Gitaramayanam

 
Gītarāmāyaṇam () (2011), literally "The Rāmāyaṇa in songs", is a Sanskrit epic poem (Mahākāvya) of the Gītakāvya (lyrical poetry) genre, composed by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (1950–) in the years 2009 and 2010. It consists of 1008 songs in Sanskrit which are divided into seven Kāṇḍas (books), every Kāṇḍa being sub-divided into one or more Sargas (cantos). There are 28 cantos in all, and each canto consists of 36 songs. The songs of the epic are based on rhythms and tunes or Rāgas found in the folk music and classical music of India. In the epic, each song in sung by one or more characters of the Rāmāyaṇa or by the poet. The songs progressively narrate the Rāmāyaṇa via monologues, dialogues and multilogues. There are occasional Sanskrit verses between the songs, which take the narrative forward.
A copy of the epic with a Hindi commentary by the poet was published by the Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University, Chitrakuta, Uttar Pradesh. The book was released by the Sanskrit poet Abhirāja Rājendra Miśra at Chitarkuta on the Makara Saṅkrānti day of January 14, 2011.
Structure.
The work begins with four verses in the "Maṅgalācaraṇa". The poet invokes the blessings of Rāma in the first two verses, and Hanumān in the third verse. In the final verse, the work Gītarāmāyaṇam is introduced.
Bālakāṇḍam.
Canto I. Stutasītārāmacandraḥ (Sanskrit: स्तुतसीतारामचन्द्रः), literally "the canto with Sītā and Rāma eulogized".
Canto II. Gītarāghavāvirbhāvaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतराघवाविर्भावः), literally "the canto with the songs of Rāma's manifestation". 
Canto III. Gītarāghavaśiśukeliḥ (Sanskrit: गीतराघवशिशुकेलिः), literally "the canto with the songs of infant Rāma's pastimes". 
Canto IV. Gītarāghavabālalīlaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतराघवबाललीलः), literally "the canto with the songs of child Rāma's play". 
Canto V. Gītasītāvirbhāvaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीताविर्भावः), literally "the canto with the songs of Sītā's manifestation".
Canto VI. Gītayugalakaiśorakaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतयुगलकैशोरकः), literally "the canto with the songs of the youthful duo. 
Canto VII. Gītasītāsvayaṃvaropakramaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीतास्वयंवरोपक्रमः), literally "the canto with the songs of the commencement of Sītā's Svayaṃvara".
Canto VIII. Gītasītānīketakaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीतानिकेतकः), literally "the canto with the songs of Sītā's consort".
Canto IX. Gītasītāsvayaṃvaraḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीतास्वयंवरः), literally "the canto with the songs of Sītā's Svayaṃvara".
Canto X. Gītasītārāmapariṇayaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीतारामपरिणयः), literally "the canto with the songs of the Sītā's marriage with Rāma".
Canto XI. Gītasītārāmapratyudgamotsavaḥ (Sanskrit: गीतसीतारामप्रत्युद्गमोत्सवः), literally "the canto with the songs of the festivities at the return of Sītā and Rāma".
Ayodhyākāṇḍam.
Canto XII. Śrīsītārāmavanavihāraḥ
Canto XIII. Śrīsītārāmaholīvihāraḥ
Canto XIV. Śrīsītārāmadolotsavaḥ
Canto XV. Gītaṣaḍṛtuvarṇanaḥ
Canto XVI. Gītarāṣṭradaivataḥ
Canto XVII. Gītarāghavavanavāsaḥ
Canto XVIII. Gītapathikābhīṣṭhaḥ
Canto XIX. Gītāyodhyakavirahālambanaḥ
Canto XX. Gītacitrakūṭamaṇḍanaḥ
Araṇyakāṇḍam.
Canto XXI. Gītalalitanaralīlaḥ
Kiṣkindhākāṇḍam.
Canto XXII. Gītamārutijayaḥ
Sundarakāṇḍam.
Canto XXIII. Gītahanumatparākramaḥ
Canto XXIV. Gītaśaraṇāgatavatsalaḥ
Yuddhakāṇḍam.
Canto XXV. Gītaraṇakarkaśaḥ
Canto XXVI. Gītarāvaṇāriḥ
Uttarakāṇḍam.
Canto XXVII. Gītapaṭṭābhiṣekaḥ
Canto XXVIII. Gītarājādhirājaḥ
Example song.
In the following song (1.4.6), the child Rāma asks Kausalyā why the moon appears dark.