The Brother Among Brothers
In this discourse, Bhagavan Baba holds the brotherly love and loyalty between Lord Rama and His brother Lakshmana as role models for modern youth.
The ideal of brotherhood depicted in the Ramayana story is without a parallel in any other epic, anywhere in world literature. When, during the battle in Sri Lanka against the hordes of rakshasas (demons), Lakshmana (Rama’s brother) fainted and could not be revived, Rama lamented the calamity, saying, “Alas! Lakshmana is the breath of my breath; a brother like him has never been available for anyone else on earth.” Lakshmana’s life and relations with his brother Rama are shining examples for mankind.
It can be said that Lakshmana is the A in the sacred syllable AUM. Bharata, the other brother is the U. Shatrughna, the third one, is the M. Rama, the eldest, is the full OM (AUM). Rama is the concretization of the Brahmam (the Universal Self) that emanated first as the primeval sound, Om. When Rama and Lakshmana were wading through the jungle after the loss of Sita, the sages who saw them described them as the `Sun and Moon’ as their mien was so majestic and magnificent. They shone with the splendor of courage and determination. When strength of body and steadfastness of mind reinforce each other, one’s mien becomes very attractive. Youth today have neither physical strength nor mental steadfastness. So they appear too old before their time, even while they are in their teens. When the body is weak, the mind, too, becomes weak. You must try to develop physical well‑being and health, because the gem of divinity that is your reality has to be treasured in a strong box, namely the body.
Rama and Lakshmana were even in boyhood, careful about the dress they wore. During the period of their early spiritual apprenticeship, they discarded princely robes even though their father Dasaratha tempted them to wear costly jewels and clothes. They were particular to wear what would be appropriate to the roles they were playing. As exiles in the forest, they wore deerskin and had their hair knotted on top. They argued that dress must be worn for one’s own satisfaction and not to imitate someone else. They refused to be slaves of fashion or convention. They laid down the norms for others.
Heroism was the hallmark for the brothers. They met every obstacle squarely and exhibited the enterprise necessary to meet and overcome opposition. Youth today have to learn this lesson. They quail before the tiniest obstacle and lose heart at the first difficulty they encounter. Like the heroes of the Ramayana, they should bravely march forward regardless of the handicap in secular, moral, or spiritual fields of activity. Of course, when the truth is revealed that there is just one reality in all and that reality is God, then there will be no more room for anger or hatred. You will have to seek and see only the good in everyone. The passion in your eyes will color the vision you see.
Tulsi Das [a spiritual poet], while composing his epic poem Ramacharitamanas, wrote that the flowers in the gardens of Sri Lanka were white. Hanuman, who was present unseen, manifested himself with a face full of dissent and said that they were red, as he had himself seen thus with his own eyes. Tulsi Das refused to amend the adjective; Hanuman insisted that the error be corrected. The matter very nearly approached a scuffle. So Rama Himself had to intervene. He told Hanuman that anger against the rakshasas had reddened his eyes, and so the white flowers appeared red to him!
Lakshmana had a pure heart from his very birth. As he grew up, he was able to overcome the urges of his senses and establish himself as their master. His character was above reproach. He eagerly welcomed any order from Rama and enjoyed fulfilling it to the best of his ability. The first two days of his life, Lakshmana spent in wailing aloud in Sumitra’s [his mother’s] lap! She tried all remedies—magical and ritual. But the baby could not be consoled or persuaded to feed or sleep. She consulted Vasishta, the royal preceptor, and he advised her to lay Lakshmana beside Rama in Kaushalya’s [Rama’s mother’s] palace. She did as directed, and, in the company of Rama Sumitra’s child slept soundly and played most happily. He could not tolerate separation from Rama. His greatest desire was to be in Rama’s presence. He followed Rama like His shadow. He never resided in a place where Rama was not. Rama was all that he wanted, all that he cared for.
When Rama started on His exile to the forest and wore garments of bark, Lakshmana, too, wore similar attire and started out with Him, although the father’s command was only for Rama. For 14 years, he watched over his brother and his wife, guarding them day and night, without any regard for his own comfort, sleep, or food. Tulsi Das pays great tribute to Lakshmana for this devoted service. When Rama returned to Ayodhya after the period of exile, Tulsi Das says the citizens cheered at the sight of the flag on top of the chariot bringing him. But they did not know, he says, that the pole that carried the flag of Rama’s triumph was Lakshmana, the devoted brother. How could the flag fly so splendidly without the dedicated service, undaunted courage, and steadfast loyalty of the brother who gladly shared the travails of exile with Rama?
