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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:



The Bonds of Brotherhood 



We saw how deep Sri Rama's feelings were for His beloved brother, so much so 
that Sri Sita regarded her husband to be closer to Sri Lakshmana than to Her. 
What were the factors that prompted in Rama such profound emotions? And what 
was the attitude of the younger brother towards his elder?



To Sri Lakshmana, his elder brother is everything. He is not merely a brother 
whose words are to be obeyed; He is the doting mother, protective father and 
guiding Guru. All other relationships are subordinated by the son of Sumitra to 
the overriding affiliation he has with Sri Rama. He proudly proclaims this at 
every available opportunity. The sort of conviction he displays in regarding 
Rama as the Ultimate Relative, is a role model for all Jeevatmas. Sri 
Tirumangai Mannan obviously paraphrases Sri Lakshmana when he declares, 
"empirAn endai ennudai chuttram enakkarasu ennudai vANAL, ambinAl arakkar 
verukkoLa nerukki avar uyir seguttha em aNNal".



Sri Lakshmana's unflinching devotion to Rama is occasioned not merely because 
He is a blood brother. Nor is it due to the bewitching appearance of Sri Rama, 
which, by itself, is enough to floor even the most stony-hearted of men 
("PumsAm drishti chittha apahAriNam"). Sri Lakshmana is enslaved by the 
glorious guNAs of Sri Raghava, the innumerable auspicious attributes of which 
He is the sole repository ("GuNai: dAsyam upAgata:"), much like the Rishis of 
SvEta dveepa, who are won over by the Lord's kalyANa gunas ("JitantE 
PundarIkAksha!"). Sri Lakshmana takes pride in being an abject slave to his 
elder brother, being at His beck and call at all times of the day, for whatever 
purpose ("aham sarvam karishyAmi jAgrata: svapatascha tE"). The ideal attitude 
the Jeeva should adopt towards the Lord is brought out by Sri Lakshmana's 
declaration that he is after all Sri Rama's property, to be used at Sri Rama's 
discretion- "ParavAn asmi KAkuttsttha..kriyatAm iti mAm vada"



Thus "Kainkaryam" is the cornerstone of Sri Lakshmana's existence. At several 
places, Sri Valmiki attributes riches to Sri Lakshmana-"LakshmaNO Lakshmi 
vardhana:", "LakshmanO Lakshmi sampanna:" etc. We are puzzled. What sort of 
riches can we expect in a person who has willingly forsaken a princely life for 
the severe austerity of the forest? Acharyas tell us that Sri lakshmana was 
endowed with the most magnificent of bounties-"Kainkarya LakshmI". The good 
fortune of being of constant service to the Lord is not something everyone can 
aspire for, and it is with this priceless treasure that Sri lakshmana was 
endowed, in bountiful measure. We must remember here that KaikEyi's order of 
banishment applied only to Sri Rama. And if Sri Janaki too chose to share the 
exile, it is nothing remarkable, for the place of a dutiful wife is by her 
husband's side, whether he is the emperor of the three worlds or a mere pauper 
eking out his livelihood.



It is Sri lakshmana's voluntary offer to accompany his brother to the jungle, 
and his insistence upon its acceptance, that demonstrate his selflessness and 
readiness to forsake the pleasures of the palace and the company of a recently- 
wedded wife, all for the sake of Sri Rama's company and for the opportunity of 
being of service to Him. Sri Lakshmana looks askance at even Paradise and 
immortality, if it meant separation from his idol-

"na dEvalOka AkramaNam na amaratvam aham vruNE

Iysvaryam vApi lOkAnAm kAmayE na tvayA vinA"



Sri Ilaya PerumAl's penchant for kainkaryam is so marked that he even declines 
the coveted position of the Crown Prince, offered to him during Sri Rama's 
Coronation. It is his confirmed opinion that the entrapments of Princely office 
would come in the way of his kainkaryam to Sri Raghava. He demonstrates too 
that all kainkaryam is to be done to the Divine Duo, and not merely to the 
Lord-"bhavAnstu saha VaidEhyA giri sAnushu ramsyatE-aham sarvam karishyAmi 
jAgrata: svapatascha tE"



