Ramayana – 5: Deciphering the age of Rama at the time of marriage

The age of Rama at the time of leaving Ayodhya with Vishvamitra must be found out to decipher his age at the time of his marriage with Sita. Let us begin with the inputs we gathered. Rama was below 12 years of age at the time of accompanying Vishvamitra. Four days were spent on travel and the next 6 days and 6 nights were spent on guarding the Vedic ritual done by Vishvamitra and other sages. After that Rama and Lakshmana were taken to Mithila. It took four days to reach Mithila. Counted from the time Rama left Ayodhya along with Vishvamitra, Rama went to Mithila and broke the Shiva Dhanush on the 14th day of his travel with Vishvamitra.  On the 23^rd day the parents of Rama and Sita finalized the marriage proposal. On the 25^th day, Rama married Sita. That day had both Purva Phalguni and Uttara Phalguni stars. With this information, we will proceed to decipher Rama’s age at the time of marriage.

His age at the time of exile is given by Sita in Aranya Kanda. While speaking to Ravana in Aranya Kanda, Sita said that Rama’s age was 25 when they left for exile. She was 18 years old then.

मम भर्ता महातेजा वयसा पंच विंशकः || ३-४७-१०

अष्टा दश हि वर्षाणि मम जन्मनि गण्यते |

mama bhartaa mahaatejaa vayasaa pa.nca vi.mshakaH || 3-47-10

aSTaa dasha hi var.hSaaNi mama janmani gaNyate |

(Meaning: "My great-resplendent husband was twenty-five years of age at that time, and to me eighteen years are reckoned up from my birth. [3-47-10b, 11a]).

There is yet another clue in Sundara Kanda when Sita told Hanuman that she stayed in Rama’s house for 12 years after marriage. On the 13^th year, they were exiled.

समा द्वादश तत्र अहम् राघवस्य निवेशने || ५-३३-१७

भुन्जाना मानुषान् भोगान् सर्व काम समृद्धिनी |

samaa dvaadasha tatra aham raaghavasya niveshane || 5-33-17

bhunjaanaa maanuShaan bhogaan sarva kaama samR^iddhinii |

(Meaning: "I stayed in Rama's house there for twelve years, enjoying the worldly pleasures belonging to humankind and fulfilling all my desires.")

ततः त्रयोदशे वर्षे राज्येन इक्ष्वाकु नन्दनम् || ५-३३-१८

अभिषेचयितुम् राजा स उपाध्यायः प्रचक्रमे |

tataH trayodashe varShe raajyena ikShvaaku nandanam || 5-33-18

abhiShecayitum raajaa sa upaadhyaayaH pracakrame |

(Meaning: "Thereafter, in the thirteenth year, King Dasaratha along with his preceptors started to perform anointment of the kingdom to Rama, a celebrity of Ikshvaku dynasty.")

From these verses, it is known that Rama completed 12 years of marriage as of the day he was exiled. An interesting feature is that he was informed of his exile on his birthday, i.e., Caitra Punarvasu.

We have a doubt here whether the previous year (of his age) included Caitra Punarvasu, or the new year started on Caitra Punarvasu. But it is certain that he had completed 12 years of marriage by then. Another doubt is how many years he has completed by then – 24 years or 25 years? This question arises because we are not sure about what Sita meant by ‘Vayasa’ – the completed age or the running age.

This makes me look for other clues, mainly the oft repeated information about transit Jupiter in his Janma rasi at the time of his exile. For example, Pulippaani Siddhar says,

பாரப்பா யின்னமொன்று பகரக் கேளு

பரமகுரு சென்மத்தில் வந்த போது

கூறப்பா கோதண்டபாணி வீரன்

கொற்றவனே குடியேறிப் போகச் செய்தார் (verse 187)

When Jupiter came to Janma rasi, Kodandapani (Rama) had to leave (out of the country). There is also a popular verse in Tamil which says that when Guru came to Janma rasi, Rama had to leave for the forest; this verse also says that Janma Guru made Sita to be confined (in Lanka).

