The earliest English translation of the oldest surviving text written in the literary language of mediaeval India called Apabhramsha, which tells the tale of the Ramayana. The Life of Padma, also known as the Pa?macariu, is a beautifully expressive Jain rendition of the well-known Ramayana story in the Apabhramsha language. It was created by Svayambhudeva, a poet and scholar who lived in south India at the start of the tenth century. The Life of Padman chronicles Prince Rama's exile, his search for his wife Sita after she was kidnapped by King Ravana of Lanka, and the restoration of his reign, much like the epic tradition on which it is based. The story of Rama's exile with Sita and his brother Lakshmana is told in the second volume. The three go to different cities