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 23rd day the parents of Rama and Sita finalized the marriage proposal. On the 25th 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 13th 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 17th 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.)
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 24th year. Saturn in seven-and-a-half-year sojourn
through his Janma rasi added to the woes. It was in retrogression in the 2nd
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 2nd 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 23rd 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.
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 12th
year. Counted from Pingala Caitra when Rama’s 12th 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 24th year was between Sukla Caitra and Pramoda
Caitra.
On Pramoda Caitra Punarvasu, Dasaratha proposed the
coronation. This was the 13th 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 25th
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 25th day
after Rama left Ayodhya. It was on the 13th 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 11th 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)
1st day of leaving Ayodhya – Nala year, Phalguna month, Star Vishakha, Krishna Chaturthi,
Monday, Dec 19th, 5104 BCE.
2nd night halt at a hermitage between Sarayu and ganga – star
Anuradha, Krishna Shashti, Tuesday, 20th Dec, 5104 BCE (Krishna
Panchami was present at sunrise, but Shashti started by noon)
3rd day – Tataka vadha – star Jyeshtha, Krishna Saptami,
Wednesday, 21st Dec, 5104 BCE
4th day – reached Vishvamitra’s hermitage – star Moola,
Krishna Ashtami, Thursday, 22nd Dec, 5104 BCE
5th day – ritual started – star Pūrvāṣāḍhā, Krishna Navami,
Friday, 23rd Dec, 5104 BCE.
6 days and 6 nights guarded the ritual.
5th to 10th day– guarded the ritual – From Krishna Navami -Pūrvāṣāḍhā
to Krishna Caturdaśī-Purva Bhadrapada (Dec 23rd to 28th
night, 5104 BCE )
11th 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 11th year. Year name Nala. Dec 19th, 5104 BCE.
Rama’s marriage = Rama completed 11 years, running his 12th
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 13th year of their marriage –
Pramoda year.
(cont’d)
