His eyes widened in shock as he took in his brother's still, lifeless form. This immobile body could not belong to his brother, he who was never able to stand still in one place for so long.
"Lakshman!" he shouted as he ran to his brother, cradling his head in his arms as tears poured down his cheeks. "Wake up! I order you! Your brother is ordering you to wake up!"
Lakshman had never disobeyed an order before, but for the first time today, he remained unfazed by his brother's shouts.
"Lakshman!" Ram wailed, shaking the blurry image of his brother through tear-stricken eyes. "Wake up, dear one. Do not make your brother weep like this."
"My lord," Sugriva crouched low and put a hand on Ram's shoulder. "Compose yourself, prabhu. It is so painful for us to see you in this condition."
The vaanar sena looked stricken at the outburst of their Lord, who was always so brave and courageous.
"Maharaj Sugriva, it feels as if my soul has been torn away from my body," Ram spoke in a despondent tone. "When Sita was gone, Lakshman was always the rock I could depend on. He was the only one who truly understood my sorrow, for he suffers separation from his own wife. But with Lakshman gone, who can I depend on? Who do I have in this life, who I can call my own?"
"Do not speak like this, Lord," Sugriva wept, wishing he could remove his dear friend's sorrow. "Nothing will happen to Lakshman bhaiyya. He is undefeatable. There is none stronger than he, and I know for a fact that the rakshasas' maya will not be reason for his downfall. Keep heart, my lord. Everything will be fine. We will find a solution to help Lakshman bhaiyya."
"There is no solution, mitra," Ram spoke so quietly, that Sugriva had to strain his ears to listen. "The Shakti is such a weapon, that it has no antidote. Lakshman is gone forever."
"No!" Sugriva shook his head vehemently. "This cannot be, Lord! Please do not say such words. Lakshman bhaiyya is not gone. He cannot be."
Nearby, his nephew Angad stood weeping silently. He had always been the closest vaanar to Lakshman. Both of them had quickly become fast friends, after Lakshman had shown compassion to the young vaanar who was found secretly grieving his dead father.
"I am afraid the Lord is right, Maharaj Sugriva," Vibhishan spoke up in a grim tone nearby, "To this date, I have not known of anyone who survived the effects of the Shakti."
At his words, Ram buried his face in Lakshman's angavastra and wept anew.
Lord Hanuman, however, refused to give way to sorrow. His brow furrowing, he chided Vibhishan for his hopeless words. "Do not say that, Maharaj Vibhishan. There is no power in this universe that can harm Lakshman bhaiyya. Where there is will, there is always a way, and I vow to find the solution to this grave dilemma we are facing."
"There may be a way," Vibhishan hesitated, lest he increase Ram's hopes for nothing. "There is a physician in Lanka, the Raj Vaidya Sushena, who is an expert in the field of Ayurveda. He has cured Lankesh and Indrajit from countless attacks of various weapons from the devtas. Perhaps he would know a solution to cure the Shakti also."
"Simply give me the address of the Raj Vaidya, Maharaj Vibhishan. I will bring him here," Hanuman declared staunchly. He was one made for action, and it delighted him that there was something he could do to alleviate his Lord's grief.
~*~
The vaanar sena exchanged nervous glances as they watched the quiet stance of their Lord, Prabhu Shri Ram. For hours, he had sat in silence, his handsome face drawn with grief and his brother's body held protectively in his lap. What was the Lord thinking? Why did he not say anything?
The arrival of Raj Vaidya Sushena had first brought disappointment, for the physician had refused to treat the enemy of his King, but after entreaties from Ram, he had realized his duty and accepted Lakshman as his patient. However, his diagnosis was so grave, that most in the vaanar sena felt hopeless simply hearing it. Herbs from the divine mountain Sanjeevani were required to revive Lakshman, that too before the sun rose, or else he would succumb to death by dawn.
Lord Hanuman had quickly given hope to the vaanars by declaring that he would bring the necessary herbs. Nothing was impossible for this mighty vaanar, rumored to be a form of Lord Mahadev himself! Lakshman's revival was not a certainty.
Lord Ram did not doubt his greatest devotee. In fact, without Lord Hanuman he would have succumbed to the depths of despair long before. However, he could not prevent his heart from hammering with anxiety at the thought that Hanuman might be late, due to whatever reason. What if the sun rose early? After all, the navagrahas were all prisoners of Ravan, and he might order Lord Surya Narayan to rise early just to bring about Lakshman's death.
"Maharaj Sugriva!" Ram suddenly shouted, his voice cutting through the night air so sharply that everyone felt fear strike their hearts.
