The work examines the nature and contents of the Sanskrit epic poem, generally called the Valmiki Ramayana, in the form(s) it has come down to us in modernity. It discusses the issues the poem presents to the translator and reader in light of the ancient epic’s popularity and profound influence on religious, ethical, social and political thought since its composition, on the culture of India and other nations of Southeast Asia. The essay examines the poem in terms of western and Indian aesthetic norms and tastes as a work of world literature and as an outstanding example of Indian poetry.