Lakshmana is part of the Mariyada Purshottamm, or The Perfect Man personified by Rama, by his unswerving loyalty, love and commitment to his elder brother through times of joy and adversity alike. He is an invincible warrior committed to virtue and the service of his brother. He never covets the throne of Ayodhya, nor hesitates from joining his brother in exile, even though he does not have to.
He married Princess Urmila the younger daughter of King Seeradhwaj Janak of Mithila (ruler of Videha).She was very beautiful.
She remained a faithful wife for 14 years. It is said that Lakshmana asked her not to shed tears when he left to the forest . She is also referred to as Urmila Devi.
Lakshmana serves Rama and Sita reverently during the exile, building them a home in the forest and devotedly standing guard during the night, and accompanying them on tiring journeys and long passages of lonely forest life without complaint or care for himself.
Lakshmana is revered for his absolute devotion to Rama. His performance of his duties as a younger brother is considered to be a sacrifice and superiority of character as such duties are especially hard to do in adverse conditions. Lakshmana’s life symbolizes the duties of a man to his elders and superiors, and how greatly valued is seflessness in a man’s character. While he is generally considered to be rather short-tempered when compared to Rama, Lakshmana is also considered an important element of Mariyada Purushottama, displaying great courage and presence of mind when Rama becomes distraught, angry and desperate over the loss of Sita ‘ in an uncharacteristic display of desperation, a furious and almost hopeless Rama, not knowing of Sita’s fate or whereabouts, is suddenly about to fire a weapon capable of bringing vast devastation of life; Lakshmana stops Rama, calms him down, explains to him that the world is not responsible for their separation from Sita, and consoles and encourages his righteous brother, while giving him support and strength to keep looking for her.
When Sita’s jewels were given back by Sugriva to Rama, Rama lamented Sita’s absence, remembering the jewels she used to wear. Lakshamana then gave Sita’s toe-ring to Rama in order to aid his grief. What was implied is that he has never looked beyond the toe of Sita. As a great respect to the discipline followed by Lakshmana, the great Tamil poet Kamban made the statement on his character that “a great person never looks desiringly upon another’s wife.”
Shurpanakha is one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. Indeed, Valmiki comes close to claiming that if there had been no Kaikeyi and no Surpanakha, then there would have been no Ramayana and no war with Ravana. In fact, Surpanakha was the arrow that set in motion the chain of events leading directly to the destruction of Ravana. Soorpanaka, therefore, like Kaikeyi before her, often gets the blame from Hindus as being the evil genius behind, and the sole cause of the Ramayana war.
According to the Valmiki Ramayana,she met the exiled Rama, the young Prince of Ayodhya, and was immediately smitten by his youthful good looks. Rama, however, spurned her advances, telling her that he was devoted to his wife, Sita, and that he would never take another wife. Rama then slyly suggested that she approach his younger brother, Lakshmana, with her proposition. Lakshmana reacted in a similar manner, deriding Surpanakha and telling her that she was not what he desired in a wife. Realizing eventually that the brothers were making fun of her, the humiliated and jealous Surpanakha attacked Sita but was thwarted by Lakshmana, who cut off her nose and sent her back to Lanka. Indrajit was the son of the Lankan king Ravana.
