Lakshmana

Lakshmana, also spelled Laxman, is a central figure in the Ramayana, the ancient Indian epic. He is the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Sumitra of Ayodhya and one of Dasharatha’s four sons, along with Rama, Bharata, and Shatrughna. Described as a skilled archer and a steadfast, devoted companion, Lakshmana is traditionally portrayed as Rama’s younger brother and loyal confidant.

During Rama’s fourteen-year exile, Lakshmana accompanies Rama and Sita into the forest, serving as protector and aide. He is famed for the Lakshmana Rekha, a boundary he draws around their dwelling to safeguard Sita from harm. He participates in the search for Sita after her abduction and later fights alongside Rama against Ravana and his demons in Lanka. In the course of the war, Lakshmana is gravely wounded by Indrajit’s weapons and is saved when Hanuman returns with the Sanjeevani herb to restore him.

In many traditions, Lakshmana is married to Urmila, Sita’s sister. He is remembered as a model of fraternal loyalty and service, embodying an ideal of devoted companionship. The character appears across various retellings of the Ramayana, and the episode of the Lakshmana Rekha has entered popular culture as a symbol of protective boundaries and familial duty.