Adhaiya Ji and Ram's Forest Kitchen
Adhaiya ji was a young man with a hearty appetite and a straightforward way of speaking. After his parents died, his relatives could no…
Taj Khan and Madan Mohan's Grace
Taj Khan worked as a messenger at the court office in Karauli, a town in Rajasthan. One day, he was sent to deliver a message to Goswami ji…
Sumantra Returns Alone
At Shringaverapura, before Ram crossed the Ganga into the forest, he had asked Sumantra to take the chariot back to Ayodhya. Sumantra had…
Hanuman Crosses the Ocean
On the southern shore, the vanaras gazed across an ocean so wide that its farther edge disappeared into the sky. Somewhere beyond those…
Sita Chooses the Forest
In Kaikeyi's chamber, Ram declared that he would fulfil his father's promise. He had no objection to Bharat becoming heir, and he would…
The Road from Ayodhya to Chitrakuta
Many people of Ayodhya followed the chariot carrying Ram, Sita, and Lakshman. They did not wish to turn back. Ram understood their love, but…
Ahalya's Seclusion and Restoration
After leaving King Sumati's city, the travellers came within sight of Mithila. Near the road stood an old hermitage. Its paths were…
Raja Vikramaditya and the Five Lessons
Four travellers crossing a wide plain met a storyteller who offered them five lessons: A travelling storyteller offers blank scrolls of…
Ram Sees Sita's Cosmic Nature
Ram bowed before Sita's fierce form and asked, "Who are you truly?" Sita did not answer by denying the woman who had shared exile…
Sita Returns to Her Familiar Form
Ram's praise continued across the quiet battlefield. He named Sita through images of wisdom, time, protection, creation, compassion, and…
The Akhun's Son and the Impossible Rubies
An elderly Akhun, a respected religious teacher, once asked his four sons what work they hoped to do. Three chose familiar duties in the…
The Churning of the Ocean and the Birth of the Maruts
As the travellers continued toward Mithila, Vishvamitra told Ram and Lakshman why the place they had reached was called Vishala. Its history…
The Farmer's Wife and the Honey-Bee
In a Kashmir village, a farmer's wife worked from the first thaw of spring until the last golden days of autumn. She prepared the soil…
The Ramayana That Was Still Hidden
The sun had only begun to warm the banks of the Tamasa River when Bharadvaja found his teacher seated beneath a spreading tree. Valmiki's…
Ayodhya and King Dasharatha
Long before Ram walked its streets, Ayodhya stood beside the Sarayu River in the ancient land of Kosala. It was a great city, founded by…
The Birth of Ram and His Brothers
The fire on the Sarayu bank was still burning when, far above it, the devas came before Brahma with a trouble of their own. Ravana, ruler of…
Valmiki and the First Ramayana
Before the Ramayana became a story recited in homes, temples, theatres, and village squares, it began with a question. Sage Valmiki had…
Dhruva and the Pole Star
Part 1: No room on the king's lap King Uttanapada had two queens, Suniti and Suruchi, and two young sons. Suniti's son was Dhruva. Suruchi's…
Ruru and Pramadvara
Part 1: Two lives meet in the forest In a forest hermitage lived a young man named Ruru. He came from a family of sages, but he was not…
Anurodhavati: The Guardian of Steadfast Reunion
King Bhoj had found the golden throne of Vikramaditya beneath an old mound, and each of its thirty-two carved guardians stopped him with a…
Bhola and the Talking Banyan Tree
Long ago, in a small village in Bihar, there lived a poor but kind boy named Bhola. Every morning, he helped his parents in the fields and…
Chandrakala: The Guardian of Fair Prosperity
King Bhoj returned to the golden throne and approached the fourth step. A guardian in moonlit lavender opened her eyes. "I am Chandrakala…
Jayalakshmi: The Guardian of Open-Handed Help
King Bhoj had found the golden throne of Vikramaditya beneath an old mound, and each of its thirty-two carved guardians stopped him with a…
Kamakandala: The Guardian of Courageous Generosity
The next day King Bhoj returned to the golden throne. As he approached the sixth step, Kamakandala came to life. "This seat belonged to a…
Kanivati: The Guardian of the Greater Giver
At the twelfth step, Kanivati awoke and addressed King Bhoj. "A generous ruler must be able to admire generosity in another," she told Bhoj…
Madhumalati: The Guardian of Lasting Generosity
King Bhoj came to the ninth step in a cheerful mood. Madhumalati awakened and said, "It is pleasant to give a grand gift. It is harder to…
Ruparekha: The Guardian of Living Imagination
King Bhoj had found the golden throne of Vikramaditya beneath an old mound, and each of its thirty-two carved guardians stopped him with a…
Satyabhama: The Guardian of Courageous Compassion
King Bhoj returned to the golden throne and approached the third step. An emerald-clad guardian opened her eyes. "I am Satyabhama, the…
Satyavati: The Guardian of the Four Gems
King Bhoj had found the golden throne of Vikramaditya beneath an old mound, and each of its thirty-two carved guardians stopped him with a…
The Pandavas and the Origin of Panch Kedar
