Resumo de French Translation Of The Two Great Epics

Attentive readers of Serge Demetrian's Le Ramayana and Le Mahabharata will
find clues that reveal their oral source. Demetrian has translated the
two great epics into French from oral narratives, particularly those
recounted in Kancheepuram. One clue is the prolongation of certain
parts; for example, in Le Râmâyana, Jatayu tells Rama that it
was Ravana who abducted Sita, yet when Vali and Hanuman later inform
Rama that they saw a demon carrying away Sita, Rama asks for the
demon's identity. Even after discovering that it is
certainly Ravana who abducted Sita, and that his capital is Lanka, Rama
sends out four massive search parties, the last of which must comb
southern India and Lanka. One would think they would start with Lanka
as the most probable spot. Instead we are first given accounts of the
other three search parties; the narrative is stretched to the optimum
so detail can be highlighted. Equally interesting are interwoven tales
typical of oral traditions, such as a charming story explaining why the
Vindhyas are a low mountain range.

Translation

The prologue in Le Râmâyana recounts
how Valmiki, the dacoit, turned into a sage, became a devotee of Rama,
and eventually wrote the Ayodhya king's biography. The main narrative
presents the detailed story of Rama and Sita, first and foremost as an
epic tale of romantic yet virtuous love; it ends with Rama's
coronation. The epilogue includes Rama's repudiation of Sita, her
banishment to the forest and the birth of the royal heirs; it ends with
Rama's death. Demetrian's translation deviates from
the most popular version of the Ramayana in some respects, among them
the manner in which Lava and Kusha meet Rama. Instead of them
challenging the Ashwamedha horse, here they meet their father as
itinerant singers visiting Ayodhya during the great sacrifice.
Both epics are written in prose but are
peppered with loosely translated poetic verse; this pleasantly varies
the text's pace and rhythm. Read consecutively, the two epics reveal
similarities. Apart from sharing some sages and the Indian pantheon of
gods and goddesses, both include a 14-year exile. Additionally, the
heroines of both epics are humiliated and are catalysts for war. In Le Mahâbhârata, Draupadi suffers in various ways. In Le Râmâyana, Sita is suspected unjustly despite her trial by fire.

Features

Although Le Mahâbhârata is
a more complex narrative, as compared to the linear Ramayana, Demetrian
has deliberately pruned it to the principal story. The prologue
describes Vyasa's birth and his inspiration to write the history of the
Bharata clan. The main narrative does not differ much from other
versions of the epic, recounting the battle of virtue between the
Pandavas and the Kauravas. Two parts distinguish it from
customary epics: Krishna's sermon to Arjuna on the battlefield ? the
Mahabharata's acknowledged kernel ? , and Bhishma's advice to
Yudhishthira ? on his deathbed ? on monarchy and governance. Not all
versions of the Mahabharata offer what Demetrian's does: an epilogue
that traces the destruction of the Yadava clan and the Pandavas'
adventures en route to heaven.

Careless errors are occasional irritants. In Le Mahâbhârata, Krishna is alternately described as Kunti's nephew and brother. In Le Râmâyana,
Rama and his siblings are married in a quadruple wedding but Sita
apart, the women are not mentioned elsewhere. Indeed, Lakshmana is
later considered a bachelor. However, the translation is excellent,
combining precision and poetry. The lucid introductions place both
epics chronologically. Definite bonuses are annexes that provide a
contextual overview of the gods, an introduction to the philosophy of
Brahman, and a family tree for the principal clans involved.
Francophone readers will find these translations of the two Indian
epics eminently accessible.

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