Rama and Laxman (A Chapter from Valmiki Ramayana)

Rama and Laxman

Laxman saw Rama’s attendant moving in the direction of Dasharatha’s palace.  Laxman ran in haste and intercepted his path.

“Is Rama there in his palace?” he asked the attendant. The attendant bowed and said, “Yes, your highness.” Then picking up courage, he said, “Your highness, my lord needs to be brought back to the way of life that is fit for the prince. You alone can do it. We fail to understand what is driving him to seek solitude. He lives like an exile. Nothing that we do to revive his interest in pleasure satisfies him. We do not understand his language, nor do we understand how we should conduct ourselves to satisfy him; for we fear that whatever we do or say might appear vulgar or distasteful in his eyes. Of late he has started giving away his precious belongings to those around him. We are ashamed to take them, but we can’t refuse for fear of offending him. Something is gnawing at his heart, and we too have lost appetite for the ordinary pleasures of life. We don’t see why life should turn so distasteful for the heir-apparent of Ayodhya.”

The attendant looked at Laxman for a possible answer though he knew that Laxman would not deign to quench the doubts of an attendant. Laxman hurried in the direction of Rama’s palace.

He found Rama alone, sitting in a meditative posture. Laxman could not bear to see his brother brooding in silence. He entered the room roughly without announcing his arrival. Rama noticed him only when he sat at his feet and touched him on the knee. Rama ran his fingers through Laxman’s hair playfully and smiled. Trying to seek him out, Laxman asked, “Are you sad over something?”  

“No, why should I be sad?” asked Rama. “Do you remember,” Laxman asked, “We used to sit on the banks of rivers, on the peaks of mountains, at the feet of massive trees, when we were on our pilgrimage after our studies were over. But you were never alone like this then. We used to be together, talking away, pouring out our hearts over everything that concerned us. Very often we used to be surrounded by nothing but the wilderness of forests, but how happy we were together, sharing every bit of thought and feeling that crossed our mind!”

There was a longing in Rama’s eyes for the days gone by. But he said, “Gone is the simple joy of those days.” He got up and said, “Don’t worry, my brother, I am fine!”

Laxman said, “No, you are not! Otherwise why would you feel sad over the memory of those days?”

After a pause, Laxman asked him again, “Tell me, are you worried over our father’s old age? In fact, I do worry over the growing predominance of queen Kaikeyi over him. So long as he yields to her in the matters of small consequence, it is all right. But I fear, she has far greater things on her mind.”

Rama said, “The matters engaging her mind are of no consequence to me, be they small or great for her. This kingdom needs an heir who will protect it and this dynasty needs an heir who will perpetuate it. Like everyone else she is thinking of these things, because this is the time to think about them. We are all very fortunate these matters can be settled amongst us without bitter disagreements. The peace and welfare of this state is uppermost in my mind. And I am sure that’s the way all of my brothers, including you, think. If required, every one of us is willing to step down in favor of the one who is willing to take the responsibility for the kingdom.”

Laxman watched him as he said this, listening more to the sound of his voice and the feel of it than to the words he spoke. He felt a touch of some abrasive memory from the days of childhood as it were, that he had no knowledge of. It was not a moment for argument to decide the right or the wrong.

Rama was neither sad nor gloomy. He was looking at life squarely in the face. Though Laxman did not find himself in agreement with what Rama said, he could not bring himself to refute the basic stance. He looked at Rama closely. Both of them were going to cross adolescence soon. But Rama carried as it were, the knowledge of another lifetime within him. Though Laxman was not aware of the deeper mysteries of life, he felt vaguely aware of the presence of some unknown power in Rama. He did not know why, but he always felt at peace in Rama’s presence. He was the first to awaken to the untroubled, calm strength that manhood inspired in Rama’s person. It gave him a feeling that he was in the presence of a man whose understanding and insight would seek no other light but the light of truth. Of late, Rama had lost weight. But only those who had seen him in his toddler days could say that. He had broad shoulders and a well-rounded neck. Though of a dark complexion, he made the beholder feel that he was bathing in sunlight. His voice was deep and sonorous. His words carried conviction, and when he made statements, he never felt the need to clarify his meaning. There was always a resolution in his statements which left no space for arguments. And yet there was no arrogance.

Rama tapped Laxman playfully on his shoulder to wake him up from his thoughts. Laxman looked at him freshly. There was no trace of the gravity that had marked Rama’s face a moment ago. The same spark of mischief, with which he used to parry Laxman’s aggressive scrutiny in the days of their childhood, had come back to his eyes again.

