It is true that many interpolations exist in many Purānas. But it does not mean that the core of the Skanda Purāna was written in the 16th century A.D. When Alberuni visited India along with Mahmud of Ghazni, he, too, had found the existence of all the 18 Mahāpurānas, which included the Skanda Purāna also. Though many Puranas belonged to the pre-Gupta period, the core of most of the Purānas was composed from the Gupta period (4th century onwards) to the end of the first millennium of the Christian era. Interpolations made thereafter are few and far between. Our contention is that the Vrindāvana Sanskrit Manuscript represents the oldest version and it includes everything, the mention of Janma-sthāna, a structure thereon and the exact location of the Janma-sthāna.
In the Badarikā-māhātmya of the Skanda-purāna it is made clear that if a devotee takes bath at the Svargadvāra Ghāt and visits Rāmālaya, i.e. the (natal) house of Rāma, he is blessed with everything. The relevent verses are as follows:
अयोध्यां विधिवद् दृष्ट्वा पुरीं मुक्त्यैकसाधनीम्।
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ताः प्रयान्ति हरिमन्दिरम्।।
विविधविष्णुनिषेवणपूर्वका-
चरितपूजननर्तनकीर्तनाः ।
गृहमपास्य हरेरनुचिन्तना-
ज्जितगृहार्जितमृत्युपराक्रमाः।।
स्वर्गद्वारे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा रामालयं शुचिः।
न तस्य कृत्यं पश्यामि कृतकृत्यो भवेद्यतः।।26।।
(स्कन्दपुराण : वैष्णव खण्ड : बदरिकाश्रम-माहात्म्य : अध्याय १)
People, who visit Ayodhyā, the city which grants salvation, are liberated from all sins and go to the abode of Hari (Hari-mandir). They, who render various services toVishnu and worship him, perform dance, or recite His charita and renounce home, overcome death by meditation on Hari. If a pious person, having bathed at the Svargadvār ghāt, visits the Ramālaya, i.e. the house of Rāma (where he was born?) is blessed with everything.
Nevertheless the established historians have made the following misleading observation:
“The various versions of the Ayodhya-mahatmya seem to have been prepared towards the end of the 18th century or the beginning of the 19th; even as late as that the birthplace was not considered important. It is significant that the Janmasthana is not mentioned in any itinerary of pilgrimage given in the Mãhãtmya.”
Again, these established historians are reminded of the fact that the Vridavan Manuscript existed in the 16th century and therefore their sweeping remarks cited above are devoid of merit. Another observation that even by the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century the birthplace was not considered important indicates their ignorance because it is clearly mentioned – ‘यद् दृष्ट्वा च मनुष्यस्य गर्भवासक्षयो भवेत्’ which means that having seen the birth-site of Rāma a man is liberated from the agony of staying in mother’s womb, i.e. he gets Moksha. In Hindu religion, out of the four ‘purusharthas – Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Moksha, the last is considered the supreme. Even then the established historians claim that the birthplace of Rāma was not considered important.
The oldest Vrindavana Manuscript gives the following location of the Janma-sthāna:
विघ्नेश्वरात् पूर्वभागे- East to the Vighneśvara temple
वासिष्ठाच्चोत्तरे तथा - North to the Vāsishtha (Kunda or āśrama)
लोमशात् पश्चिमे भागे - West to the Lomaśa (temple or āśrama)
जन्मस्थानं ततः स्मृतम्- Janma-sthāna is located
After indicating the above directions, i.e. the Janma-sthāna is situated east to the Vighneśvara (Ganeśa) temple, north to the Vāsishtha (Kunda or āśrama) and west to Lomaśa Rishi’s hermitage, the distance is calculated in the following words: धनुपंचाशतादूर्ध्वं स्थानं वै लोमशात् पश्चिमे, i.e. it is located at a distance of 500 dhanush west of Lomaśa’s (hermitage); विघ्नेश्वरात् सहस्रात्तु, i.e. 1000 dhanush from Vighneśvara (temple) and उन्मत्ताच्च धनुशतम्, i.e. 100 dhanush from Unmatta area.
