Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic in Sanskrit, the author of which in the tradition of Hinduism is considered to be the legendary sage Valmika. It is one of the most important sacred texts of Hindu canon smriti. Ramayana tells the story of the seventh avatar of Vishnu Rama (one of the four simultaneous incarnations of Vishnu, the other three are his brothers), whose wife Sita is abducted by Ravana, the rakshasa king of Lanka. The epic covers the themes of human existence and the concept of dharma. The poem contains the teachings of ancient Indian sages, which are presented through an allegorical narrative combined with philosophy and bhakti.