In the drama enacted by Narayana (one of the Hindu Trinity), where He came down as a nara (man), the brother had a crucial role.Lakshmana laid his life down for the purpose of realizing the mission of the Avatar. He never transgressed the boundary laid down by Rama. When Rama ordered him to raise a fire, into which Sita was advised to jump as part of the fire‑ordeal to prove to the world her chastity, Lakshmana obeyed with a bleeding heart. When Rama ordered him to take Sita out into the forest and leave her there alone and unguarded, Lakshmana obeyed, though his heart was wrung with pain.
There were two occasions when Lakshmana, unfortunately, went against the specific orders of Rama. Once was when Maricha, who had assumed the form of the golden deer, had enticed Rama away from His cottage and when shot by Rama, he cried out, “O Sita, O Lakshmana,” as if Rama himself was calling out for help. Next was when Sita wanted that Lakshmana should go see where the cry came from, though it meant that he would break Rama’s command not to leave Sita alone in the cottage. Lakshmana adamantly refused to leave, as he knew that it was a stratagem of the rakshasa. But Sita imputed motives and used such harsh words that Lakshmana had to disobey Rama and leave the cottage.
The second instance happened toward the end of the avataric [divine] drama. The Gods sent Yama (God of death) himself to Rama, to remind Him that the avataric career can be closed and all the divine participants could return to the heavenly abode. When Yama came into the audience hall, Rama directed Lakshmana to be at the entrance and not allow anyone to enter and interrupt the conversation. He told him to be vigilant, on pain of death. While Lakshmana was keeping watch, the short‑tempered sage Durvasa approached him and demanded entry. He was furious when he was stopped. He threatened that he will lay a terrible curse of destruction on Ayodhya and its inhabitants, and on the entire Raghu clan.
Lakshmana weighed the pros and cons. He concluded that his death would indeed be a lesser calamity than the entire population of Ayodhya being destroyed. So he admitted Durvasa and received the punishment gladly. Lakshmana decided every act of his on the touchstone of either Rama’s wish or the general good. He gave up everything—his wife Urmila, his mother Sumitra, and princely life at Ayodhya—for the chance of serving Rama and furthering His mission. When he killed Indrajit (Ravana’s son and a rakshasa) in battle, Rama embraced him with unbounded joy, and exclaimed, “Ah! Dear Brother! What a great victory you have achieved today. Now I feel I have already secured Sita back.”
Between Rama and Lakshmana, there was never any trace of envy or suspicion. Lakshmana was supremely indifferent to what was happening around him if it did not affect Rama. His greatness is immeasurable. He served Sita for 14 years, every day of the year; but he never once raised his eyes up to her face. His conduct was the height of righteousness. When the bundle of jewels that Sita had thrown down while being abducted by Ravana was retrieved by the vanaras (monkeys) at Rshyamuka Hill, they handed it over to Sugriva (King of the monkeys). Sugriva brought it before Rama and Lakshmana for identification. When Rama asked Lakshmana whether he could identify any of the jewels as belonging to Sita, Lakshmana said that he could vouchsafe for the genuineness of only one jewel, that which Sita wore on her ankles because every day when he fell at her feet, he could see it and so now recognize it as unmistakably hers. Such was the noble character of Rama’s brother.
When Lakshmana was engaged in battle with Indrajit he fell in a faint, and Indrajit wanted to lift him and carry him into Sri Lanka as a hostage. But since he was the incarnation of the cosmic serpent, Sesha, he was tremendously heavy and could not be moved at all. So Indrajit gave up the idea and went away. Meanwhile, Hanuman (a monkey devoted to Rama) arrived there and when he uttered the name ‘Rama, Rama, Rama,’ Lakshmana’s weight was reduced to that of a feather and he could be easily carried to the Divine presence of Rama. Lakshmana was so responsive to the Ramanama. In the presence of that name, even when he was unconscious, Lakshmana’s powers were not demonstrated, nor could they be proudly exhibited. This is a measure of the humility and the heroism of this greatest among brothers.
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, Sept. 1977
