Thursday 6 June 2024

What was the age of Ravana?

 Jatayu obstructs Ravana, when the latter is abducting Sita. And, he says as follows;

षष्टि वर्ष सहस्राणि जातस्य मम रावण |
पितृ पैतामहम् राज्यम् यथावत् अनुतिष्ठतः || ३-५०-२० "

I have dedicated myself to the kingdom of my fathers and forefathers according to tradition, and sixty thousand years have elapsed since I was born.”

So Jatayu must be of 60,000 years of age at the time of his death.

Jatayu further says as follows;

वृद्धो अहम् त्वम् युवा धन्वी स रथः कवची शरी |
न च अपि आदाय कुशली वैदेहीम् न गमिष्यसि || ३-५०-२१

"You are youngish whereas I am oldish, you are an armoured archer darting arrows from an air-chariot, whereas I am pensile bird in an open sky. Nevertheless, on taking Vaidehi you cannot abscond safely. “

So Ravana must be much younger to Jatayu. Exact age of Ravana was not mentioned in Ramayana.

No comments:

Post a Comment