This happened after the Mahabharata war had ended and the five Pandavas were reviewing the war with Lord Krishna. Krishna told the Pandavas…
Four Brothers and the Little Bird
Four brothers lived beside a lake in Kashmir. One was good at planning, one at building, one at remembering paths, and one at noticing small…
How Supersmart Won His Feast
A jackal named Supersmart found an elephant that had died naturally in the forest. It could feed him for many days, but its hide was far too…
Loss of Gains: The Monkey and the Crocodile
Beside the sea, a rose-apple tree bent over the shining water. A cheerful monkey named Red-Face lived in that tree. One day a crocodile…
The Self-Sacrificing Dove
A bird catcher walked through the forest with a net and a small wicker cage. Among the birds he caught was a female dove. Before he reached…
The Snake Who Paid Cash
A hardworking farmer often rested beneath a tree beside an anthill. One summer he noticed a hooded snake there and decided to treat the…
The Sparrow and the Shivering Monkey
A sparrow and his wife had woven a snug nest on a strong forest branch. One unseasonably cold day, hail rattled through the leaves. A monkey…
The Unsocial Swans
King Gay-Chariot protected a beautiful place called Lotus Lake. Golden swans lived there and offered one fallen tail feather to the palace…
Mother Shandilee's Bargain
During the rainy season, a travelling scholar stayed with a kind Brahmin and his wife, Mother Shandilee. One morning the Brahmin said…
Soft, the Weaver
In a busy town lived a weaver named Soft. His cloth was smooth, colourful and beautiful enough for a palace, yet he earned only what his…
Spot's Captivity
When Spot was a young deer, he loved racing ahead of the herd and waiting proudly for everyone to catch up. The older deer had taught him…
The Extraordinary Mango
On the road toward Kāśī, Shounaka found a ripe mango beneath a roadside tree. "If there is only one fruit and many hungry people," he asked…
The Foolish Friend
A king loved his pet monkey and trusted him as a constant companion. The monkey was loyal and eager to help, but he often acted before…
The Mice That Set Elephants Free
In the ruins of an old city lived a joyful community of mice. Cracked courtyards became playgrounds, empty rooms became homes and every…
The Two-Headed Bherunda Bird
Along the road to Kāśī, a great bird crossed the sky above Manisiddhu and Shounaka, so high that its shadow slid across the whole valley…
Madhav Das and Jagannath's Compassion
Madhav Das was a beloved devotee of Lord Jagannath. Once he became seriously ill and had no one nearby to care for him. Devotional tradition…
The Kind King and the Wise Queen
Once there was a kind king named Arjun and a wise queen named Meera. They ruled a beautiful kingdom of farms, orchards, and busy villages…
The Bride and the Serpent Prince
In Palace City lived a kind Brahmin couple who longed for a child. In time, a baby came to them in the form of a small green serpent…
The Kind Traveler and the Broken Promise
Long ago, in a small town beside a wide forest, lived a gentle Brahmin named Yajna. He earned very little, and some days there was hardly…
Why Does Tota Gopinath Sit?
In a peaceful garden temple in Puri, Gadadhar Pandit lovingly worshipped Tota Gopinath, a beautiful form of Lord Krishna. The local temple…
Hera Panchami: Lakshmi Searches for Jagannath
Every year in Puri, Lord Jagannath sets out on the grand Rath Yatra with his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra. Their…
Little Krishna and the Butter Pot
Long ago, in the green and beautiful village of Vrindavan, there lived a playful little boy named Krishna. He had a bright smile, a loving…
Mahaprasthana: The Pandavas' Final Journey
Many years had passed since the great war of the Mahabharata. The Pandavas had ruled Hastinapura with care, repaired what war had broken…
Mata Vaishno Devi – The Sacred Journey
Long ago, in the village of Hansali near present-day Katra, lived a kind and humble devotee named Shridhar. He and his wife had no children…
Vrinda, Tulsi, and Shaligram
Long ago, there lived a powerful asura king named Jalandhar. He was brave, strong, and proud of his victories. His wife, Vrinda, was gentle…
Savitri and Satyavan
Long ago, King Ashwapati ruled the land of Madra with fairness and care. He and Queen Malavi had no child, so the king prayed and performed…
The Monkey and the Crocodile
There was a monkey who lived in a guava tree beside a river. He often gave guavas to a crocodile that passed underneath the tree. Soon, the…
A story and a song
A housewife knew a story, and she also knew a song. But she kept them to herself, and never told anyone the story or sang the song…
Krishna and Kalia
Long ago, the Yamuna River flowed beside the village of Vrindavan. In one deep pool lived Kalia, a gigantic many-headed serpent. His poison…
Sanja
Long ago, in the beautiful Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, there lived a cheerful girl named Sanja. She loved flowers, birds, trees, and…
Heron and cat
Once upon a time, the cat and heron became friends. One day the cat invited heron to eat at her house. Heron happily reached on time. The…