Rama Holds Lakshmana Through the Half Night and Laments Like a Man
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 61
Doha 61ख · Movement 1 of 2
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Half the night has passed, and Hanuman has not returned. Rama lifts Lakshmana and holds him against his chest. You could never bear to see me sorrowful, brother. For my sake you left father and mother and endured the forest's cold, heat, and wind. Why do you not answer now?
Had I known the forest held separation from you, Rama says, I would not have obeyed even our father's word. Sons, wealth, wives, homes, and families come and go, but a brother born of the same mother is not found again. Without you I am a bird without wings, a serpent without its jewel, an elephant without its trunk.
How can I face Ayodhya or the mother who placed your hand in mine? Rise and counsel me. Tears fall from the lotus eyes of the one who removes sorrow. Shiva tells Uma that the undivided Lord of the Raghus displays the way of mortal grief out of grace for devotees. Infinity does not protect itself from love's anguish. It enters the lament completely.
The undivided Lord holds his brother and lets divine love speak through every helpless word of human grief.
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उहाँ राम लछिमनहिं निहारी। बोले बचन मनुज अनुसारी।। अर्ध राति गइ कपि नहिं आयउ। राम उठाइ अनुज उर लायउ।। सकहु न दुखित देखि मोहि काऊ। बंधु सदा तव मृदुल सुभाऊ।। मम हित लागि तजेहु पितु माता। सहेहु बिपिन हिम आतप बाता।। सो अनुराग कहाँ अब भाई। उठहु न सुनि मम बच बिकलाई।। जौं जनतेउँ बन बंधु बिछोहू। पिता बचन मनतेउँ नहिं ओहू।। सुत बित नारि भवन परिवारा। होहिं जाहिं जग बारहिं बारा।। अस बिचारि जियँ जागहु ताता। मिलइ न जगत सहोदर भ्राता।। जथा पंख बिनु खग अति दीना। मनि बिनु फनि करिबर कर हीना।। अस मम जिवन बंधु बिनु तोही। जौं जड़ दैव जिआवै मोही।। जैहउँ अवध कवन मुहु लाई। नारि हेतु प्रिय भाइ गँवाई।। बरु अपजस सहतेउँ जग माहीं। नारि हानि बिसेष छति नाहीं।। अब अपलोकु सोकु सुत तोरा। सहिहि निठुर कठोर उर मोरा।। निज जननी के एक कुमारा। तात तासु तुम्ह प्रान अधारा।। सौंपेसि मोहि तुम्हहि गहि पानी। सब बिधि सुखद परम हित जानी।। उतरु काह दैहउँ तेहि जाई। उठि किन मोहि सिखावहु भाई।। बहु बिधि सिचत सोच बिमोचन। स्त्रवत सलिल राजिव दल लोचन।। उमा एक अखंड रघुराई। नर गति भगत कृपाल देखाई।।
There, Rama looked upon Lakshmana and spoke words befitting a mortal. Half the night had passed and the monkey had not returned. Rama lifted his younger brother and held him to his chest. You cannot bear to see me in sorrow even once, brother; your nature has always been tender and gentle. For my sake you left father and mother, and endured the forest's cold, heat, and wind. Where is that love now, O brother? Why do you not rise, hearing my anguished words? Had I known that separation from my brother awaited in the forest, I would not have heeded even father's command. Sons, wealth, wives, homes, and families come and go in this world again and again. Reflect on this, dear one, and awaken. A true brother born of the same mother is not found again in this world. As a bird without wings is utterly helpless, a serpent without its crest-jewel, a great elephant without its trunk, so is my life without you, brother, if heartless fate keeps me alive. With what face shall I return to Ayodhya, having lost my dear brother for a woman's sake? I would rather have borne disgrace in all the world; the loss of a wife brings no comparable ruin. Now the reproach of the world, the grief, and the loss of you, my son: all this my pitiless, hard heart must bear. You are the only son of your mother, dear one, and the very breath of her life. She entrusted you to me, placing your hand in mine, knowing you to be the greatest comfort and her highest good. What answer shall I give her when I return? Rise and counsel me, brother! In many ways the reliever of all sorrow wept, tears streaming from his lotus eyes. Uma, the one undivided Lord of the Raghus displayed the ways of mortal beings out of grace toward His devotees.