"ஜென்ம ராமர் வனத்திலே சீதையை சிறை வைத்ததும்

Jupiter was in his Janma rasi at Rama’s birth. It completes one cycle around the zodiac in 12 years. So, in 24 years, it must come back to its natal position, which was Kataka, Rama’s Janma rasi. So, I counted 24 years from his birth year Parābhava (Caitra month), to see if it came back to the Janma rasi of Rama.

In Caitra Punarvasu of the year Pramoda, Rama completed his 24 years. Simulation showed that Jupiter was in his Janma rasi at that time. The date was 17^th December, 5091 BCE (Pramoda year, Caitra Punarvasu). (Simulator shows by default the same year (Sukla) for the entire Gregorian year from January to December. Sukla year ended in Phalguna before Chaitra. Pramoda started in Caitra.)

When Rama completed 24 years of age

Jupiter is in retrogression in the above simulation, but it came out of retrogression a fortnight after this date. Both debilitated Mars and Jupiter were in the Janma rasi of Rama in Pramoda year when he completed his 24^th year. Saturn in seven-and-a-half-year sojourn through his Janma rasi added to the woes. It was in retrogression in the 2^nd house to his Janma rasi.

I checked for the next year too (5090 BCE) when Rama completed 25 years. Jupiter was not in Janma rasi. It was in the second house. That year not fulfilling the Janma Guru position, it is dropped from reckoning.

Marriage date of Rama- Sita

Now the next cross-check involves counting 12 years backward from Pramoda year to see if it matches with his marriage date having both Purva Phalguni and Uttara Phalguni on the same day.

Counted from Pramoda-Caitra, I checked 12 years backward and zeroed in on two years Kālayukti and Pingala – one of it the likely year of marriage- coming 12 years before Pramoda- Caitra. Twelve years of married life having been completed on Caitra Punarvasu (when Dasaratha proposed coronation), I checked the Caitra month in Kālayukti and Pingala for the presence of both Purva Phalguni and Uttara Phalguni on the same day.

In Pingala year, Purva Phalguni was present at sunrise and ended at around 9-30 am. After that Uttara Phalguni started.

In Kālayukti year, (5102 BCE) the two stars were present on 2^nd January, but Uttara Phalguni started after 4 pm in the evening and continued in the next morning. Evening is an odd time for marriage. Moreover, in the discussion on the 23^rd day, king Janaka referred to Uttara Phalguni only as the star of the marriage day.

This makes me zero in on Pingala year as the year of marriage of Rama when Purva Phalguni was at sunrise and Uttara Phalguni started shortly thereafter.

We can safely locate the time of Rama-Sita Kalyanam on Pingala year, Caitra Shukla Trayodaśī, with Uttara Phalguni from 9-30 am onwards, on a Thursday. The Gregorian date was January 12, 5103 BCE.

Marriage date of Rama- Sita

Rama's age at the time of marriage

By Caitra Pingala, Rama completed 11 years of age, counted from his birth year, Parābhava.

So, Rama’s marriage took place in his 12^th year. Counted from Pingala Caitra when Rama’s 12^th year started, 12 years of married life (as told by Sita), ended in Caitra of Sukla year. Counted from his birth year (Parābhava), 23 years were over by Sukla Caitra. 

His 24^th year was between Sukla Caitra and Pramoda Caitra.

On Pramoda Caitra Punarvasu, Dasaratha proposed the coronation. This was the 13^th year of their marriage. By then the 24 years of Rama was over. (This gives the revelation that the year ended with the birth star Punarvasu. Next year started only in the next star, Pushya)

The next day was Caitra Pushya when the 25^th year of Rama started. He started his exile on that day.

With the 7-year difference between Rama and Sita, Sita was 5 years old at the time of marriage. She must have been in her 6th year then. 

