Part 7: Death of Lakṣmaṇa

Knowing that Hanūmat had become a mendicant Raghūdvaha thought: “Why did he abandonn the comfort of wealth and take this wretched initiation?” The Indra of Saudharma knew by clairvoyance this thought of Rāma’s and said in his council: “Indeed, the course of karma is uneven. Rāma, who has his final body, laughs at dharma himself and, on the other hand, praises comfort which consists of sense-objects. Or rather, it is well known that there is a very deep mutual affection between Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the cause of attachment to existence.” From curiosity two gods there went to Lakṣmaṇa’s house in Ayodhyā to test their affection. By using sorcery they suddenly showed Lakṣmaṇa all the women of the household weeping pathetically. “Oh, Padma, lotus-eyed, sun to the lotuses of relatives, what is this sudden death of yours terrifying to the universe?” Seeing the women of the household lamenting in this way, beating their breasts, their hair disheveled, Lakṣmaṇa, sorrowful, said: “Is he, my brother, the life of very life, dead? Has this been done by malignant Kṛtānta by using trickery?” As he was saying this, Saumitri’s life departed with the speech. The ripening of karma is hard to overcome. He remained seated on his lion-throne, leaning against a golden pillar, his eyes protruding, motionless, like an image to be anointed. Seeing Lakṣmaṇa lifeless, the two gods, sorrowful, said to each other, “Alas! what have we done? Why did we kill this man, the support of the universe, alas!” Blaming themselves Very much, they went back to their own heaven.

Seeing Lakṣmaṇa lifeless, the women of the household and their attendants wept, their hair disheveled. Hearing their lamentation, Rāma went there and, ignorant of the calamity, said: “What has happened? While I am alive, my younger brother lives. Some disease affects him. Medicine is the remedy for that.” Saying this, Rāma summoned physicians and astrologers and had repeated use made of charms and spells. At the uselessness of charms and spells Raghūdvaha swooned. Having regained consciousness finally, he lamented in a loud voice. Bibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva, Śatrughna and the others, shedding tears, cried at the top of their voices, “We are killed.” Kauśalyā and the other mothers and their daughters-in-law, weeping, swooned again and again, crying pathetically. Then from the wailing at every street, every house, every market, pure grief resulted, the thief of all other sentiments.