| Lakshmana | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Lakshmana atSrivaikuntanathan Perumal temple | |
| Devanagari | लक्ष्मण |
| Affiliation | Avatar ofShesha |
| Abode | Ayodhya,Vaikuntha,Kshira Sagara |
| Weapon | Bow and Arrow,Dagger |
| Genealogy | |
| Avatar birth | Ayodhya,Kosala (present-dayUttar Pradesh, India) |
| Avatar end | Sarayu river, Ayodhya, Kosala (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Parents |
|
| Siblings | Shatrughna (brother) Rama (half-brother) Bharata (half-brother) |
| Spouse | Urmila |
| Children | Angada Chandraketu[1] |
| Dynasty | Raghuvaṃśa-Suryavaṃśa |
Lakshmana (Sanskrit:लक्ष्मण,lit. 'the one endowed with auspicious signs',IAST:Lakṣmaṇa), also known asLaxmana,Lakhan,Saumitra, andRamanuja, is the younger brother ofRama in the Hindu epicRamayana. He is considered as an incarnation ofShesha, the lord of serpents.[2] Lakshmana was married toUrmila, and is known for his loyalty and dedication towards Rama.[3][4]
Lakshmana was born to KingDasharatha ofAyodhya and QueenSumitra.Shatrughna, is his twin brother. He was married toUrmila, after his brother Rama marriedSita in her swayamvara. Lakshmana devoted himself to Rama since childhood and accompanied him during hisfourteen-year exile, serving him andSita endlessly. He also played a pivotal role in the war and killedMeghanada. Lakshmana is worshipped in Hinduism, at various places inIndia, alongsideRama andSita.[5]
The name Lakshmana is ofSanskrit origin, which means 'the one endowed with auspicious signs'. He bears the epithets of Saumitra (Sanskrit:सौमित्र,lit. 'son of Sumitra',IAST:Saumitra) and Ramanuja (Sanskrit:रामानुज,lit. 'younger brother of Rama',IAST:Rāmānuja).[6]
KingDasharatha ofAyodhya had three wives:Kausalya,Sumitra andKaikeyi. He performed ayajna-Ashwamedha yajna to beget sons and as a result, his queens became pregnant.[7] Lakshmana and his brotherShatrughna were born to Sumitra, whileRama andBharata were born to Kausalya and Kaikeyi respectively.[8]
In thePuranas, Lakshmana is described as an incarnation ofShesha,[9] the multiple-headednaga (serpent) upon whom rests the preserver deityVishnu, whoseavatar Rama is considered to be.[10][11] When sageVishvamitra asked Rama to kill the demons in the forest, Lakshmana accompanied them and went toMithila with them. Vishvamitra gives them the knowledge of theDevastras or celestial weaponry [bala and ati bala], trains them in advanced religion and guides them to kill powerful demons likeTataka,Maricha andSubahu.[12]
After Rama won thesvayamvara ofSita, their marriage was fixed. KingDasharatha arrived in Mithila for his son's wedding and noticed that Lakshmana had feelings forUrmila, but according to tradition, Bharata andMandavi were to marry first.[13][14] King Dasharatha then arranged for Bharata to marry Mandavi and Shatrughna to marryShrutakirti, allowing Lakshmana to marry Urmila. Ultimately, all four sisters married the four brothers, strengthening the alliance between the two kingdoms.[15] The wedding ceremony was conducted under the guidance ofShatananda. During the homeward journey to Ayodhya, another avatar ofVishnu,Parashurama, challenged Rama to combat, on the condition that he was able to string the bow of Vishnu,Sharanga. When Rama obliged him with success, Parashurama acknowledged the former to be a form of Vishnu and departed to perform penance at the mountainMahendra.[16] The wedding entourage then reached Ayodhya, entering the city amid great fanfare.[17]
According toVishwamitra, Urmila and Lakshmana equals each other in "grace and heritage".[18] Urmila and Lakshmana had two sons namedAngada andChandraketu. Urmila is described as being as dedicated to Sita as he was to Rama.[19]
Lakshmana served Rama and Sita reverently during the exile. In Panchavati, Lakshmana also built a hut for Rama and Sita to live in. Lakshmana cut offRavana's sisterSurpanakha's nose in anger when she tried to seduce Rama and insulted Sita. He played an important role in the war withRavana and slew Ravana's sonsIndrajita (Meghanada) andAtikaya.[20]
On the first night of exile, when Rama and Sita were sleeping, the deityNidra appeared before Lakshmana and he requested her to offer him the boon of not sleeping for the fourteen years.[21] The goddess asked him that she could grant his wish, but someone else would have to take his place asleep. Lakshmana asked the goddess to enquire his wifeUrmila regarding this, who happily accepted the task.Urmila slept continuously for the fourteen years of exile, to complete the sleep of her and her husband's share.Urmila is notable for this unparalleled sacrifice, which is calledUrmila Nidra.[22][23]