Dhanush has been defined by ‘ Śabda-Kalpadruma’ and ‘V.S. Apte’s Sanskrit-English Dictionary’.
“It is equal to 4 hastas and 2,000 dhanus is one Krosa, i.e. 2 miles and 1,000 dhanus will be 1 mile, i.e. 1.6km.”
The four historians in their ‘Report to the Nation’ have taken 500 dhanush as 910 metres whereas it should be 800 metre only. Whereas Hans Bakker identifies Lomaśa with Ram Gulela (mutt opposite Amawa Mandir) and states: “Nowadays a matha named Rāmagulelā is believed to represent Lomaśa”; these historians presume thus on their own:
“According to local Hindu belief Laumash or the place of Lomash is identical with the Rinamochan Ghat. On this basis the Rama Janma-bhumi should be located somewhere west in the vicinity of the Brahmakunda close to the bed of the Sarayù.”
When I enquired from the Dharmāchāryas of Ayodhyā, they told me that Lomaśa Āśrama is identical with the Rāma Gulela temple where marker no. 4 was fixed by the British District Magistrate in 1902. It reads: ‘4 लोमश’
When the identification of Lomaśa hermitage with Rinamochana Ghat is without even local belief, how can a judgment be passed? Bakker, who devoted considerable time at Ayodhyā, has reported that it is now identified with the Rāma Gulela Math. Thus, the identification of Lomaśa hermitage with Rinamochana Ghat becomes dubious and passing a judgment on dubious presumption becomes preposterous. Hans Bakker, after making many presumptions on the identification of the places mentioned in the A.M., came to the following conclusion:
“Notwithstanding all the difficulties discussed above the original location of the Janma-sthana temple is comparatively certain since it seems to be attested by the location of the mosque built by Babur, in the building of which materials of a previous Hindu temple were used and are still visible. The mosque is believed by general consensus to occupy the site of the Janma-sthana.”
It will not out of context to mention that after a detailed scrutiny Hans Bakker has concluded his probe in the following words:
“In conclusion we may say that there is evidence for the existence of five Vishnu temples in Ayodhya in the twelfth century. Harismriti (Guptahari) at the Gopratara ghat, (2) Vishnu-hari at the Chakratírtha ghat, (3) Chandrahari on the west side of the Svargadvãra ghats, (4) Dharmahari on east side of the Svargadvãra ghats, (5) a Visnu temple on the janmabhùmi. Three of these temples have been replaced by mosques and one was swept away by the Sarayù. The fate of the fifth is unknown but the site is occupied today by a new Guptahari Chakrahari temple.” (p. 54)
Though we do not agree with the identification of these temples, yet we are of the view that at Ayodhyā at least three temples existed till 1660 A.D. Fuhrer had found an inscription in the debris of Tretā Kā Thākura mosque which had been built by the order of Aurangzeb after demolishing a temple built earlier by Jayachandra in the V.S. 1241, i.e. 1184 A.D. The magnificent Svargadvāra temple, too, was demolished and an impressive mosque was built there by the order of Aurangzeb. There are many sources to confirm this fact. If any group of Muslim marauders had demolished the temple at the Janma-sthāna in Ram Kot in 1528 A.D., there was no reason to leave the magnificent Svargadvāra or Tretānātha temple intact till 1660 A.D. There is every reason to believe that the temple at Janmast
hāna, too, remained intact. The thesis of Hans Bakker that the Chandrahari temple was built by Gahadavāla king Chandra Deva on the eve or immediately after his visit to Ayodhyā in 1092 A.D. is not borne by either the Chandrāvatī copper inscription or any other evidence. The tone and tenor of the inscription about his visit to Ayodhyā and worship of Vāsudeva is similar to his other inscriptions, nay, to any other inscription of any Gahadavāla King. The pattern of worship is similar. In view of the discovery of the Vishnu-hari inscription from the debris on 6th December 1992, it is now established that the Vishnu-hari temple was built by a Sāmanta of Govindachandra at the birthplace of Rāma.
