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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 'You go back to Ayodhya and be safe. Let my life end here,' told Rama. 'Do not come with me to the jungle; stay here,' was what he told Lakshmana even when they were getting ready to serve the term of exile. Lakshmana was shocked to hear these words, then.
‘eeNdu unakku adiyanEn pizhaithadhu yaadhu, endraan.’ ‘In what way have I wronged you my brother?’ he asked then. 'You sound crueller,' he pleaded then. (See:
My life depends on you) But what we see is a totally different Lakshmana. He is not shocked. He is not surprised. He is not the same old person who used to raise his hood at the fall of a hat.
Remember. This is a serious emergency. Both brothers are caught in the hands of an ogre of unimaginable shape and proportion. They do not have much time to discuss, logically go over things, argue and be focussed to the job at hand. Lakshmana realises his responsibility now. He could have handled the demon himself. But he wants his brother to drop his despondency and push across and be the person that he has always been. If that has to be achieved, he knew very well that the only thing that would appeal to Rama (or anyone who is emotionally disturbed for that matter) to put forth an argument that sounds very close to the one that is closest to the heart of the afflicted person. Lakshmana quickly says,
'I have come with you all the way to the forest and have lived with you all these years. Having come this far, it is my duty to die before you, if at all you have to die.
'idar vandhu mUNdaal munnE aar uyirOdum mudiyaadhe,' If we are confronted by troubles, without giving up my life before you,
'mINdE pOdharkku aam enin nandru en vinai' running away from you (to live in safety) wonderful indeed is my job!
On the next verse, Lakshmana trains the gun on the what Rama considers as his most precious value. Remaining worthy of parents and ancestors.
'than thaai thandhai tham mun enum thanmayar munnE pondraan endraal nInguvadhu andrE pugazh amma!'
You are talking so much about our ancestors and our parents. Would we not cause a serious damage to the good name of our ancestors and parents, if we do not stay and fight now?
'idar thannai vendraar andrO vIrargaL aavaar?' Only he who stays and fights and overcome their problems are warriors in the truest sense. Lakshmana comes closest to the Thirukkural
'idumbaikku idumbai paduppar...' when he tenders the above suggestion to Rama, so very politely. "They give sorrow to sorrow who in sorrow do not suffer sorrow." (Kural 623) That is the essential qualtiy that anyone needs, after all!
 'I have a personal pride to live up to and too,' Lakshmana seems to imply when he says, 'If I return to Ayodhya now without you, what would people speak of me? Would they not say, 'Here goes the fellow who so very grandiloquently delivered long long speeches, vowing loyalty to his brother. They went to the jungle. Sita is missing and Rama did not come back. This fellow, who should have stood by their side in service,
'kaN thuyil koLLaadhu ayal kaathaRkku aanaan,' he who should have stood by their side even without sleeping a wink,
'avar indrith thaanE vandhaan,' he has come back (shamelessly) to the city, without them!' What can be more shameful to me to listen to those words and live?'
'It is not this alone, O Rama, that impels me not to listen to you now. You say that you have a promise of your father to live up to. You say that you have to respect the words of your father and your mother and that is why you gladly accepted the exile. In that case, I have an order from my mother to live up to as well!'
This fellow, who said 'you are my father, you are my mother, you are my teacher and you are my leader,' now says, 'I have an order of my mother (Sumitra) to live up to. Don't push me into a deed that would violate her words!'
More follows...
Published on 29th March 2002
Hari Krishnan
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