Note 118 — AYODHYĀKĀNDAM (continued 2)

Here the commentators differ in fixing the age of Rāma at the time of his going to the forest. Rāma's age was under sixteen at the time of marriage, and after he was married to Sica he enjoyed her company for twelve years, when the proposal of installation was made. This makes totally an age of twenty-seven. In the text 'dasa saptacha' (ten and seven) ten years fall short which are to be made up by taking into account the age of ten being left out, preceding Rāma's entering into the second birth which begins at maunji-bandhana or initiation into the mysteries of the Vedic literature. Following the example of Bhashyakara Patanjali, the commentator, Rāmanuju has in the sentence 'dasa saptacha' supplied another (dasa) (ten) by means of ellipsis, thus giving an age of twenty-seven. This, however, contradicts the statement of Sitā to Rāvana in guise of an anchorite, informing him of the age of her husband being twenty-five. A modern annotator with great ingenuity has devised ways to make up this discrepancy. The age of Rāma was under sixteen, when Visvamitra asked his assistance in destroying Tārakā. 'Under sixteen' may mean fifteen or twelve as well. After marriage at twelve, Rāma enjoyed twelve years more the pleasure of home. This giving in total twenty-four, it is to be supposed that when he was exiled he stepped at twenty-five. The text 'dasa saptacha' is correct, considering the age of eight being left out preceding his second birth at the initiation into the mysteries of the Veda.