(3) Ayodhyā-māhātmya preserved in Bodleian Library, Oxford
Two manuscripts of Ayodhyā-māhātmaya are available in the Bodleian Library, Oxford vide Codex Chandra Shum Shere collection NO. C 150. It was ably edited and published by the versatile Sanskrit scholar Ramanarayandas of Ayodhyā in 1898 from Lucknow. Hans Bakker has combined them together and named OA recension. This Ayodhyā-māhātmaya gives exact location of the birth-site of Rāma. Prof. Ram Narayan of Barelī College rendered the same version into English in 1875 and it was published in Journal of Asiatic Society, Bengal. Ram Narayan's translation on the location and religious significance of Rāma-janmabhūmi is produced below:
“Then Pãrvati said, “I shall now be glad to hear the advantages of the Kitchen of Jãnaki.” Mahãdeva answered, “O Goddess, listen to its sin-destroying story. Her kitchen is always filled with articles of food; its mere sight accomplishes our wants. Its pilgrimage is performed at all times: no one can fully describe its benefits, but I will do so in a brief manner. The house of one who daily visits it, remains filled with victuals. On seeing it, Parasurãma was released from the crime of destroying the Kshatriyas. A mere visit to it removes sins committed knowingly or unknowingly. It freed Balarãma from the sin of killing Sùt. What more shall I say about it? It is the bestower of all sorts of joy. It is situated north-west of the Birthplace. Forty yards north of the Birthplace lies the house of Kaikeyi, where Bharata was born. Sixty yards south of it is the dwelling of Sumitrã, where Lakshman and Satrughna were born. Their sight releases man from worldly ties, and gives salvation. South-east of the Birthplace is Sìtã Kùpa, which is also called ‘ Jãnakì-kùp.’ Drinking its water renders a man intelligent. Brihaspati, Vasishtha, and Vamadeva drank its water, and attributed to it their dignity and prosperity.” (Chapter X)
Now, the Sanskrit verses from the OA recension arequoted below:
पार्वत्युवाच
महानसस्य वैदेह्याः माहात्म्यं वद मे प्रभो।
यच्छुत्वा देवदेवेश प्रसीदति मनो मम।।
शङकर उवाच
शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पातकनाशिनीम्।
सीतायाः पाकसदनं सदा पूर्णं विराजते।।
तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण करस्थाः सर्वसिद्धयः।
तस्मात् सर्वार्थदा देवि यात्रा स्यात् सर्वकालिकी।।
पाकस्थानस्य माहात्म्यं यः श्रोष्यति नरोत्तमः।
आजन्मसञ्चितात् पापात् स मुक्तो भवति क्षणात्।।
पाकस्थानस्य माहात्म्यं मया स्वल्पं निरूपितम्।
सकलं चास्य माहात्म्यं सम्यक् को वेद सुन्दरि।।
प्रत्यहं पश्यतो गेहे अन्नपूर्णा विराजते।
अत्र क्षत्रवधात् पापाज्जामदग्न्यो विमुक्तवान्।।
ज्ञानाज्ञानकृं पापं तक्षणादेव नश्यति।
अत्र सूतवधात 9 पापाद् बलदेवो विमुक्तवान्।।
देवेशि किं बहूक्तेन श्रेयसां साधनं परम्।
जन्मस्थानाद् वायुकोणे पाकस्थानन्तु कथ्यते।।
जन्मस्थानादुत्तरे तु वर्तते भवनं शृणु।
धनुर्विंशप्रमाणञ्च स्थानं वै लोकपावनम्।।
कैकेयाः भवनं दिव्यं यत्र जातो रघूद्वहः।
भरतो नाम धर्मात्मा गुरुदेवार्चने रतः।।
तस्माद् दक्षिणदिग्भागे वर्तते परमं महत्।
सुमित्राभवनं रम्यं धनुस्शांच्च भामिनि।।
यत्र जातौ महाभागौ तथा शत्रुघ्नलक्ष्मणौ।
स्थानानां दर्शनाद् देवि मुच्यते व्याधिबन्धनात्।।
जन्मस्थानात्तु भो देवि अग्निकोणे विराजते।
