Putrakameshti - Birth of Rama

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Image source: AI generated by me with ChatGPT.


We all know that Sri Rama Navami is celebrated on the 9th day of the ascending moon of Chaitra Masam in the Hindu calendar. We also know that Rama was born after Dasaratha and his three wives performed the Putrakameshti yagam. So, the question is, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata & Shatrughna were born after how many months/years from the completion of Putrakameshti?

When I asked this question on X, it received 38 votes. 15 people opted for 9 months, 15 others opted for 12 months, 4 people opted immediately, and another 4 opted for 6 months.

I am not surprised, as I saw similar responses for earlier questions on Ramayana. So, what was written in the Valmiki Ramayana about Rama's birth date and the timelines from the Putrakameshti yagna?

In Valmiki Ramayana, Balakanda, Sarga 13,14, 15 & 16 details the performance of Rajasuya yagna and Putrakameshti by Dasaratha and his wives under the guidance of sages Rishyashringa and Vashishta. Sarga 17 describes how different Gods were procreated as different forms of monkeys and bears. (Why only monkeys and bears is for another day).

Sarga 18 starts with King Dasaratha and his wives returning to Ayodhya from yagna vatika after completing the yagna, and giving farewell to Sage Rishyashringa and Vashishta. Then Valmiki goes on explaining the birth of Rama from sloka 8 of Sarga 18 and continues till sloka 11. The slokas go like this.

ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनां षट्समत्ययु:।
ततश्च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ।।1.18.8।।

नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पञ्चसु।
ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविन्दुना सह।।1.18.9।।

प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम्।
कौसल्याऽजनयद्रामं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्।।1.18.10।।

विष्णोरर्धं महाभागं पुत्रमैक्ष्वाकुवर्धनम्।
कौसल्या शुशुभे तेन पुत्रेणामिततेजसा।।1.18.11।।

The timeline was clearly mentioned as 6 seasons and in the 12th month after the yagna, on the ninth day (navami) of Chaitra, when Aditi was ruling the skies, and when five grahas (Ravi, Kuja, Sani, Brihaspati and Sukra) were in their exalted houses, in Karkataka lagna, when Brihaspati was ascending along with moon, Kausalya gave birth to Rama. 

The order of birth of Rama, Bharatha, Lakshmana, and Shatrugna was already shared in my previous article

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