Consisting of about 25,000 verses in V_lm_kiÕs R_m_ya_a, the story of R_ma was summarized in 704 verses in eighteen chapters in the R_mop_khy_na, which comprises chapters 258Ð275 of the _ra_yaka Parvan of the great epic Mah_bh_rata. The story is introduced in chapter 257 and given an afterword in chapter 276 which bring the number of verses in this book to 728. The book includes a thorough introduction to the various dimensions of the story, a descriptive glossary of proper names with references to where they are used in the text, and genealogical trees of R_ma and R_va_a. The present English translation of the R_mop_khy_na is suitable for secondary school and university students, and adults.