Ayodhya's Princess, Chapter 9- 19/9 - Page 14

TWO BODIES, ONE SOUL

The five children looked from on adult to the other. All of them were silent, and didn't say anything. There was a lot of pain from each adult, the children could feel. This story was about to get darker, and more painful.

At Lord Rama's nod, Lakshmana started, "We were going to Panchavati, on the advice of Sage Agastya, who gave Bhaiya His Kodanda bow, earning Bhaiya the name Kodandapani. Additionally, he gave both Bhaiya and I are divine quivers, and me my sword. With those, he adviced us to destroy the evil that is the Rakshasas. And thus, we reached Panchavati. We were living in that happy place, by the river Godavari, when one day.."

Lakshmana went on to narrate the story of Shurpankha.

"But Pa, why did you cut her nose?", asked Somada, confused. "She is a woman. You never hurt women"

"The same was what Ram Bhaiya told Gurudev when he asked Bhaiya to kill Tataka. But Gurudev said that for Dharma, for protecting the world, one should not hesitate to kill a man or a woman. In that way, I protected my Sita Ma, who is like a mother to me. In that second, I was a son", said Lakshmana.

"It makes sense Pa", said Somada, nodding, now in understanding. It wasn't her father's fault then.

"Now comes the tougher part", said Lakshmana. He went on to narrate the battle between Lord Rama and Khar-Dushan in Janasthana, followed by Shurpankha's appeal to Ravana, and the appearance of the golden deer.

"I was apprehensive of the deer", said Lakshmana. "It seemed against Prakriti's creation. But Ram Bhaiya said that somewhere, in some corner of the world, what we hope to see would have happened. That there is nothing that is against Prakriti, till man tries to suppress Prakriti with laws"

"That is why new laws need to be created. Laws which support Prakriti. For until we can live harmoniously with Prakriti, there is no point in living. Trying to suppress Prakriti will result in punishment from Nature Herself, which is never a good thing", said Lord Rama. "Go on, Lakhan"

"Ma Sita wanted the golden deer as a pet", said Lakshmana. "And she somehow persuaded Ram Bhaiya to go fetch it for her. He went, leaving me as a guard for Bhabhi. But my suspicions had been right. That was no golden deer. That was a Rakshasa in that form. When Ram Bhaiya's arrow hit the Rakshasa, he died calling out, Lakshmana! Sitae!', in Ram Bhaiya's voice"

Lakshmana stopped abruptly, not wanting to tell the next part. He turned and looked pleadingly at Hanuman.

Hanuman nodded, and took up the story.

"Mata Sita panicked, and tried telling Lakshman Bhaiya to go and see what happened to Prabhu. But Bhaiya knew that nothing could have happened to Prabhu. Sita Mata also knew, but at that time, it was the wife in her that reacted, rather than the logical woman in her. And Lakshman Bhaiya refused. Undeterred, Sita Ma continued to tell Bhaiya to go, and after Sita Mata finally told him that she herself will go, Bhaiya decided to go, against the orders of his elder brother, for the first time", said Hanuman, explaining the Lakshmana Rekha to the children.

Lakshmana let out a light sob, which only Lord Rama and Urmila heard. He quickly composed himself, and smiled weakly at his brother and wife. They both gave him a look saying that they had to talk to him later.

Hanuman closed his eyes, and opened them, now starting to narrate that led to him meeting his Lord and Bhaiya. He narrated Sita Haran, keeping his eyes on Raghunandan and Lakshmana.

The children were all shocked when they heard about the Haran and the voice the vanars had heard through the sky. Hanuman narrated the story of King Sugriva, and the travels of the two Raghukul brothers. He spoke about their meeting.

"When I met Prabhu, I knew that my Destiny had arrived. My reason for being born had arrived", said Hanuman. "My life is Prabhu's, Prabhu is my Everything"

Hearing Hanuman say that, and look at Him with so much love and devotion, the Lotus eyes of Raghava filled with tears. Every time Hanuman said that, He was moved by the love and devotion Hanuman held for Him.

"Hanuman, I am blessed to have you", said Lord Rama.

"No Prabhu. I am blessed to have you", said Hanuman.

The God-devotee relationship of Hanuman none understood completely. None but Lakshmana and Sita. They understood, for they knew, they saw.

The children, unknowingly, had tears in their eyes. They were so moved by what they saw. They felt a divine glow surround all of them, the glow of God. They felt blessed to be witnessing this event, the event of a loving bond between Lord Narayana's manav avatar, and Lord Shiva's eleventh Rudra, His perspective incarnation.

"Hanuman Bhaiya, the story", said Urmila, gently, indicating the kids.

"Ah yes", said Hanuman, continuing the entire story. How Lord Rama killed Vali, how the vanaras were in search of Sita, how Hanuman found Sita, what he conversed with her about, how he burnt Lanka, and his report to Lord Rama.

"We decided to go for war, and we met Vibhishanji", said Lakshmana, talking about Vibhishana and describing the story of the Ram Sethu, and how it was formed. He then went on to tell how Lord Rama sent Angada as a peace messenger, giving Ravana one last time to redeem himself. But due to Ravana's refusal, they all went to war. Hanuman gave a quick description of the war, skipping out on the anguish of Lord Rama when Lakshmana fell at the battlefield. That was personal, and till the Lord decides to tell the children, he won't.

"Hanuman", said the Lord. "it's okay. I will tell them. Kids, when Lakshmana fell to the ground, my soul shattered. I was beyond anything. Only my body existed, for my life breath did, my heart beat did, my Sita did. But my soul was gone. My Lakshmana was gone. The kind of grief I felt. I didn't have a reason to exist, for Lakshmana is my reason to exist. As Sita always says, we both are two bodies, but one soul. If there is no Lakshmana, there is no Rama"

Raghunandan had tears in His eyes, as did Lakshmana, Bharata and Hanuman. The women were crying, and so were the kids. The entire chamber was filled with silence, except for the occasional hiccupping by the children.

Urmila and Mandavi went to the children, and said, "Children, let's go to your chambers for the rest of the story. The two brothers need to be alone"

Nodding, the children took the blessings of the two brothers, and led by Mandavi, they along with Bharata and Hanuman left the chambers.

The two brothers exchanged looks, and Lord Rama clasped Lakshmana tightly to Him, crying, finally letting all the hurt of the years pour out. All the hurt for Lakshmana getting hurt, for Sita. He let it all out. Lakshmana held his elder brother to him, resolving to stay strong. He could cry later. His Bhaiya, his Raghava Pa was more important.