Nama Ramayanam – Condensed Version of the Ramayana with Spiritual Significance
Nama Ramayanam is a condensed version of Valmiki Ramayana, beautifully composed in Sanskrit. The Ramayana, one of the greatest epics of Sanskrit literature, was composed by Sage Valmiki. It consists of 24,000 verses (shlokas) divided into seven books (Kandas) and 500 cantos (Sargas). The word Ramayana is formed from the conjunction of Rama (Lord Rama) and Ayana (journey), meaning “The Journey of Lord Rama.” Lord Rama, revered as the 7th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the central figure of this sacred scripture.
For Hindus, the Ramayana is not just a story but a spiritual guide and a revered religious text. It is widely believed that reciting the Ramayana brings peace, prosperity, and divine blessings into one’s home. However, chanting the entire Ramayana can take several days, and due to time constraints, many devotees are unable to recite it in one sitting.
To make the essence of the epic accessible, Nama Ramayanam was composed.
What is Nama Ramayanam?
Nama Ramayanam is a condensed version of Valmiki Ramayana, beautifully composed in Sanskrit. It contains 108 melodious shlokas, yet covers the entire story of Lord Rama in brief. Just like the full Ramayana, Nama Ramayanam is also divided into seven Kandas:
- Balakandam – Childhood and early life of Lord Rama
- Ayodhyakandam – Exile and life in Ayodhya
- Aranyakandam – Forest life and Sita’s abduction
- Kishkindhakandam – Alliance with Hanuman and Sugriva
- Sundarakandam – Hanuman’s journey to Lanka
- Yuddhakandam – War with Ravana
- Uttarakandam – Rama’s coronation and later life
The recitation of Nama Ramayanam is considered highly auspicious, as it allows devotees to experience the spiritual essence of the Ramayana in a shorter time.
Popularity of Nama Ramayanam in Different Regions
Nama Ramayanam holds a special place in South Indian devotional culture. It is popularly recited in different languages:
- Tamil Nama Ramayanam – widely sung in Tamil Nadu
- Telugu Nama Ramayanam – devotional favorite in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Kannada Nama Ramayana – popular in Karnataka
- Malayalam Nama Ramayanam – cherished in Kerala
In North India, however, Sant Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas, composed in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi, is more popular. Hence, Nama Ramayanam is less commonly known in Hindi-speaking regions.
Important Note: Nama Ramayanam is not the condensed version of Ramcharitmanas. While both narrate the divine journey of Lord Rama, they are distinct compositions—one in Sanskrit by Sage Valmiki, the other in Awadhi by Sant Tulsidas.
Benefits of Reciting Nama Ramayanam
- Brings peace, harmony, and positivity in the household
- Helps devotees connect with Lord Rama’s divine qualities
- Easy to learn and chant due to its short and lyrical format
- Suitable for daily recitation or during festivals like Ram Navami and Diwali
- Acts as a spiritual substitute when reciting the entire Ramayana is not possible