 

Rama’s age when he left Ayodhya.

The marriage took place on the 25^th day after Rama left Ayodhya. It was on the 13^th tithi after the New year started (Pingala Caitra Shukla Trayodaśī)

This means he left Ayodhya in the previous year, that is, Nala varsha when he had completed only 10 years and was running his 11^th year.

Counted backwards from Uttara Phalguni at the time of his marriage, here are the dates for each day of his travel: (12 pm is the time taken)

1^st day of leaving Ayodhya – Nala year, Phalguna month, Star Vishakha, Krishna Chaturthi, Monday, Dec 19^th, 5104 BCE.

2^nd night halt at a hermitage between Sarayu and ganga – star Anuradha, Krishna Shashti, Tuesday, 20^th Dec, 5104 BCE (Krishna Panchami was present at sunrise, but Shashti started by noon)

3^rd day – Tataka vadha – star Jyeshtha, Krishna Saptami, Wednesday, 21^st Dec, 5104 BCE

4^th day – reached Vishvamitra’s hermitage – star Moola, Krishna Ashtami, Thursday, 22^nd Dec, 5104 BCE

5^th day – ritual started – star Pūrvāṣāḍhā, Krishna Navami, Friday, 23^rd Dec, 5104 BCE.

6 days and 6 nights guarded the ritual.                      

5^th to 10^th day– guarded the ritual – From Krishna Navami -Pūrvāṣāḍhā to Krishna Caturdaśī-Purva Bhadrapada (Dec 23^rd to 28^th night, 5104 BCE )

11^th day – started for Mithila, Nala, Phalguna, Krishna Caturdaśī, Purva Bhadrapada till afternoon, Thursday, 29th Dec, 5104 BCE

12th day – Nala, Phalguna, Amavasya, Uttara Bhadrapada, Friday 30th dec, 5104 BCE

13th night – stayed at Vishaala – star Revati. Pingala (New year) Caitra Shukla Pratipat, Saturday, 31st Dec 5104 BCE

14th day – reached Mithila – Pingala Caitra Shukla Dwitiya, Ashwini, Sunday, Jan 1, 5103 BCE

14th day – Ahalya Shapa Vomocana – Pingala Caitra Shukla Dwitiya, Ashwini, Sunday, Jan 1, 5103 BCE

14th day – Received by Janaka.

15th day - Rama broke the Shiva Dhanush – Pingala Caitra Shukla Tritiya, Bharani, Monday, Jan 2, 5103 BCE

15th, 16th and 17th – Messengers travelled to reach Kosala. 2nd Jan to 4th Jan 5103 BCE, Bharani to Rohini

18th day – Message of Rama’s feat and marriage informed to Dasaratha. Pingala, Caitra Shukla Shashti, Mrigashirsha, Thursday, 5th Jan 5103 BCE

19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd – Travel of Dasaratha’s troupe to Mithila. Morning Mrigashirsha, then Arudra, next day, Punarvasu, Pushya, Aslesha 6th Jan to 9th Jan 5103BCE

23rd day – marriage talks – Pingala, Caitra Shukla Ekādaśī, Magha star from 1 pm, Tuesday, Jan 10, 5103 BCE

25th day – Sita Kalyanam. Pingala, Caitra Shukla Trayodaśī, Uttara Phalguni from 9-30 am onwards, Thursday, Jan 12, 5103 BCE  

Nutshell:

Rama left with Vishvamitra = Rama completed 10 years, running the 11^th year. Year name Nala. Dec 19th, 5104 BCE.

Rama’s marriage = Rama completed 11 years, running his 12^th year. Year name Pingala. January 12, 5103 BCE.

Rama was running Venus Bhukti in Saturn Maha Dasa at the time of his marriage.

Rama and Sita married for 12 years – From Pingala to Sukla

Rama completed 24 years of age – Caitra Pramoda

Coronation announced in the 13^th year of their marriage – Pramoda year.

(cont’d)