Originally posted by: Chandraketu
On the 11000 year old tradition (actually Valmiki mentions 10000 years), one would have to take that as a metaphorical, rather than as a chronologically accurate literal data point. After all, Valmiki liberally sprinkles that 10000 year number throughout his account of the Uttarkand - even Sita's reign as queen was 10000 years, and after that, Rama again ruled 10000 years.
Besides, if Rama was born in 5114BC and ruled for 10000 or 11000 years, then he'd still be among us - and I mean physically, not just spiritually. So one has to accept that a good deal of what was written was metaphorical.
The timelines of what happened seem to be much briefer:
16 years - Rama kills Taraka, marries Sita. Sita is then 14.
12 years - Rama & Sita live happily in Ayodhya
14 years - Rama, Sita & Lakshman are in exile
12 years - Sita is exiled again, and next 12 years, lives in Valmiki's ashram
After that period, there is the Ashwamedha yagna, Sita passes on to Rasootal and after some years, the rajmatas die. Bharat conquers Gandhara and puts his sons on the throne, Rama & Lakshman conquer Karupathadesh and put Lakshman's sons on the throne, Lakshman gives up his life when Rama is forced to disown him, Rama, after being turned down by Bharat, installs Kush on the throne, and they all return to Vaikuntha.
Anyway, adding the above numbers, looks like Rama was in his mid 50s when he decided to leave the world (maybe older, but not 10000 years; the rajmatas probably died sometime after that). Once Ravan was killed, establishing dharma and making the earth an utopian place to live would have been pretty trivial for an avatar of Narayan.
Kumkum Bhagya
