Rama lived 7000 years ago.

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When was Rama born?

Rama’s birth date.

Planetary combination at the time of birth of Rama is given in Valmeeki Ramayana.

Based on that, it is possible to locate the time period.

The two researchers Dr Vartak and Dr Bhatnagar have used these details from Ramayana to arrive at the date. But they have differed by 2000 years. The reason is that they have not used the same set of events related years.

Of the two, the date by Dr Bhatnagar can be identified in the astrology software. Dr Bhatnagar says that the birth date of Rama was January 10^th, 5114 BC.

But in the Jhora software, the planetary configuration falls on 9^th January, 5114 BC.

Valmeeki says that 5 planets, namely Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Venus were exalted at that time. His exact version as follows:-

“On completion of the ritual six seasons have passed by and then in the twelfth month, on the ninth day of chaitra month [April-May,] when the presiding deity of ruling star of the day is Aditi, where the ruling star of day is punarvasu, the asterism is in the ascendant, and when five of the nine planets viz., Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus are at their highest position, when Jupiter with Moon is ascendant in Cancer, and when day is advancing, then Queen Kausalya gave birth to a son with all the divine attributes like lotus-red eyes, lengthy arms, roseate lips, voice like drumbeat, and who took birth to delight the Ikshwaku dynasty, who is adored by all the worlds, and who is the greatly blessed epitome of Vishnu, namely Rama. [1-18-8, 9, 10, 11]”

In the astrology software that I use all these match perfectly on 9^th January with an exception. Saturn had gone to the next sign of Scorpio just by a degree and was in retrogression. By retrogression a planet is deemed to be in the previous sign. Therefore Saturn can be said to be in Libra, its sign of exaltation, as told in Ramayana. 

But what is noticed is that the same planetary configuration of Rama’s birth day did take place in BC 5114.

Given below is the sky map as per the astrology software that I use.

Moon is in punarvasu in Cancer on 9^th

The nodes have changed from the traditional account. Valmeeki does not mention the position of nodes. Traditionally Ketu is put in the 12^th house (Gemini) in Rama’s horoscope indicating absence if Punar janma. 

Rama's birth date:-

This date must go well with other dates of Rama’s life.

For instance just before the time of proposed coronation, it is deduced that a solar eclipse occurred in the birth star of Dasaratha. His birth star is not noted in Valmeeki Ramayana. But using the inputs given by Dasaratha himself on the kind of planetary affliction to his birth star, it is deduced that his birth star was either Aswini or Revathy. My article on this is pending publication in a magazine and hence I am not writing here the details of how I deduced it. I will upload it in my scribd once it is published.

The year of the proposed coronation was BC 5089. 

This puts Rama;s age at that time at 25 years. Dr Bhatnagar had taken this age at the time of coronation whereas Dr Vartak has taken Rama’s age as 17!

This is the major issue where he differed and therefore his calculation of Rama’s time differed from Dr Bhatnagar’s

Let us see why such a difference in interpretation had crept in.

Looking at the places where the age is mentioned, Kausalya grieves on hearing the aborted coronation saying that she has waited for 17 years since the birth of Rama to see him rule.

She says,

“dasha sapta ca varSaaNi tava jaatasya raaghava |”(2-20-45)

The “jatasya” is literally taken as from the time of birth.

If we assume that Rama was 17 years of age when he was about to be crowned, the question comes when he was married.

At 2 places Sita says that she was happily married for 12 years before the coronation was fixed. She says this first to Ravana who came in disguise to deceive her in Aranya khandam.

uSitvaa dvaa dasha samaaH ikshvaakuuNaam niveshane |
bhu.njaanaa maanuSaan bhogaan sarva kaama samR^iddhinii || 3-47-4

("On residing in the residence of Ikshvaku-s in Ayodhya for twelve years, I was in sumptuosity of all cherishes while relishing all humanly prosperities. [3-47-4])

tatra trayo dashe varSe raaja ama.ntryata prabhuH |
abhiSecayitum raamam sameto raaja man.htribhiH || 3-47-5

("In the thirteenth year the lordly king Dasharatha deliberated together with his imperial ministers to anoint Rama as Crown Prince of Ayodhya. [3-47-5])

Sita gives the age of herself and Rama in clear terms while speaking to Ravana :-

mama bhartaa mahaatejaa vayasaa pa.nca vi.mshakaH || 3-47-10
aSTaa dasha hi var.hSaaNi mama janmani gaNyate |

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

Sita was 18 while Rama was 25 at the time of proposed coronation.

