ-prāmāṇyam eteṣāṁ nātra kiñcid vicāryate

“The Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahābhārata, Pañcarātra and original Rāmāyaṇa are all considered Vedic literature. The Purāṇas that are especially meant for Vaiṣṇavas (such as the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Nāradīya Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa and Bhāgavata Purāṇa) are also Vedic literature. Therefore, whatever is stated in such Purāṇas or in the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa is self-evident. There is no need for interpretation.”

The cardinal teachings of Śrī Rāmāyaṇa can be summarized thus:

(a) Lord Rāma is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, nondifferent from Lord Viṣṇu [who is Himself nondifferent from Lord Kṛṣṇa], the eternal master of the living entities,

(b) one should surrender unto Him fully by:

(1) accepting things favorable for discharging devotional service unto Him,

(2) rejecting things unfavorable,

(3) firmly believing that the Lord will always protect His devotee,

(4) feeling exclusively dependent on the mercy of the Lord,

(5) having no interest separate from the interest of the Lord, and

(6) always feeling meek and humble.

In the Rāmāyaṇa, like in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord demands that one surrender unto Him by following these six guidelines and promises to liberate him from the miserable cycle of birth and rebirth. And at the end of the Rāmāyaṇa, He even demonstrates that He fulfils His promise by publicly delivering His fully surrendered devotees residing in Ayodhyā from the cycle of birth and rebirth. This is the central teaching of the Rāmāyaṇa, as it has been understood in all of the authentic Vaiṣṇava-sampradāyas, and as it has been clarified in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Lord Himself. This edition of Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa aims at bringing out this central teaching of the Rāmāyaṇa so that its readers can fully surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord and attain an everlasting life of knowledge and bliss in pure devotional service to Him in the spiritual world.

Those who have read the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda would be most benefitted by this edition. And we strongly recommend those who haven’t read his books to go ahead and read them, along with their reading of this immortal Rāmāyaṇa, to better appreciate and understand its spiritual significance.