The date of Raama -2

[Guest guest]

SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

That Valmiki Ramayana is a contemporary work which can be relied upon

100% is a basic requirement to arrive at the period by astronomical

dating. That it is so is being made out in the very first chapter of

Ramayana in the verse 1-1-95

ashvamedha shataiH iSTvaa tathaa bahu suva.rNakaiH || 1-1-94gavaam

koTyayutam dattvaa vidvabhyo vidhi puurvakam |asa.nkhyeyam dhanam

dattvaa braahmaNebho mahaayashaaH || 1-1-95

94b, 95a: anvaya/word-order: mahaa+yashaaH= highly, illustrious

[Rama]; ashvamedha+ shataiH= Horse Rituals, hundreds;

bahu+suvarNakaiH= plenteous, gold [rituals, wherein gold is donated];

iSThvaa= on performing; tathaa= like that; gavaam+koTi+ayutam= cows,

in crores [millions,] ten thousand; a+sankhyaayam = not, countable;

dhanam= wealth; braahmaNebhyaH= to Brahmans; vidvabhyaH= to scholars;

vidhi puurvakam = customarily; dattvaa= on donating; [brahma+lokam+

gamishhyati= to Brahma's, abode, he will proceed.]

 

"That highly illustrious Rama, on performing hundreds of Horse-Rituals

and rituals wherein plenteous gold is bounteously donated, like that

millions of cows and uncountable wealth is given to Brahmans and

scholars, [he will proceed to Brahma's abode, in future...] [1-1-94b,

95a]

 

(Comment: By the wording 'highly illustrious...' Govindaraja tells

that 'for a small criticism from a small fellow, Rama deserted his

wife... hence he is illustrious...' Then 'he will go to Brahma's

abode...' a repeated expression, indicates that this epic is composed

during Rama's time as he also gave an ear to it through Kusha and

Lava, so his journey to heaven will happen henceforth from now. This

is an expression in the historical/epical present.)

 

This gives us the assurance that whatever astro-data is found in the

Valmiki Ramayana will be leading us in the right direction.

 

In this context it must be stated that our rishis and scholars in

astrology have none as their equals in sifting a wealth of astro-data

to arrive at accurate results. To give an example, let me quote an

article on “The significance of Vikrama Epoch” published in the

November, 1951 issue of the Astrological magazine, edited by

B.V.Raman. The Vikrama Era, popularly believed to have been started

to commemorate King Vikramadhitya, was in fact initiated to

commemorate a great astronomical event namely, the coincidence of the

moving vernal point, with fundamental origin of the Hindu Zodiac.

 

These are the Three- vikramas (Trivikrama) or three foot steps of

Vishnu (Equator) (Yes, most of our ancient astro- information are

symbolic or allegorical about some puranic or Ithihasic information),

recorded by the Rishis of yore, one being when the celestial equator

passes through the Mula origin point of ecliptic, the second being

when the celestial equator passes through the Magha origin point of

the ecliptic and the third being when the celestial equator passes

through the Ashwini origin point of the ecliptic. This astronomical

phenomenon forms the basis for the Puranic allegory that Vishnu

measures the whole earth by three foot-steps. The coincidence of the

vernal points is a very important event in the annals of Astronomy

and this has been perpetuated by the introduction of the Vikrama era

in 52 B.C. It is interesting to note that the Julian correction was

introduced in Rome 6 years later, in 46 B.C.

 

Every aspect of our life is connected with some divine memory,

symbolized by astro-data. To name the simplest, the ear-marking of

Ashtami and Navami thithis for non- loukIka aspects, (in other words,

for spiritual progress) is only to perpetuate the glory of Krishna and

Raama who were born on those thithis.

 

Coming back to our discussion, periodic correction was done taking

into account the precession of the equinoxes. The rishis had known

that it takes 28,800 years to complete one full circle in the sky by

the rotation of the axis of the earth, (this has been only recently

‘discovered’ by modern science) and that there had been not just one

but 4 pole stars in this 28,800 year period. This means once in 7,200

years, the pole star has changed. This means, Rama and Sita would not

have seen the pole star that we see today, when they could have had

nothing else but the sky full of stars at night to see during their

sojourn in the forests.

 

Very many times in Ramayana, there comes the mention of Dhruva

nakshtra and the story of Dhruva is also found in Srimad Bahgavatham.

This means Dhruva must have attained his abode in the sky before

Ramayana period, but perhaps within 21,600 years in all probability,

assuming Dhruva attained his abode in the beginning of this cycle.

 

A question may be asked here, what if Ramanyana occurred in a

different and a much earlier cycle? It is replied with other Puranic

information.

 

There is on record that Dhruva, since he is able to see the entire

span of life from above, in order to help the suffering and erring

mankind, formulated Dhruva Nadi, which he directly preached to

Jaimini, who passed it on to Garga. From Garga it was communicated to

Vyasa and from Vyasa it came to Satya Kirthi (Sathyachar). Sathyachar

was a renowned astrologer in the court of Vikramadhitya and gave

Sathyachareeyam which is followed till today. The chronology of

events point to the fact that Dhruva had existed in an accountable

age of not a very distant past. As mention of Dhruva as pole star

is found in the Ramayana, Ramayana can be deemed to be later than

Dhruva.

 

Another personality is Kubera. Kubera was the son of sage Visravas, to

whom was born Ravana through Kaikasi. That is, Ravana was the

step-brother of Kubera. Mention comes about Kubera in 1-1-18 & 19 of

Valmiki Ramayana signifying that Rama’s period comes during /or

after Kubera.

("In valour Rama is comparable with Vishnu, and in his looks he is

attractive like full-moon, he equals the earth in his perseverance,

but he is matchable with era-end-fire in his wrath... and in

benevolence he is identical to Kubera, God of Wealth-Management, and

in his candour he is like Dharma itself, [the other God Probity on

earth...] [1-1-18, 19a]”)

 

But from Srimad Bhagavatham, we come to know that the two sons of

Kubera, namely, NaLakUbaran and MaNigreevan were cursed by Sage

Narada to become twin trees, only to be released by the Lord as

Krishna in Krishnavathar. This goes to show that the gap between the

two avathars must have been within reasonable limits, and not in

lakhs of years by which time even the very topography of the region

could have underwent tremendous changes.

 

Another important point to be noted is that the seasons and their

timings described in Valmiki Ramayana are like how it is even till

today in the sub-continent. Such a similarity could not have existed

if the epic had happened lakhs of years ago.

 

This brings us to the question as to how then to account for the Yuga

calculations about which we will see in the next mail.

 

Jayasree saranathan.