His deep attachment to his hero makes Lakshmana come across as a person with a 
virulent temper, ready to commit mayhem at the mere suggestion of harm to Sri 
Rama. His uncontainable anger is on full display when he hears of the 
machinations of Kaikeyi aimed at preventing Sri Rama's coronation. He swears to 
Sri Rama that he would annihilate not only the scheming stepmother, but also 
her husband and son, oblivious to the fact that they are his own father and 
brother respectively. Sri Rama restrains him with very great difficulty, 
pointing out that it is the hand of fate that enacts a play through the medium 
of Kaikeyi, who is but an instrument. In the beautiful words of KambanAttAzhwan,



"Nadhiyin pizhai andru narum punal inmai, attrE

Patiyin pizhai andru, payandu namai purandAL

mathiyin pizhai andru, magan pizhai andru

vidhiyin pizhai idarkku ennai nee vegundadu, endrAn"



Another occurrence, which attracts Lakshmana's anger, is Sugriva's failure to 
honour his commitment to search for Sri Vaidehi. Once he becomes the undisputed 
king of Kishkinda, he immerses himself in ceaseless merrymaking, completely 
forgetting his promise to the suffering Sri Rama. Describing Sri Lakshmana's 
virulent anger, Sri Valmiki says,

"Sva tEjO visha sanghAtha: panchAsya iva pannaga:

tam deeptam iva kAlAgnim nAgEndram iva kOpitam"



Burning with anger at Sugriva's ingratitude, Sri Lakshmana resembles a venomous 
five-headed snake, emitting poisonous fumes. With his breath being exhaled fast 
and with fury, Sri lakshmana verily resembles an enraged King Cobra. Here, Sri 
Valmiki's comparison of Sri Lakshmana to a snake is extremely significant and 
is meant to remind the reader that Sri Ramanuja (Lakshmana) is indeed the 
avataram of Sri AdisEsha, the most protective of the Lord's eternal servitors.



It is said that nitya SurIs like Sri Adisesha, Sri Garuda and Sri Vishvaksena 
are "astthAne bhaya shanki"s. Their boundless love for the Lord makes them 
suspect danger to the Supreme Being, even where there is none. Who can harm the 
Parabrahmam?

("BrahmaNA ka: arhati spardhitum?" enquires the Shruti rhetorically, 
discounting drastically the possibility of anyone daring to oppose the Lord). 
Sri Lakshmana's concern for Sri Rama's welfare is so overwhelming that he tends 
to suspect danger lurking everywhere, and is always at the ready in the Lord's 
defence. It is this deep concern for his elder brother's well being that makes 
him suspect the motives of even a dharmAtmA like Shri Bharata, when he comes in 
search of Sri Rama to persuade Him to return to Ayodhya and to accept the Crown.



In a moving display of love and concern, Sri lakshmana never lays down his head 
for sleep during the entire fourteen years Sri Rama spent in exile, and guards 
the Lord with unrelaxing and constant vigil with his bow always at the ready. 
This labour of love has earned him the sobriquet "urangA Villi" (the Archer who 
never sleeps) and stands testimony to his admirable kainkarya ruchi.



One could perhaps go on and on about the unique relationship that subsisted 
between these illustrious sons of Dasarata. Their matchless mutual love and 
affection, their unparalleled concern for each other's well being, their 
complementary and supplementary natures and their identity of thought-all these 
make for an exceptional relationship, the likes of which have never been 
recorded in the history of mankind, nor will ever be. It is futile to compare 
their association with any other, for such comparison can never do justice to 
its avowed objective. Taking a small liberty with Sri Valmiki's words, we can 
only affirm, 

"RAma LakshmanayO: sambandham RAma LakshmanayO: iva".



Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka Sri Narayana Yatindra 
Mahadesikaya nama:

Dasan, Sadagopan.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





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