The Bonds of Brotherhood

[Guest guest]

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.