Laxman marveled at the volatile expressions Rama could generate with ease. He wondered what was at the core of his brother’s heart. He would have bartered away all that he owned to be like his brother. The family- astrologers had marked that Laxman and his twin brother Shatrughna were born on Ashlesha constellation, which was why they were short-tempered and rash; Rama was born when Punarvasu constellation was on the horizon, which endeared Rama even to his enemies, and as yet, Rama had no enemies outside the family.

Still, Laxman could not bear to see Rama drawing himself away from everyone in the family. Where was he going to end up if this inwardness continued without cess? Laxman did not want to think of it. The only thought uppermost in his mind was that Rama had to be brought back to this world of mundane reality.

Laxman said, “I don’t understand the drift of time, but ever since we came back from the pilgrimage, things have changed; nothing is the same You are living like an exile in the palace; our father is anxious and worried, Kausalya is being subjected to subtle insults by Kaikeyi, and my mother is dumb as ever.”

Rama laughed. Laxman was perturbed. He said, “You may find this situation hilarious, I don’t! The kingdom and the dynasty both will be destroyed if the rightful heir forfeits his claim to the throne. This is not something you can laugh over and dismiss as of no consequence. “

Laxman dragged Rama out of the palace. He was bent upon finding out the secret of his despondency.

When they sat down, Laxman marked him closely. The two brothers had no close friends outside the palace. Besides, now that they had attained adolescence, they were not allowed to mingle with the commoners. Young girls and women vied with each other to have a word with them whenever they stepped out of their private interiors. Laxman enjoyed the game of inviting their attention and then parrying their advances, Rama did not. He shied away at the sight of girls.

“Are you in love?” asked Laxman with an innocent curiosity.

“Stop kidding,” said Rama.

There was a pause. Laxman knew, as usual, he had tried to open the portals of Rama’s heart which were closed even for Laxman. It was Rama’s turn now to stare mischievously at Laxman. Laxman realized that Rama was silently turning the question on him He looked away. Rama patted him on the back and said, “There is plenty of time for us to fall in love. But before that, we have far more important things to do, Laxman.”

Laxman listened eagerly.

“Do you know, Laxman, life outside our father’s state is very unsafe. There is terror in the interiors of forests. Do you remember the hermitages we saw on our pilgrimage? Most of them were situated in forests and on mountains. Those hermitages are guarding our heritage of secret mystic doctrine.  But how defenseless they were against the attacks of the carnivorous tribes of rakshasas ! We are as yet far away and secured against their attacks. But the wealth and prosperity of our cities may lure them any time. We have our armies and forts well-armed. But seeing that our father is old and tired of campaigns, we cannot rest assured always as before.”

Laxman warmed up. The thought of his father languishing for the love of Kaikeyi, sent a wave of anger through his mind.

“I don’t understand what Kaikeyi wants to achieve by sending Shatrughna along with Bharat to her father’s state except that it should deplete our father’s strength!”

Rama said, “We have seen days of friendship and love. We may have to pay a high price if we don’t come out of the nostalgia. Undercurrents of rivalry and suspicion are going to surface in the days ahead.”

Laxman looked at him pensively. Rama pointed to the woods where he used to meet the strange hermit and said, “Do you see that deserted cottage? That was the place which was dearer to me than our father’s palace. If I had continued to meet that strange hermit in that cottage a little longer, I don’t know where I would have been today. But the hermit vanished as mysteriously as he came and I was forced to seek my roots back here in the palace.”

Laxman watched him in silence. It pained him to see Rama giving way to the distress he had accumulated since childhood.

He said, “If you don’t find your roots here, none of us has the right to call this palace our home. This palace, this Ayodhya—they live in you, Rama. Everything will be uprooted if you don’t find your roots here!”

Rama said nothing. Laxman seized his hand impulsively and held it to his heart.

“Promise never to leave me alone in this palace, Rama. With you by my side, I can defeat the whole world; but you gone—and I will be a non-entity here.”

Rama looked at him in astonishment. Laxman was as tall as him, with the same family-resemblance, but fairer. He was strong physically, but still like a lost child without Rama. Rama was overcome by a deep emotion when he saw that Laxman was trying to hide a sign of weakness—his tears! Rama knew how precious those tears were! They were not a sign of weakness, but a veil behind which was hidden a whole world of childhood comradeship. Without any reserve, Rama hugged him close. It was a silent promise that the bond between them was stronger than any other bond in life.