In this episode, titled "Translating a Universe: A Text in Context," we’re joined by the brilliant scholar, translator, and storyteller Arshia Sattar. Known for her luminous translations of the Ramayana, Arshia has spent decades reimagining classical texts for contemporary readers—bringing nuance, clarity, and compassion to stories that have shaped cultural consciousness for centuries.
In our conversation, she speaks about the intricacies of translating not just a text, but an entire cosmology—a universe of characters, values, and contradictions. What does it mean to carry an epic across time, language, and shifting political landscapes? How do you stay true to the text, while also making space for your own voice and questions?
This is a conversation about devotion and distance, language and silence, and the delicate art of making the old feel alive again.
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