There is ample evidence in Valmiki Ramayana stating that Rama was born in Spring season (Vasanta ritu) which coincides with the month of Caitra. Here is a sequence of events starting from Vasanta ritu three years before Rama was born. The sage Rishyasringa was brought to the kingdom by Dasaratha. When Vasanta ritu started the preparation for the Aśvamedha yajna was also started.
ततः काले बहुतिथे कस्मिंश्चित्सुमनोहरे |
वसन्ते समनुप्राप्ते राज्ञो यष्टुं मनोऽभवत् ||१-१२-१
{Meaning: After a lapse, some time when the spring season has come the king
Dasaratha desired to perform the Vedic ritual (1-12-1)}
The preparation went on for a year at the end of which the ritual of the Aśvamedha
was started. This also happened in the Vasanta ritu, says Ramayana.
पुनः प्राप्ते वसन्ते तु पूर्णः संवत्सरोऽभवत् |
प्रसवार्थं गतो यष्टुं हयमेधेन वीर्यवान् || १-१३-१
{Meaning: On completion of one full year another springtime arrived, and
then Dasaratha a determined one to beget progeny by performing the Horse
Ritual entered the ritual hall. (1-13-1)
The ritual of letting out the horse went on for a year at the end of which
the horse returned to the ritual hall.
अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे तस्मिन् प्राप्ते तुरंगमे |
सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञोऽभ्यवर्तत
|| १-१४-१
{Meaning: Then after the completion of one year and on regaining the ritual
horse, the emperor Dasaratha commenced his Vedic Ritual on the northern banks
of River Sarayu. (1-14-1)}
By now the next Vasanta season had commenced when the final Yajna was done
for three days. By that yajna Dasaratha got rid of his sins (1-14-58) and
commenced the Putrakameshti yajna performed by Rishyasringa. The Yajna
Purusha appeared from that yajna and offered a vessel of “Pāyasam”.
The narration further continues with how the Pāyasam was distributed among
the three queens of Dasaratha. All these had happened in immediate succession
in the Vasanta ritu. (Aśvamedha, Putrakameshti and the drinking of Pāyasam by
the three queens of Dasaratha).
Upon completion of the yajna (Putrakameshti) six ritu-s passed by and in the
twelfth month which happened to be Caitra month, Rama was born. From the
previous Vasanta ritu when the yajna was done and the Pāyasam was drunk, six
ritu-s had gone by. Once again it was the time of Vasanta ritu. That is the
deduction from Ramayana.
ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनां षट् समत्ययुः |
ततश्च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ || १-१८-८
{Meaning: On completion of the ritual, six seasons have passed by; then in
the twelfth month, i.e., in Caitra masa, and on the ninth tithi of that Caitra
month (1-18-8)}
Valmiki continues to say,
नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पंचसु |
ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविंदुना सह || १-१८-९
{Meaning: The star was that of Aditi Devata; five planets were in their own
exalted positions; the planet Jupiter known as Vākpati (Lord of Speech) was
with the Moon in the rising lagna of Karkataka (Cancer lagna) (1-18-9)}
In such a combination, Bhagawan Jagannatha was born to Kausalya.
Punarvasu was the star of Aditi. Kataka lagna indicates noon time for the
month of Caitra. ‘Svocchasamtheshu pancasu’ indicates that five planets
were in their respective exalted positions. Of them, Jupiter is singled out as
the Lord of Speech joining Moon in Kataka. The specific mention of Jupiter is
perhaps to emphasise Gaja Kesari Yoga formed by the conjunction of Jupiter and
the Moon. This yoga is indicative of wisdom and power. By specifically
mentioning Jupiter as Vākpati, Valmiki seems to emphasize Rama’s special ability
to speak cleverly and correctly.
Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Venus were the five planets exalted in the
horoscope of Rama which is produced below. The two left out planets were
Mercury and Moon (leaving alone the nodes) of which Moon occupies its own house.
