The Prince, the Demon King, and the Monkey Warrior retold by Janet Brown (ThingsAsian Press)

The Prince, the Demon King, and the Monkey Warrior is the retelling of a Hindu epic called Ramanaya which is attributed to a fifth century B.C.E. poet named Valmiki. It tells the story of the life of Prince Rama, the first-born son of King Dasarat in the country of Ayodhya. The story opens with King Dasarat speaking to one of his advisors. 

King Dasarat is a wealthy man without any enemies and has four wives and yet says to his advisor, “I am sadder than the poorest peasant in my country”. He believes the peasants are richer than he is. They may be poor and have no possessions of their own and they live grueling lives but they have one thing that King Dasarat doesn’t have - a son. 

The wise man helped the king and his four queens each had a son within a year. The oldest was Rama, who “from the day he was born, made everyone feel happy.” Barat was the second son, a righteous individual who supported those around him. The third son was Satrugan and the youngest was Lakshaman who was always very loyal to his eldest brother Rama. 

The King informed his sons that the land was being torn apart by two demons and that the wise men of the forest had told him that only his oldest son would be able to defeat them, yet he did not want to burden his child with this news. 

Rama was a dutiful son and did not hesitate to take up the challenge. His youngest brother said he would join Rama on his quest. The two sons traveled far and wide and defeated the demons without any problems. On their way home, they set foot in another kingdom whose king was said to be as wise as their father. 

Rama meets his soon to be wife, Sita in the kingdom. The two marry and live a happy, peaceful life for many years. Rama’s aging father tells his son that he is going to abdicate and Rama will be King the following day. However, the mother of Barat, Kaikeyi, was fooled by her evil maidservant Mantara. The distressed Kaikeyi went to her husband and pleaded with him to fulfill one of her wishes that he had yet to grant her. 

So it comes to pass that Rama is exiled from his home for four fourteen years while Barat is crowned King. Lakshaman follows his brother and his wife into exile. They settle in a land surrounded by evil demons. A She-Demon that has the power to transform herself into anybody she wishes tries to trick Rama into making him believe she is his wife, he tells her he already has a wife. She then shows her true form but is disfigured by Lakshaman and runs back to her home. 

One of the She-Demons brothers is Ravan, the Demon King. He sends an army of demons to kill Rama but they all end up dead except for one. It is this demon that convinces King Ravan that the best way to defeat Rama is to kidnap his wife and make her his own. 

The King of the Demons manages to kidnap Sita and now Rama finds himself on a quest to save his wife. With the help of Hanuman, the Monkey Warrior, Rama defies all odds to save the love of his life. 

This modern retelling will appeal to everyone, young and old alike. The full color illustrations by Vladimir Verano bring life to the story. It is a beautiful introduction to the culture of India as seen through one of its most popular stories. ~Ernie Hoyt