Fierce battle ensued, and unable to injure Lakshmana by normal means, Indrajit resorted to the use of the three Supreme Weapons (Brahmastra, Pashupatastra, and Vaishnavastra) on Lakshmana. To Indrajit’s great shock and dismay, each of the three weapons refused to even touch Lakshmana, with the Vaishnavastra circumambulating Lakshmana before disappearing. Realization dawned on Indrajit that Lakshmana was no ordinary human as he and his father had perceived. Indrajit vanished briefly from the battlefield, returning to Ravana at the royal palace, and reported the developments, proposing that his father make peace with Rama and protect the demon race from further decimation. Ravana, blinded with pride, was unrelenting and annoyed, and even suggested that Indrajit was a coward having fled the battlefield. This accusation provoked Indrajit who briefly lost his temper, striking fear even at the mighty Ravana’s heart before apologising and clarifying to his father that his primary duty as a son was to serve his father’s best interests, and that even in the face of death, he’d never abandon Ravana. Preparing to go back on the battle and knowing that he indeed faced death at the hands of a heavenly incarnation, Indrajit bade his last goodbyes to his parents and his wife. He returned to the battlefield and fiercely fought Lakshmana with all his skill at both warfare, and sorcery. Lakshmana was unstoppable, and slew Indrajit by beheading him with the Aindrastra (verses 71 and 72 chapter 90 Yudhkanda Valmiki Ramayana).
The verse invoked by Lakshmana to slay Indrajit is considered by the devout as one of the moola mantras of the Ramayana: dharmaatmaa satyasandhashcha raamo daasharathiryadi | pauruShe chaapratidvandvastadenaM jahi raavaNim || 90-6-71
“[O! my dear arrow!] If Rama, the son of Dasaratha, is ever firm on the staying the path of Dharma and Satya, and is second to none in his prowess, go forth and destroy this Indrajit.”
:Princess Urmila and Prince Lakshman had two sons, Angad and Chandraketu who ruled Angdiya and Chandrakanta,two parts of Karupathdesh. Chandraketu was a master in wrestling and also called by title’Mall’.According to some folktales,they also have a daughter Somada.
LAKSHMAN STUTI
-BY TULSIDAS
Dandak
Laal laadile lakhan, hit haau janke |
sumire sankathaaree, sakal sumangalkaaree,
paalak kripaalu apne panke ||1||
dharnee-dharanhaar bhanjan-bhuvanbhaar,
avtaar saahsee sahasphanke ||
satyasangh satyabrat, param dharamrat,
nirmal karam bachan aru manke ||2||
roopke nidhaan, dhanu-baan paani,
toon kati, mahabeer bidit, jitaaiyaa bade ranke ||
sevak-sukh-daayak, sabal, sab laayak,
gaayak jaankeenaath gunganke ||3||
bhaavte bharatke, sumitra-seetaake dulaare,
chaatak chatur raam syaam ghanke ||
ballabh urmilaake, sulabh snehbas,
dhanee dhan tulseese nirdhanke ||4||
O lovable darling Lakhan ji! You are a well-wisher of bhaktas.The instant one does your smarana or meditates upon you, you get rid of the dire misfortunes which befall us. You do all splendid actions for our well-being, keep your promise and are merciful towards the needy.||1||
You are the one who lifts the earth, annihilates the burden of the world, are very brave and an incarnation of Shesh Naag (name of a thousand-headed snake, regarded as the symbol of eternity, on which Visnu sleeps throughout periods of dissolution of the world). You are true to your promise and religious vow, and extremely fond of righteousness. Having a lovingly tender mind, you keep your word and do your karmas (nobly perform your duties) ||2||
Reservoirs of Beauty, Shri Ram & Lakshman with Bows & Arrows
You are a reservoir of beauty, hold the bow and arrow in your hands with a quiver bound around your waist. You are a heroic warrior, renowned the world over ! And you inevitably triumph in several great battles. You grant joy to those who serve you, are very powerful, are gifted in every possible manner and ardently sing the glories of Lord Ram, the husband of Janaki (Sita)||3||
You are loved by Bharat ji (your brother) and very dear to Sumitra (mother of Lakshman), and Sita ji.
And being an alert chaatak (the pied cuckoo or papiha supposed to live only on rain-drops esp those falling in the autumn asterism of savan ) of the dark-hued cloud of Shri Ram, you are the husband of Urmila ji.
Easily attainable by love, you are very magnanimous in granting the wealth of religious devotion for Lord Ram to a pauper like Tulsi.
Actually Alan bhaiya posted it in comment
Area so thought of sharing it as a separate article…