सीताकूप इति ख्यातो ज्ञानकूपेति विश्रुतः।।
जलपानं कृं येन तस्य कूपस्य पार्वति।
स ज्ञानवान् भवेल्लोके विबुधानां गुरुर्यथा।।
वशिष्ठवामदेवाभ्यां जलपानं कृं शुभे।
महज्ञानबलं प्राप्य तदा लोके प्रकाशितम्।।
Whereas it is very difficult to determine the exact location of Rāma-janmabhūmi on the basis of the markers given in the Skanda Purāna, because the sites of Vighneśvara, Vasistha and Lomaśa cannot be claimed with authenticity at present. However, this description gives exact details of the Rāma-janmabhūmi, Sītā Rasoi, Sītā Kūpa, Kaikeyī Bhavana and Sumitrā Bhavana. All these buildings and markers were seen by all the pilgrims and visitors until many of them were demolished by kar-sevaks or otherwise. This testimony testifies to the fact that Janma-sthāna was to the south-east of the Sītā Rasoi and there was a Sītā Kūpa to the south-east of Janma-sthāna. Fortunately, the Sītā Kūpa still exists. The location and the distance of the Kaikeyī and Sumitrā palaces were indicated with almost perfect accuracy. The location of other places narrated in this māhātmya also tally with the actual sites.
This manuscript preserved in the Bodleian Library, Oxford was copied in the Vikram year 1895, i.e. 1838 A.D. For getting any manuscript in circulation it takes at least 50 years. Thus, it is clear that this recension was prevalent in the 18th century. Here it is important to note that the dispute on the Rāma-janmabhūmi-Baburi mosque began in 1855 and till then there was harmonious co-existence in the sense that both Hindus and Muslims used to perform their rituals in the same shrine. Therefore, any document before 1855 A.D. will be quite relevant and strong evidence.
(4) Satyopākhyāna
Satyopākhyāna is an ancient text which highlights the importance of Ayodhyā. Fr. Camil Bulcke has included it in the authentic series of Rāmāyana stories in his famous book ‘Rāmakathā: Utpatti aur Vikāsa’. He has assigned its date after the composition of the Adhyātma Rāmāyana.
Satya or Satyā was one of the synonyms of Ayodhyā in ancient times. In Vālmīki Rām
āyana it is mentioned:
तां सत्यनामां दृढतोरणार्गलां
गृहैर्विचित्रैरुपशोभितां शिवाम्।
पुरीमयोध्यां नृसहस्रंकुलां
शशास वै शक्रसमो महीपतिः।।
(Bālakānda, VI. 28)
In that Ayodhyā, which was known by the name of Satya and which was ruled by King Daśaratha like Indra.
Even in the verse 26 the name Satyā for Ayodhyā exists:
सा योजने द्वे च भूयः सत्यनामा प्रकाशते।
यस्यां दशरथो राजा वसञ्जगदपालयत्।।
(Bala. 6. 26)
The unnamed author of the Satyopākhyāna has explained that Satyā was the name of Sītā also.
Therefore, it is named Satyopākhyāna, i.e. the upākhyāna (history) of Satyā or Satya i.e. Ayodhyā or Sītā or Rāma. In this text Rāma-janma-bhūmi has been mentioned several times; e.g.
जन्मस्थानं हि पश्यन्ति स्नात्वा श्रीशरयूजले।
भवद्भिः क्रियतां यात्रा पापनिर्वृत्तिहेतवे।।33.41।।
i.e. They visit Janmasthāna after having taken bath in the water of Sarayū. You, too, should make a pilgrimage for the termination of all sins.
After having taken bath in the Sarayū river and having darśana of Janma-sthāna; devotees of Rāmachandra are liberated from sins:
स्नात्वा च शरयूं दिव्यां जन्मस्थानं ततो गताः।
Ayodhya Revisited Page 48