The Nama Ramayanam beautifully captures the soul of the Ramayana in just 108 verses, making it one of the most loved devotional chants, especially in South India. By chanting it with devotion, one experiences the same spiritual upliftment, blessings, and divine grace as reading the full Ramayana.
There is even Eka Shloki Ramayanam, in which the whole epic Ramayana is narrated in a single Shloka.
॥ बालकाण्डः ॥
शुद्धब्रह्मपरात्पर राम्॥१॥
कालात्मकपरमेश्वर राम्॥२॥
शेषतल्पसुखनिद्रित राम्॥३॥
ब्रह्माद्यामरप्रार्थित राम्॥४॥
चण्डकिरणकुलमण्डन राम्॥५॥
श्रीमद्दशरथनन्दन राम्॥६॥
कौसल्यासुखवर्धन राम्॥७॥
विश्वामित्रप्रियधन राम्॥८॥
घोरताटकाघातक राम्॥९॥
मारीचादिनिपातक राम्॥१०॥
कौशिकमखसंरक्षक राम्॥११॥
श्रीमदहल्योद्धारक राम्॥१२॥
गौतममुनिसम्पूजित राम्॥१३॥
सुरमुनिवरगणसंस्तुत राम्॥१४॥
नाविकधावितमृदुपद राम्॥१५॥
मिथिलापुरजनमोहक राम्॥१६॥
विदेहमानसरञ्जक राम्॥१७॥
त्र्यम्बककार्मुकभञ्जक राम्॥१८॥
सीतार्पितवरमालिक राम्॥१९॥
कृतवैवाहिककौतुक राम्॥२०॥
भार्गवदर्पविनाशक राम्॥२१॥
श्रीमदयोध्यापालक राम्॥२२॥
॥ अयोध्याकाण्डः ॥
अगणितगुणगणभूषित राम्॥२३॥
अवनीतनयाकामित राम्॥२४॥
राकाचन्द्रसमानन राम्॥२५॥
पितृवाक्याश्रितकानन राम्॥२६॥
प्रियगुहविनिवेदितपद राम्॥२७॥
तत्क्षालितनिजमृदुपद राम्॥२८॥
भरद्वाजमुखानन्दक राम्॥२९॥
चित्रकूटाद्रिनिकेतन राम्॥३०॥
दशरथसन्ततचिन्तित राम्॥३१॥
कैकेयीतनयार्थित राम्॥३२॥
विरचितनिजपितृकर्मक राम्॥३३॥
भरतार्पितनिजपादुक राम्॥३४॥
॥ अरण्यकाण्डः ॥
दण्डकवनजनपावन राम्॥३५॥
दुष्टविराधविनाशन राम्॥३६॥
शरभङ्गसुतीक्ष्णार्चित राम्॥३७॥
अगस्त्यानुग्रहवर्धित राम्॥३८॥
गृध्राधिपसंसेवित राम्॥३९॥
पञ्चवटीतटसुस्थित राम्॥४०॥
शूर्पणखार्तिविधायक राम्॥४१॥
खरदूषणमुखसूदक राम्॥४२॥
सीताप्रियहरिणानुग राम्॥४३॥
मारीचार्तिकृदाशुग राम्॥४४॥
विनष्टसीतान्वेषक राम्॥४५॥
गृध्राधिपगतिदायक राम्॥४६॥
शबरीदत्तफलाशन राम्॥४७॥
कबन्धबाहुच्छेदक राम्॥४८॥
॥ किष्किन्धाकाण्डः ॥
हनुमत्सेवितनिजपद राम्॥४९॥
नतसुग्रीवाभीष्टद राम्॥५०॥
गर्वितवालिसंहारक राम्॥५१॥
वानरदूतप्रेषक राम्॥५२॥
हितकरलक्ष्मणसंयुत राम्॥५३॥
॥ सुन्दरकाण्डः ॥
कपिवरसन्ततसंस्मृत राम्॥५४॥
तद्गतिविघ्नध्वंसक राम्॥५५॥
सीताप्राणाधारक राम्॥५६॥
दुष्टदशाननदूषित राम्॥५७॥
शिष्टहनूमद्भूषित राम्॥५८॥
सीतावेदितकाकावन राम्॥५९॥
कृतचूडामणिदर्शन राम्॥६०॥
कपिवरवचनाश्वासित राम्॥६१॥
॥ युद्धकाण्डः ॥
रावणनिधनप्रस्थित राम्॥६२॥
वानरसैन्यसमावृत राम्॥६३॥
शोषितसरिदीशार्थित राम्॥६४॥
विभीषणाभयदायक राम्॥६५॥
पर्वतसेतुनिबन्धक राम्॥६६॥
कुम्भकर्णशिरच्छेदक राम्॥६७॥
राक्षससङ्घविमर्दक राम्॥६८॥
अहिमहिरावणचारण राम्॥६९॥
संहृतदशमुखरावण राम्॥७०॥
विधिभवमुखसुरसंस्तुत राम्॥७१॥
खस्थितदशरथवीक्षित राम्॥७२॥
सीतादर्शनमोदित राम्॥७३॥
अभिषिक्तविभीषणनत राम्॥७४॥
पुष्पकयानारोहण राम्॥७५॥
भरद्वाजादिनिषेवण राम्॥७६॥
भरतप्राणप्रियकर राम्॥७७॥
साकेतपुरीभूषण राम्॥७८॥
सकलस्वीयसमानत राम्॥७९॥
रत्नलसत्पीठास्थित राम्॥८०॥
पट्टाभिषेकालङ्कृत राम्॥८१॥
पार्थिवकुलसम्मानित राम्॥८२॥
विभीषणार्पितरङ्गक राम्॥८३॥
कीशकुलानुग्रहकर राम्॥८४॥
सकलजीवसंरक्षक राम्॥८५॥
समस्तलोकाधारक राम्॥८६॥
॥ उत्तरकाण्डः ॥
आगतमुनिगणसंस्तुत राम्॥८७॥
विश्रुतदशकण्ठोद्भव राम्॥८८॥
सीतालिङ्गननिर्वृत राम्॥८९॥
नीतिसुरक्षितजनपद राम्॥९०॥
विपिनत्याजितजनकज राम्॥९१॥
कारितलवणासुरवध राम्॥९२॥
स्वर्गतशम्बुकसंस्तुत राम्॥९३॥
स्वतनयकुशलवनन्दित राम्॥९४॥
अश्वमेधक्रतुदीक्षित राम्॥९५॥
कालावेदितसुरपद राम्॥९६॥
आयोध्यकजनमुक्तिद राम्॥९७॥
विधिमुखविबुधानन्दक राम्॥९८॥
तेजोमयनिजरूपक राम्॥९९॥
संसृतिबन्धविमोचक राम्॥१००॥
धर्मस्थापनतत्पर राम्॥१०१॥
भक्तिपरायणमुक्तिद राम्॥१०२॥
सर्वचराचरपालक राम्॥१०३॥
सर्वभवामयवारक राम्॥१०४॥
वैकुण्ठालयसंस्थित राम्॥१०५॥
नित्यानन्दपदस्थित राम्॥१०६॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम्॥१०७॥
राम् राम् जय सीता राम्॥१०८॥
