Sanskrit Analysis of Ramayana
Hi folks,
From a Sanskrit scholar’s point of view, if we look at the Rāmāyaṇa attributed to Vālmīki—considering linguistics, meter, poetic style, and overall Sanskrit rigor—what does the variation across the different kāṇḍas suggest? Can we reasonably argue that it was composed by a single author, or do some kāṇḍas show clear signs of later additions or redactional layers? Which parts, if any, are most likely original and which are more doubtful?
I’m asking this because debates around Rāma’s actions toward Sītā often assume a fixed “authentic” text. But if even the boundaries of the original Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa are not clearly agreed upon, then what exactly are we basing these moral and philosophical arguments on? How do we even begin a proper debate if the text itself isn’t fully stable?