9.2. The character of Lakṣmaṇa

Lakṣmaṇa is represented in the play as an abiding younger brother, for whom service to the elder is of foremost consideration.

Lakṣmaṇa obeys the command of the elder brother without demur. So, even today everybody thinks that of a brother like Lakṣmaṇa be there, he would be lucky in this world. Rāma’s relation with Lakṣmaṇa is one of the most interesting ones.

Lakṣmaṇa was sent with Rāma to the hermitage of Viśvāmitra.^[1]

Lakṣmaṇa entertains and manifests the devotion and submissiveness to Rāma for which he considers it as the best way for his spiritual advancement. In the 1^st Act which is known as “Jānakīsvayaṃvara”, Lakṣmaṇa expresses his strengths.^[2] In the 2^nd Act, Lakṣmaṇa is asked by mother Sumitrā to go with Rāma to the forest, thinking Rāma as his father, Sītā as his mother and the forest as his kingdom Ayodhyā.^[3] When Rāma starts for the forest, Lakṣmaṇa follows him as the calf follows his mother.^[4] In the forest Lakṣmaṇa helps Rāma and Sītā in every step. But when Sītā is kidnapped by Rāvaṇa he becomes very unhappy. From the 1^st Act to the 14^th Act Lakṣmaṇa is seen with Rāma. In the 14^th Act, it is found that he had a very unpleasant duty to perform.^[5] To take an innocent lady to the wilderness under the pretext of an excursion to the Ganges and to leave her there in the desolate forest in a helpless condition as a prey to the wild beast and still wilder nature, is a task that would break the heart of any human being. The fact is that the unfortunate lady is no other than the wife of his elder brother, whom he has served loyally and dutifully throughout his life and for whose sake he has suffered untold hardships. True to his vow of obedience to his brother he performs the heartless task entrusted to him.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

teṣāmīsvaratāguṇaiśca januṣā jyāyānabhūdrāghavo
rāmaḥ so’pyatha kauśikena muninā rakṣobhayādyācitaḥ/
rājānaṃ sa yaśodhano narapatih prādātsutaṃ duḥkhita
stasmai so’pi tamanvagādanugataḥ saumitriṇoccairmudā// Hanumannāṭaka, I.6

[2]:

deva! śrīraghunātha! kiṃ bahutayā, dāso’smi te lakṣmaṇo
mervādīnapi bhūdharānna gaṇaye, jīrṇaḥ pinākaḥ kiyān?
tanmamādiśa paśya paśya ca balaṃ bhṛtyasya yatkautukaṃ
prauddhartuṃ pratinā-situṃ pracalituṃ netuṃ nihantuṃ kṣamaḥ// ibid., I.12

[3]:

rāmaṃ daśarathaṃ viddhi māṃ viddhi janakātmajām ayodhyāmatavīṃ biddhi gaccha putra! yathāsukham// ibid., III.18

[4]:

gurorgirā rājyamapāsya tūrṇaṃ vanaṃ jagāmā’tha raghupravīraḥ/
niṣaṅgapṛṣṭhaḥ saracāpahastastaṃ lakṣmaṇo gāmiva bālavatsaḥ// Ibid., III.9

[5]:

vane vimoktuṃ janakasya kanyāṃ śrotuṃ ca tasyāḥ paridevitāni/
sukhena laṅkāsamare hataṃ māmajīvayanmārutirāttavairaḥ// Hanumannāṭaka, XIV. 91