Mercury’s position is not mentioned, but the simulated horoscope shows it in
debility and also its recovery from debility by having joined the exalted Venus
which causes Neecha Bhanga Raja Yoga for Mercury. In traditional
discourse, Mercury is placed in Aries along with the Sun. Ketu was in the 12th
according to elders, which means Rahu was in the 6th house. As written earlier, the exact position of Rahu
and Ketu (the lunar nodes) cannot be simulated due to the change in their
positions at the time of comet-hit in 3136 BCE.
The year was Parābhava and the weekday was Monday. The Sun was exalted in
the 10th house (Aries). Moon in Punarvasu in Kataka indicates that
it was in the 4th pada of Punarvasu.
From the birth details, it is deduced that Rama was born in Mars Bhukti in Jupiter
Maha dasa. Four years of Jupiter Maha dasa were remaining at his birth.
The peculiar reference to six seasons in pre-natal state looks odd but
appears resolved once we look at the simulation. He was born in Nija māsa, with
an additional Caitra having gone by as Adhika māsa. The Yajna rituals and the
drinking of Pāyasam have occurred in the first month of Vasanta ritu.
Conception might have taken in the second month of the Vasanta ritu. This leaves out five seasons (10 months) for
pregnancy- term. The Adhika māsa also got added towards the end of the term. On
the 12th month, which was Nija Caitra, Rama was born at Abhijit
Muhurta (noon time in Ayodhya) in Kataka lagna.
Birth of brothers of Rama
Next day morning, when Pushya was running, Bharata was born in Meena
lagna (VR: 1-18-15). This lagna appears before sunrise in Caitra māsa. So, the
weekday was Monday, as it was for Rama. Meena lagna was occupied by exalted
Venus and debilitated Mercury. All the planets were in the same houses as were
for Rama, but interpretation will vary as the lagna varies. The birth star was
Pushya, making Saturn Maha Dasa as his birth time dasa. He was born in Moon Bhukti. His birth date was 10th January, 5114 BCE. Parābhava was
the year of birth and the tithi was Shukla Navami only.
The twins of Sumitra, namely, Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born at
noon time on the day after Rama’s birth in the star of the serpents (Aslesha)
in the sign occupied by them (Kataka lagna) in Shukla Dasami (VR: 1-18-15). Simulation
shows that it was 10th January, 5114 BCE on a Tuesday.
Simulation also shows Simha lagna (Leo) when Aslesha began, but it was
Kataka lagna as per Valmiki Ramayana. This simulation is based on “Swiss
ephemeris” and the observations of modern planetariums. Lagna advancing quickly
from Kataka to Simha in the simulation for the year 5114 BCE means the software
treats the point of Kataka – Simha as perihelion in 5114 BCE. That it was not
so is the message from Ramayana of Kataka lagna when the moon had entered
Aslesha.
Today this region in the zodiac marks the aphelion of the earth’s orbit;
perihelion is at Sagittarius and Capricorn. The earth (lagna) moves slowly in Kataka-
Simha (aphelion) but faster in Dhanush and Makara rasi (perihelion). The same
pattern had existed in Rama’s time is what we understand from the birth of the
twin brothers of Rama in Aslesha in Kataka lagna. The simulation showing
advancement in lagna by one and a half hours is the result of continuous
precession used by the simulators by which the earth’s orbit itself rotates
completely. In reality it is not so, is the revelation from this input from
Valmiki Ramayana.
(I wrote what I understood of the motions in lagna. Any
other scientific explanation for why the simulator fails to show the birth of
the twins in Kataka lagna in Aslesha is welcome.)
The date of birth of Lakshmana and Shatrughna was 10th January,
5114 BCE, in Parābhava year. They were born in Mercury Bhukti in Mercury
Maha Dasa.
The Maha Dasa period (approximate to the extent of
difference of few months) is as follows for the brothers:
Rama: Jupiter Maha Dasa till 4 years of age. After that Saturn Maha Dasa
until his 23rd year.
Bharata: Saturn Maha Dasa till 12 years of age. After that Mercury Maha Dasa
till 29th year.
Lakshmana and Shatrughna: Mercury Maha Dasa till 17 years of age. After that Ketu Maha Dasa till 24 years of age.
The brothers experienced a joyful boyhood time until
sage Vishvamitra entered their life.
(Cont’d)
