Lord Rama Dates

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Letter PAMHO:7054796 (65 lines)

Internet: "Gauranga Das" <gauranga (AT) brihaspati (DOT) net>

 

 

 

Dear members,

 

PAMHO, AGTSP.

 

Some further comments on the age issue:

 

This is from PVR Narasimha:

 

Somehow, you are looking at a wrong verse. The following is the verse

Shyamasundara referred to:

 

uuna SoDasha varSo me raamo raajiiva lochanaH |

na yuddha yogyataam asya pashyaami saha raaxasaiH || 1-20-2

 

The above verse only says that Rama was not even sixteen. Sixteen may have

been

mentioned just as a yard-stick for maturity. The statement does not imply

that

Rama is just short of 16 (i.e. 15 years as interpreted by Shyamasundara). It

only says Rama is not even sixteen.

 

When Mareecha recounts his encounter with Rama while giving advice to

Ravana,

he actually mentions twleve years of age as opposed to sixteen:

 

pratyuvaaca mahaabhaagam vishvaamitram mahaamunim |

uuna dvaadasha varSo ayam akR^ita astraH ca raaghavaH || 3-38-6

 

This verse says Rama was not even twelve at the time.

 

There may be an error in one of the two verses. It is also possible that

both

are right and Rama was not even 12 at the time.

 

Also the Sanskrit from the Skanda Purana:

 

 

Skanda Purana, Brahma Khandam, Dharmaranyakhandam, Chapter 30.

 

Shloka 12

 

Saptavimshatime varshe yauvarajyapradayakam

rajanamatha kaikeyi varadvayamyachata

 

The King (Dasharatha) coronated Rama as the crown prince in his 27th year.

Kaikeyi asked for two varas.

 

Shloka 13

 

tayorekena ramastu sasitaH sahalakshmanaH

jatadharaH pravrajatam varshanniha chaturdasha

 

The first was, that along with Sita and Lakshmana, Rama should spend 14

years of vanavasa as a mendicant (pravrajak) with matted locks.

 

Shloka 14

 

bharatastu dvitiyena yauvarajyadhipohastu me

mantharavachananmrira varametamayachata

 

The second was that Bharat should reign as the Crown Prince. These varas

were claimed largely under the provocation of Manthara.

 

Your servant,

 

Gauranga das

(Text PAMHO:7054796) ------

 

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