Sankshepa Ramayana
Author: Valmiki (narrated by Narada)
Tradition: Sanskrit epic — Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Sarga 1
The 'Ramayana in brief' — the first sarga of the Bala Kanda, in which the sage Narada answers Valmiki's question and narrates the entire story of Rama in about a hundred verses. Srimad Uttamur Veeraraghavachariar Swamy composed a Tamil commentary (urai) on it.
Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Sarga 1, verse 1 (Sankshepa Ramayana)
tapaḥ-svādhyāya-nirataṁ tapasvī vāg-vidāṁ varam | nāradaṁ paripapraccha vālmīkir muni-puṅgavam ||
तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरम्। नारदं परिपप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवम्॥
Valmiki, the ascetic, questioned Narada — foremost among the eloquent, ever devoted to austerity and study of the sacred texts — the best of sages.
The Sankshepa Ramayana (Bala Kanda, Sarga 1) opens with Valmiki asking Narada who, in this world, is the ideal man — endowed with virtue, valour, righteousness, gratitude, and truth. Narada answers with the name of Rama and narrates the whole Ramayana in brief.
Srimad Uttamur Veeraraghavachariar Swamy wrote a Tamil commentary (urai) on the Sankshepa Ramayana. A note on his reading of this opening verse: Valmiki’s search for a man of the sixteen noble qualities is understood not merely as a historical question but as the soul’s search for the perfect refuge — the ultimate Saranagatan.
Editor’s note (verify before publishing): confirm the exact title and publication details of Uttamur Swamy’s commentary, and confirm the framing of the “sixteen qualities / Saranagatan” reading against his actual text.
Read the full text at the source ↗
License / provenance: Root verse is public-domain Valmiki text; excerpt for study. Uttamur Swamy's Tamil commentary © his estate/trust.