“O Lord of Koshala, even the Earth, who is the mother of the world and respected by everyone, suffers distress in the form of earthquakes.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.10) The earth is so kind… Read More ›
lakshmana
Tolerance
“Vashishta, who is a maharishi and our father’s priest, begot one hundred sons in one day, only to see them slain again in one day.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.9) Any parent who has ever… Read More ›
Nothing Lasts Forever
“My Lord, if, through Your effulgence, You set the entire planet ablaze and put it into a distressful situation, where will the distressed citizens go, O tiger among men, for solace? This [having to deal with temporary setbacks] is certainly… Read More ›
Weathering the Storm
“Tell me, O best of men, which living entities aren’t affected by danger, which is like a fire that catches on and then eventually vanishes?” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.6) One of the more memorable… Read More ›
The Rock
“O Kakutstha, if You are unable to tolerate this distress, then how will the common person or the meager be able to tolerate it?” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.5) Not everyone is born to be… Read More ›
Karma-mukta
“Being attached to Your qualities, the king, as we have heard from Bharata, attained the divine nature due to separation from You.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.4) In the course of our lifetime, we are… Read More ›
Ambrosia
“Like the demigods obtaining ambrosia, King Dasharatha, after performing great austerities and great deeds, obtained You as a son.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.3) Obtaining a direct audience with God is the only way to… Read More ›
Saying Grace
“Then taking the payasa from Indra’s hands, Maithili [Sita], a woman possessing luminous smiles, mentally offered it to her husband, Rama, as well as to Lakshmana.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, Ch 57) Eating prasadam is one of the central practices… Read More ›
Weight of the World
“Born in the family descending from Maharaja Ikshvaku, He [Rama] is highly effulgent and possesses the shoulders of a lion. He, along with His brother Lakshmana, will come and take away your life. If you would have tried to forcibly… Read More ›
A Lion Among Men
“I am faithfully engaged in the service of Rama, who is a lion among men [nrisimham], has a broad chest and powerful arms, who treads the earth like a lion and who is like a lion in prowess.” (Sita Devi… Read More ›