Sita tells the same thing to Hanuman in Sundhara Khandam as follows:-

samaa dvaadasha tatra aham raaghavasya niveshane || 5-33-17
bhunjaanaa maanuShaan bhogaan sarva kaama samR^iddhinii |

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

tataH trayodashe varShe raajyena ikShvaaku nandanam || 5-33-18
abhiShecayitum raajaa sa upaadhyaayaH pracakrame |

("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.")

Thus it is clear that Rama and Sita were married for 12 years before coronation was planned and the age gap between them was 7 years.

Ignoring these details which were clearly told in later chapters, we can not say that Kausalya meant that Rama was 17 years when he was about to be crowned.

If so when was he married. If we deduct 12 years of togetherness of Rama and Sita and a couple, then it comes to 5 years as the age of Rama at the time of marriage. 

But then why did Kausalya make such a statement?

The 'jaatasya' can be about the upanayanam of Rama. There is no exact mention of the time of upanayanam of Rama in Valmeeki Ramayana. It is all mentioned in a single verse in the chapter on Rama's birth (V.R.1-18-24).

Since astrology has been very much part of life in those days, Rama's upanayanam could not have taken place before 8 years.

8 year period is a crucial period because this constitutes 'baalarishta ' period. Baalaarishtam means death before 8 years.

The first 4 years including the period in the womb is influenced by the mother's destiny (according to astrology). The next 4 years by father's destiny. The child's destiny starts to work on it only after 8 years. The harm to the child in the first 8 years is therefore considered to be the effect of parents’ destiny. The child’s own destiny starts controlling the child from 8^th year onwards. Therefore the child is left under complete protection for the first 8 years after which the child is allowed to move out of the mother or home. The age of Uapnayana at that year has been determined on this basis only. 

For Kshariyas, the upanayanam year is the 9^th year. The reason to extent the age  that the child is physically little capable to take up the kshatriya related education of military practice.

For vaishyas, the upanayanam comes later than the kshatriyas as they have to be trained in communication skills etc which are needed for their profession. 

Rama could have had his upanayanam at his 8^th or 9^th year.

Upon upanayanam, the child physically leaves the mother (after maathru bhojanam ceremony before the start of the upanayanam ceremony.)

From then onwards, the child is an individual, taking care of himself.

It is possible to assume that Kausalya meant this. She waited for 17 years for Rama's coronation after Rama had his initiation at the age of 8. This means 8+17=25

The age of Rama at the time of marriage can be known from other sources in Valmeeki Ramayana. 

From Sita’ narration of her and Rama’s age and number of years she spent with him, it is known that Rama was 13 years and Sita was 6 years when they were married. She had spent most of their time in Ayodhya as a little girl.

Looking at corroboratory verses in Ramayana, Dasaratha laments that Rama was not even 16 years when sage Vishwamitra wanted to take Rama to the forest to protect the yajnas.

uuna SoDasha varSo me raamo raajiiva lochanaH |
na yuddha yogyataam asya pashyaami saha raaxasaiH || 1-20-2

("Less than sixteen years of age is my lotus-eyed Rama, and I see no warring aptitude to him with the demons. [1-20-2])

Why the mention of 16?

Again as per astrology 16 is a crucial year.

The life span of man is divided into 3, alpaayusu (below 32), madhyaayusu (between 32 and 72) and dheergayusu (between 72 and 100).

Half of Alpaayusu is 16 years.

By 16 years the child completes his education in Gurukulam and comes back to the father. (The education  may extend upto 24 years)

Here Rama, though a kshathriya by birth, has had vedic teaching (refer Hanuman's description of Rama in sargam 35 of Sundhara khandam) and could have followed the regular learning schedule of a Brahmin.

Dhasharatha might have meant this. Rama was still young not even had crossed the 16 year mark of age which was alpa -alpa ayusu, not even completed his formal education in astra vidya. How could he be expected to battle with rakhshasas?

But the near exact age of Rama at that time can be known from Mareecha’s description to Ravana. Mareecha describes the valour of Rama he encountered at dandaka forests where Rama was brought by Vishwamitra to protect the yajnas.

Mareecha says that Dasaratha told Vishwamitra that Rama was less than 12 years of age.

uuna dvaadasha varSo ayam akR^ita astraH ca raaghavaH || 3-38-6
kaamam tu mama yat sainyam mayaa saha gamiSyati |

( 'This boy Rama is less than twelve years in his age, unproficient in the use of weapons, and if need be, whatever army of mine is there it will march on along with me instead of Rama. [3-38-6b, 7a])

So Rama was 12 or little under 12 when he accompanied Vishwamitra to the forest. It was during those times that he takes part in Sita’ Swayamwar.

He could be 13 when he actually married Sita.

The events must tally with the age of Rama as per astrology. It does for the birth year in BC 5114.

Krishna lived 5000 years ago.

Rama lived 2000 years before Krishna.