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Ravana was born way before Sri Rama, as per inferences using some texts, he was born 12 or 13 Mahayuga before Sri Rama (born - 24th Treta Yuga).

From this answer, it seems that Ravana was at least 56 million years old when Sri Rama defeated and killed him.


Can we have a rough estimate, if not exact, as to at what age Ravana died?

It'd be preferable if answers can be directly written using the Valmiki Ramayan only, but inferences from other scriptures (besides the one cited already in the question) are also welcome.

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  • I don't think that the answer linked in your question is a valid one. Brahmanda purana can have story of a different kalpa and similarly with other puranas. Like you said in your question , answer should only use Valmiki Ramayanam as reference or else I think it will create confusion or will end in doing wrong calculation if sources are changed in a single answer.
    – LSSJ Broly
    Commented Apr 23, 2022 at 6:48
  • Yes, that's why I want an audit of that answer with proper references from the Original Valmiki Ramyanas preferable. @LSSJBroly
    – Vivikta
    Commented Apr 23, 2022 at 7:49
  • Suddenly I got a doubt. If Ravana lived for so many yugas, I wonder how he was able to live in the Kali yugas coming in between and why didn't the kalki avatar kill him in any of those kaliyugas ?
    – LSSJ Broly
    Commented Apr 30, 2022 at 8:35
  • Kali avatara doesn't happen in every Mahayuga. But other avataras do happen. Maybe a valid question. @LSSJBroly
    – Vivikta
    Commented Apr 30, 2022 at 15:45
  • 1
    I think a similar question has been asked previously here. There's a concept of Kalishtas (people who survive the Kaliyuga and reach the next Mahayuga). @LSSJBroly
    – Vivikta
    Commented Apr 30, 2022 at 16:48

2 Answers 2

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I am not aware of any direct mention of Ravana's age in Valmiki Ramayana but we can roughly calculate it.

In Yuddha Kanda, Ravana himself says that he was cursed by Anaranya:

[Ravana:] "Rama the son of Dasaratha is the man I think of whom Anaranya born of Ikshvaku dynasty formerly spoke, saying: 'O, the worst of demons, the worst of your race and the wretched one! In my race will be born a man who will slay you in battle with your sons, ministers, army, horses and charioteer." ६-६०-८

This is confirmed in UTTARA KANDA too that Ravana killed king Anaranya (born of Ikshvaku dynasty) and Anaranya cursed Ravana just before dying.

Also, Ravana had encounter with king Mandhata (born of Ikshvaku dynasty) as well - Was there an encounter between Ravana and Ikshvaku king Māndhātā?

All of this confirms that there was many generations gap bw Ravana and Lord Rama:

  • 1 Manu -> 2 Ikshvaaku -> 3 Kukshi -> 4 Vikukshi -> 5 Baana -> 6 Anaranya -> 7 Pruthu -> 8 Trishanku -> 9 Dhundumaara -> 10 Yuvanaashva -> 11 Mandhaata -> 12 Susandhi -> 13 Dhruvasandhi -> 14 Bharata -> 15 Asita -> 16 Sagara -> 17 Asamanja -> 18 Amshuman -> 19 Diliipa -> 20 Bhageeratha -> 21 Kakutstha -> 22 Raghu -> 23 Pravriddha (Kalmaashapaada) -> 24 Shankana -> 25 Sudarshana -> 26 Agnivarsna -> 27 Shiigraga -> 28 Maru -> 29 Prashushruka -> 30 Ambariisha -> 31 Nahusha -> 32 Yayaati -> 33 Naabhaaga -> 34 Aja -> 35 Dasharatha -> 36 Rama ~ Baala Kanda: Sarga 70

Few kings like Harischandra and Rohitashva seems to be missing from this list.

It's mentioned in Valmiki Raamayana that most of these kings ruled for many thousand years and some time must have went in tapsya before and after rule. For Dasharatha it's mentioned 60 thousand years from birth.

"That great king Sagara could not get at any resolve in getting Ganga to earth even after a long time, and on ruling kingdom for thirty-thousand years he went to heaven." Thus Vishvamitra continued his narration about the ancestors of Rama. [1-41-26]

On practising ascesis in ascetic-woods for thirty-two thousand years that highly renowned king Amshuman achieved heaven as he acquired only the wealth of practising the ascesis. [1-42-4]

That great-resplendent king Dileepa on his part performed numerous Vedic-rituals, and he ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years - to the delight of each of his subjects, but could not find a way to fetch Ganga. [1-42-8]

Thousands of years have rolled by while Bhageeratha stood practising his severe ascesis, oh, dextrous Rama, and then the lord and master of all beings, namely god Brahma, is well pleased with that great-souled king's ascesis. [1-42-13b, 14]

[Dasharatha] "Sixty thousand years have passed from my birth, oh! Vishvamitra, and this Rama is engendered at this age, that too with tribulations, hence taking Rama with you will be inappropriate of you. [1-20-10b, 11a]

If you consider 30 generations and 50k years average age then only it's 15 million (30 * 50,000) and we are not sure of exact number of lineage and age of each lineage. So Ravana's age would be in million years as per these references.

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    Thanks! So basically, more or less the age is same as that inferred in this answer?
    – Vivikta
    Commented Apr 24, 2022 at 13:06
  • Yes.. it would be in millions only :) @Vivikta
    – YDS
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 8:45
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    Although, I'm still not fully satisfied with the huge age calculations. But, based on logical inferences this seems to be the correct inference. So, keeping the possibility open for the future, (if someone outdoes your answer); for now, I'm accepting your answer! Thanks for taking the time to write it! :)
    – Vivikta
    Commented May 2, 2022 at 11:13
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All these calculations are incorrect. In every treta yuga Sri rama will take avatar. Tgere are only few who survived in next yuga. Here is the explanation. https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/culture/amazing-india/the-facts-about-ram

https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/culture/amazing-india/the-facts-about-ram Rama ruled 11k years. Rama was said to have existed only 7,100 years ago in 5100 BCE. How do we reconcile the two?

This answer comes from the other epic, the Mahabharata. “ahorātraṃ mahārāja tulyaṃ saṃvatsareṃa hi” Mahabharata, verse 3-49-21

Meaning, for a Maharaja, a person who lives in accordance with dharma, a day is equivalent to a year. Taking the year to consist of 360 days and 12 months of 30 days each, 11,000 years in poetic form, gives us 30 years and 6 months as the number of actual years that Rama ruled over Ayodhya Jail Sri Ram

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