When Sita asked Rama to fetch a magical golden deer for her, Rama asked Lakshmana to stand guard as he sensed danger and evil. The golden deer was the demonMaricha, who distracted Rama. When Rama killed Maricha, he cried out in Rama's voice for help. Although Lakshmana knew that Rama was invincible and beyond any danger, Sita panicked and frantically ordered Lakshmana to go to Rama's aid immediately. Unable to disobey Sita, Lakshmana drew a perimeter line (Lakshmana Rekha), which Sita must not cross and went in search of Rama. Sita, however, out of compulsion of religious duty and compassion for Ravana, who was disguised as a poorBrahmin, crossed the line to give him alms, following which she was abducted.[24]
Through their search for Sita, Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman, the biggest devotee of Rama, greatest of ape heroes, and an adherent of Sugriva. Rama befriends Sugriva and helps him by killing his elder brother Vali, thus regaining the kingdom of Kiṣkindha, in exchange for helping Rāma to recover Sita. However, Sugriva soon forgets his promise and this enrage Lakshmana, who was ready to destroy the ape citadel.[25]
During the war betweenRama andRavana,Meghanada hurls a powerful weapon at Lakshmana and he is mortally wounded. So Hanumana assumes his gigantic form and flies from Lanka to the Himalayas. Upon reaching mountain, Hanuman is unable to identify the herb, sanjeevani, that will cure Lakshmana and so he decides to bring the entire mountain back to Lanka.[26] Post his recovery, Lakshmana killed Meghanada andAtikaya, who were the sons of Ravana.[27]
After the end of the Lanka war, Rama was crowned King of Kosala, and Bharata became the crown prince. Rama had offered to make Lakshmana the crown prince, but he refused, saying Bharata was elder to him and more deserving of the title. Rama, hearing this, was very pleased and said "O Lakshmana, in this birth, you served me so well and did your duties as a younger brother, so I will do the same in my next birth as your younger brother". Thus, in the next birth, Rama became Krishna and Lakshmana became Balarama, Krishna's elder brother.[28]
Goddess Nidra had told Lakshmana that he would have to go to sleep as soon as the exile ends, so that Urmila could awake. After the exile, Lakshmana went to sleep and Urmila saw the coronation of Rama.
"My brother, I have waited for this grand moment for years and just when I was about to witness my Lord Ram being crowned king, the goddess of sleep, Nidra, reminds me of our agreement and demands that I submit to her this very moment and go to sleep and let Urmila awaken."[29]
Lakshmana was the one who left Sita in the forests near sageValmiki's ashram after she expressed her desire to leave the kingdom. Lakshmana remained loyal to his brother and fought against Rama's sonsLava andKusha later on.[30]
According to theUttara Kanda, Lakshmana had ruled over Karupada with Urmila as the queen; which was inherited by his elder son, Angada; whilst Lakshmana's younger son, Chandraketu had inheritedMallya, with its capital Chandrakanti being commissioned by Rama.[31][32]
SageDurvasa appeared at Rama's doorstep, and seeing Lakshmana guarding the door, demanded an audience with Rama. At the time, Rama was having a private conversation withYama. Before the conversation began, Yama gave Rama strict instructions that their dialogue was to remain confidential, and anyone who entered the room was to be relieved of their life. Rama agreed and entrusted Lakshmana with the duty of guarding his door. When Durvasa made his demand, Lakshmana politely refused. The sage grew angry and threatened to curse all of Ayodhya if Lakshmana did not immediately inform Rama of his arrival.[33]
Lakshmana, in a dilemma, decided it would be better that he alone die to save all of Ayodhya from falling under Durvasa's curse and so interrupted Rama's meeting to inform him of the sage's arrival. Durvasa cursed him that he should go to heaven alive. Rama quickly concluded his meeting with Yama and received the sage with due courtesy. In order to fulfil his brother's promise, Lakshmana went to the banks of the riverSarayu, resolved on giving up the world by drowning himself in the Sarayu. From there, Indra removed Lakshmana from the water and took him alive to heaven.[34]
