Ramayana vignettes: Loyal Lakshmana, unsung hero of Ramayana

Poorvam Ramatapo vanaadi gamanam hatwa mrigam kaanchanam
Vaidehee haranam, Jadayu maranam Sugriva sambhashanam
Vaali nirgraham samudra thranam Lanka puri daahanam
Paschaat Ravana Kumbhakarna nidhanam Ethaddhi Ramayanam

(In the beginning Rama went to forest. then the golden deer was killed by him. Thereafter Vaidehi (Sita) was kidnapped by Ravana. And death of Jadayu followed. Then followed the pact with Sugriva, king of monkeys. Vaali was slain and the great ocean was crossed. Burning of Lanka followed. Finally Ravana and Kumbhakarna were killed by Rama. This is the gist of Ramayana).   

This one sloka sum up Ramayana in a nutshell. But the message of Ramayana is much more than what this story tells. It is but the indoctrination of observance, of truth, of dharma (righteousness) that a model human being has to follow in his life.n God Narayana has incarnated in this world to demonstrate the right way of living.

An outstanding character in Ramayana is the unsung Lakshmana, whose loyalty to elder brother Rama is absolute. He was the shadow of Lord Rama. The moment Rama decides to go to the forest, deeming it his honour to carry out his father Dasaratha’s vow, Lakshmana doesn’t have an iota of hesitation to announce that he will accompany Rama and stay with him for 14 years, forsaking wife Urmila and all royal luxuries.

Bharata is shattered as he learns that his mother Kaikeyi had asked Rama to go to the forest for 14 years and that he be crowned as yuvaraj. He immediately decides to trek to the forest and seek the pardon of his elder brother Rama for the vicious act of his mother. He decides to beg Rama to return to Ayodhya, to take the reins, his right, as King Dasaratha passes away as soon as Lord Rama embarks on his forest sojourn.

As Bharata approaches his brother’s place in the forest with a huge army, Lakshmana thinks Bharata, after getting the throne, has come to eliminate Rama. He takes his bow to attack Bharata. But Rama orders him to drop the bow, which he does reluctantly.

Then, Bharata, prostrating at the feet of Rama and taking Ramapaduka to Ayodhya is another aspect of this epic. When Mareecha as golden deer enchants Rama, draws him afar and mimicking Rama’s voice calls for help from Lakshmana as if Rama is in trouble, Lakshmana sees through Mareecha’s trick and continues his duty of guarding Sita. But Sita taunts him and accuses him of wishing to see Rama dead so that he can take his brother’s wife forever. Loyalty questioned, he feels deeply hurt and reluctantly proceeds to find Rama.

Sita with design rather conviction makes this accusation, fully aware of Laskhmana’s unflinching loyalty so that he will proceed to help Rama in distress. Lakshmana stands totally by Rama to win the war with Ravana. Thus Llakshmana is a faithful character whose loyalty to his elder brother, King Rama, is absolute.

(Author, a retired PWD executive engineer, teaches Vedas)