Within infinite myths lies the Eternal Truth
Who sees it all?
Varuna has but a thousand eyes
Indra, a hundred
And I, only two
Devdutt Pattanaik
5
Lakshman’s Brother
I repeatedly salute that Ramachandra
Who has a very playful body
Who is heroic in the battlefield
Who is the greatest hero in the universe
Who is the garland to the clan of Raghu
Who has a majestic voice And who wins all arguments
I repeatedly salute that Ramachandra
Who appears frightening to the wicked person
Who appears submissive to the good person
Who is near to those who sing about him
Who shines greatly in his clan
Who is the song of the stars in the sky
And who is much beyond words
—From Ramachandra Shatakam that salutes Ram in hundred Sanskrit verses
Loyalty or righteousness
Loyalty or righteousness
Traditionally Indians are advised only to read the Ramayana, not the Mahabharata, inside the house because the Ramayana is the story of brothers doing everything in their power to keep the household united while the Mahabharata is the tale of a household divided over property. The Ramayana has three sets of brothers: those of Ram, those of Ravana and that of Sugriva.
Ram’s brothers are devoted to him. It is said that soon after his birth, Lakshman kept crying until he was placed next to Ram. Since that day he was always beside Ram, accompanying him to protect Vishwamitra’s yagna and following him into exile in the forest. Such was his devotion that he refused to take his wife along with him to the forest. He even refused to sleep for fourteen years so that he could serve his brother day and night. The following story is popular in the Ram-kavyas of Andhra Pradesh.
Urmila’s sleep
Lakshman’s wife wanted to follow her husband to the forest as Sita had followed Ram but he begged her to stay back. On the first night in the forest, Lakshman kept watch while Ram and Sita went to sleep. That is when Nidra, the goddess of sleep, approached him. He begged the goddess to leave him alone for fourteen years so that he could guard his brother and sister-in-law night and day. The goddess, impressed by his act of filial devotion, agreed. But the law of nature demanded that someone bear the burden of Lakshman’s share of sleep. ‘Go to my wife, Urmila, and inform her of the situation,’ said Lakshman. Nidra went to Urmila. Urmila bowed her head and replied, ‘Give me my husband’s share of sleep for fourteen years so that he can stay awake all that time without any fatigue.’ So it came to pass that Urmila slept for fourteen years, night and day while her husband stayed awake in the service of Ram and Sita.
Ram’s other brother, Bharata, is equally devoted to him. He refuses to take advantage of his brother’s misfortune. Instead he submits himself to the same suffering his brother has been subjected to.