"Lord?" Sugriva looked at Ram with shock.
"Bring me my bow and arrows," Ram spoke in a fearful tone, his eyes narrowed in anger as his body shook with fury.
"What for, Lord?" Sugriva gaped at him, wishing Lord Hanuman was there for support.
"I will set siege on Lanka tonight," Ram whispered, his eyes flaring with determination, "A single arrow from me is enough to destroy the entire kingdom and all of its unrighteous people, including its most unrighteous King! Lankesh and his warriors will learn what happens when one chooses to fight on the side of adharma. Never again will an evil man lay hands on another's wife, and never again will his family think to support him! I will show them what happens when my family is threatened. I will avenge Sita's insult, and Lakshman's condition!"
"Please Lord, control yourself," Sugriva whispered hurriedly, falling at Ram's feet with his hands joined in supplication. "You are the Lord of mercy. Your patience knows no bounds. Do not give way to anger like a common human, Prabhu! Please control yourself."
"Prabhu," Vibhishan added, "Keep faith in Bajrangbali. He will return long before dawn with the herbs of the Sanjeevani, and Lakshman bhaiyya will be as good as new."
Ram breathed raggedly, fury still coursing through his veins and his eyes bloodshot with anger. At that moment, he looked like a form of Rudra himself, and the vaanar sena exchanged nervous glances.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the mist, a voice only he could hear.
Calm down, swami. You are scaring your devotees, they who have always been loyal to you.'
It was the voice of his beloved Sita, and immediately a sense of calm descended on him.
Saumitra will be revived, and soon the battle will commence. You will teach the dusht, paapi Ravan a lesson the world will never forget. Keep patience, my lord, and let go of this anger. The reason we have been born on this Earth will be fulfilled soon.'
All the anger drained out of him, and Ram gave his devotees a remorseful glance.
"Forgive me, my friends," he spoke in a voice thick with tears, "In my grief, I forgot myself."
"There is nothing to forgive, Lord," Sugriva reassured his friend, exchanging a relieved glance with Vibhishan and the rest of the vaanars. "Once Lakshman bhaiyya is revived, we will all together fight the rakshasas tomorrow with every drop of strength in our body. Lanka will be left shaken with the force of our attack."
There was a steely determination in his voice that gave hope to the rest of the vaanar sena, all of whom flexed their shoulders in anticipation for tomorrow's battle.
Ram gave them all a wan smile, but he returned his gaze to Lakshman's body and shook him in desperation. "Wake up, Lakshman!" he wailed, "Wake up, my brother. I cannot live without you."
~*~
It was great jubilation that met Lord Hanuman upon his return. The entire vaanar sena was stunned at the sight of the entire mountain which was brought by him, as if it was a plaything.
Raj Vaidya Sushena sat stunned at the success of the great vaanar. Never before in his life had he seen such a feat! In his heart, Lankapati Ravan's defeat was now certain, for it was no human being who challenged him to war. It was the Lord himself, come in a human form, and even his warriors were all divine beings.
As soon as the juices of the Sanjeevani touched the tip of Lakshman's tongue, he opened his eyes and saw great happiness and relief wash over everyone's faces.
Ram's face glowed with warmth and jubilation, and he held Lakshman tightly in his arms, not letting him go for a very long time. Lakshman basked in the glow of his brother's embrace, confused but happy.
"What happened, bhaiyya?" he finally asked him, "Why am I in the camp, and no offense, but why do you all look as if you've been through hell?"
"We have, Lakshman!" Ram chuckled in relief, his tears mixed with his laughter. "We have been through hell and back, but now that you are alright, it is as if heaven itself has descended to Earth."
Everything was explained to Lakshman in quick order, and overcome with emotion, he embraced his brother over and over, before falling at Lord Hanuman's feet in gratitude. Afterwards, he thanked Raj Vaidya Sushena for his treatment, and embraced his good friend Angad who shed tears of happiness at his recovery.
"Never give me such a scare again!" Ram scolded his brother good-naturedly, ruffling his hair. "You have no idea what I felt, seeing you comatose, Lakshman! It was as if my very soul was ripped out of my body."
"I am sorry, bhaiyya," Lakshman hugged his brother reassuringly, "I will never scare you like that again. I am sorry!"
Ram kissed him fondly on the forehead before embracing him again. In his heart, he felt Sita's happiness, she who had known all along Lakshman would be alright, and had calmed him when he had been burning in fury.
His soul was now restored, and it was now time for him to rescue his heart. Without either of them, his life was meaningless.
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