Lakshmana has been described in theRamayana, as a man with unwavering loyalty, love and commitment to his elder brother, through times of joy and adversity alike. He was also noted for being an obedient son, both to his parents and to his sister-in-law.[35]
Bandhavgarh Fort inMadhya Pradesh (bandhav as brother,garh as fort) was said to have been given by Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch onLanka.[36]
Military officers given the rank equivalent ofadmirals in navies in the Malay Archipelago, includingMalaysia andIndonesia, are titled "Lakshmana" (Jawi script:لقسامان) after the figure. There are five ranks with his name, under General/flag officers.[37]
The Lakshmana-Parashurama dialogue in the Bal Kand of the Ramayana is one of the most famous and profound exchanges in Hindu scriptures. This interaction is not only a story but also a medium for imparting deep philosophical, religious, and social teachings. The dialogue involves three prominent characters – Lord Rama, Lakshmana, and Parashurama, each embodying unique virtues and qualities.[38]
The confrontation begins after Lord Rama breaks Lord Shiva’s bow at Sita's Swayamvara. Parashurama, who holds a deep connection with Lord Shiva and his bow, becomes enraged. His anger is fueled not just by the bow’s breaking, but also by his own sense of pride and superiority in warfare. In this moment, Lord Rama confronts Parashurama with great wisdom, leading to the insightful dialogue that unfolds.
Source:[39]
Upon hearing of the broken bow, Parashurama storms into King Janak’s court in a rage. His anger strikes fear into the hearts of the assembled kings. Demanding the guilty party, he accuses the person who broke Shiva’s bow of being his enemy. Lakshmana, without hesitation, mocks Parashurama's anger, pointing out the absurdity of getting so upset over an old bow. Parashurama’s response is full of pride, recounting his past battles and his self-proclaimed superiority over the Kshatriyas.
Lakshmana continues to taunt Parashurama, claiming that all bows are the same and that breaking an old one is not such a great offense. The conversation escalates as Parashurama, enraged by Lakshmana’s insolence, declares that his axe can destroy anyone who stands in his way. Lakshmana, ever fearless, continues to challenge Parashurama, saying that true bravery is shown through actions, not words.
As Parashurama raises his axe in anger, Lakshmana dismisses it as a mere show of force. The sage’s pride, however, is not easily quelled, and he declares that he is sparing Lakshmana’s life only out of respect for Vishwamitra’s request.
The exchange reaches a turning point when Lord Rama steps in, calming the situation with his characteristic wisdom. He reminds Parashurama of his own virtuous nature and urges him to show mercy to the young Lakshmana. Rama humbly offers to take the blame for the incident, requesting Parashurama to forgive Lakshmana.
Lakshmana is referred to as Vasudeva in the Jain Ramayana. According to the Jain Ramayana, it was Lakshmana who killedRavana, notRama.[40] According to Jain storytelling, Lakshmana had around sixteen thousand wives in which Prithvisundari was his principle consort (in the Hindu epic, he had only one wifeUrmila).[41][42]
Lakshmana is the main protagonist in theGond Ramayani. In this version, that is set post the Lanka war, Lakshmana goes throughagnipravesham and not Sita.[43][44]
The Sanskrit playMahaviracharita byBhavabhuti is based on the early life of Rama. According to the play, Vishwamitra invites Janaka to attend his sacrifice, but he sends his brotherKushadhvaja and daughters Sita and Urmila, as his delegates. This is the place, where Laxman and Urmila meet for the first time. By the end of the act, Kushadhvaja and Vishwamitra decide to marry Sita and Urmila to Rama and Lakshamana.[45]
Although Lakshmana is worshipped with Rama in Rama temples, there are some temples dedicated him, where he is worshipped alongside his wife, Urmila.[46]
Lakshmana's story and his devotion have inspired "painting, film, novels, poems, TV serials and plays". Prominently, he is depicted in all the adaptations ofRamayana.[54]
The following people portrayed Lakshmana in the film adaptation ofRamayana.
The following people portrayed Lakshmana in the television adaptation ofRamayana.
The following plays portrayed Lakshmana's story in the theatre adaptation ofRamayana.
The following novels talks about Lakshmana's life.
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