Birth of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata & Shatrughna

Here is an interesting post I asked about the birth of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, & Shatrughna.  

Here is a tricky question about Ramayana.
Were Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata & Shatrughna born on the same day?#Ramayana

— The Phoenix🐦 (@3011_ajit) September 29, 2023

Before going into the answers, let's be clear that a day in the times of Ramayana used to be based on the lunar movement.

Out of 17 votes, 5 people thought that all four brothers were born on the same day and the remaining 12 people voted that four brothers were not born on the same day. 

And the majority is correct here. So, how can we conclude this?

Valmiki Ramayana is very clear about this. Bala Kanda Sarga 18 discusses the birth of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata & Shatrughna. 

Let's look at the slokas describing the birth of each of the four brothers.

ततो यज्ञे समप्ते तु ऋतूनाङ षट्समत्ययु: ।

ततश्चा द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नवमीके तिथौ ||

Transliteration:

tatō yajñē samāptē tu ṛtūnāṅ ṣaṭsamatyayu:.

tataśca dvādaśē māsē caitrē nāvamikē tithau

Meaning: Six seasons (12 months) passed after the Yagna (Rajasuya & Putrakameshti) and it was Chaitra Suddha Navami.

नक्षत्रे.दितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पंचसु 

ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविन्दुना सह ||

प्रॉद्यमने जगन्नाथं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् 

कौसल्या जनयद्रामं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतं ||

विष्णोरर्धां महाभागं पुत्रमैक्ष्वाकुवर्धनम् 

कौसल्या शुशुभे तेना पुत्रे नमितातेजसा ||

यथ वरेणा देवानामादितिर्वज्रपाणिना

भरतो नमः कैकेय्याङ जज्ने सत्यपराक्रम: ||

साक्षद्विष्णोश्चतुर्भागसर्वसर्विसमुदितो गुणै

अथ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ सुमित्रा.जनयतसुतौ ||

Transliteration:

nakṣatrē.ditidaivatyē svōccasaṅsthēṣu pañcasu.
grahēṣu karkaṭē lagnē vākpatāvindunā saha

prōdyamānē jagannāthaṅ sarvalōkanamaskṛtam.
kausalyā.janayadrāmaṅ sarvalakṣaṇasaṅyutam

viṣṇōrardhaṅ mahābhāgaṅ putramaikṣvākuvardhanam.

kausalyā śuśubhē tēna putrēṇāmitatējasā

yathā varēṇa dēvānāmaditirvajrapāṇinā.

bharatō nāma kaikēyyāṅ jajñē satyaparākrama:

sākṣādviṣṇōścaturbhāgassarvaissamuditō guṇai:

atha lakṣmaṇaśatrughnau sumitrā.janayatsutau

Meaning: When Aditi was the presiding deity Punarvasu star was on the ascendant,  and the five planets Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus, were exalted in their own house in karkata lagna when Brihaspati was in conjunction with the moon, Kausalya gave birth to Rama with all auspicious signs to perpetuate the Ikshvaku race. Kausalya became resplendent with the birth of a glorious son, just like Aditi with her son Indra (Vajra Panini). Then Bharata was born to Kaikeyi with all the pious virtues (Satya parakrama). Then Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born with all the virtues of Sri Maha Vishnu.

The above slokas clearly tell the order of birth as Sri Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana & Shatrughna and the first sloka clearly states that Rama was born on Chaitra Shudda Navami in Karkata lagna and with star Punarvasu.

Now, let's see the stars of Bharata, Lakshmana & Shatrughnu.

वीरौ सर्वास्त्रकुशलौ विष्णोरर्धसमन्वितौ

पुष्ये जातस्तु भरतो मीनालग्ने प्रसन्नाधी ||

सर्पे जातौ च सौमित्री कुलिरे.भ्युदिते रवौ 

राज पुत्र महात्मानाश्चत्वारो जज्निरे पृथक

vīrau sarvāstrakuśalau viṣṇōrardhasamanvitau

puṣyē jātastu bharatō mīnalagnē prasannadhī:

sārpē jātau ca saumitrī kulīrē.bhyuditē ravau.

rājña: putrā mahātmānaścatvārō jajñirē pṛthak

Meaning: With all the virtues of valour, Bharata was born in Meena lagna and Pushyami star. Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born in Karkata lagna and Ashlesha (sarpe jatau).

So, if we see the Nakshatras(stars) in which each of the four brothers was born, Sri Rama was born in Punarvasu, Bharata was born in Pushyami, Lakshmana and Shatrughnu were born in Ashlesha. 

As per our astrological terms, the cycle of 27 stars indicates one full circle of the moon around the Earth. Different stars for each of the four brothers indicate that the moon was not in the same position in relevance to the earth and so we can conclude that each brother was born on subsequent days.

This is very fascinating to me. We were taught that the earlier civilizations on earth were primitive. But as we look at these complex calculations, either in this case or the substantial evidence of the Mayan calendar spanning over centuries it is quite evident that we are clearly disconnected from the past. Hope our future generations can go in the right direction and connect again with the past to make astounding scientific inventions & discoveries.

Jai Shree Ram. 🙏🙏

जय श्रीराम

జై శ్రీరాం