Lakshmana

Quick Facts

About Lakshmana

Son of Sumitra and Rama's inseparable brother, who followed him into the Dandaka forest and did much of the hard practical work of the war that followed. In Markandeya's telling to the exiled Pandavas he steadies Rama at the lake of Pampa when grief has undone him, is sent in anger to Kishkindha to hold Sugriva to his oath when the monkey king forgets it, and on the field before Lanka he bores Kumbhakarna through, cuts away arms that keep doubling, and rives the giant at last with the Brahma weapon.

In Their Words

Rise, brother. Grief is not a plan, and she is not yet lost.

Lakshmana

Traits

• devoted
• hot-tempered
• steady
• formidable

Story Appearances

• The Arrow From Behind the TreeThe brother who steadied Rama at Pampa❧ 16 min
• The Bird With the Burnt WingsSent to remind Sugriva of his oath❧ 16 min
• The Sleeper WokenSlayer of Kumbhakarna❧ 16 min

Stories Featuring Lakshmana

10 further tales on this site name Lakshmana, in canonical reading order.

• The Court of Sages at the Dvaita LakeAn exile that filled up with brahmanas instead of soldiersVana Parva ‧ 17 min
• The Grove of Ashoka TreesA captive refuses, and a rakshasi tells her dreamVana Parva ‧ 16 min
• The Testimony of the ElementsWhat Rama said when she was brought back to himVana Parva ‧ 16 min
• The Friend of DasarathaA vulture fights Ravana in the sky, and a headless Rakshasa points the way to SugrivaVana Parva ‧ 14 min
• Nala's BridgeThe Ocean refuses to part and names a workman instead, and the monkey army walks to LankaVana Parva ‧ 17 min
• The Word Brought to HastinapuraSanjaya rides through the night with the news of KarnaKarna Parva ‧ 21 min
• The Last Words of DuryodhanaBroken-thighed on the field, the Kuru king laments his dead, sends his last words home, and names a general with a dying man's hand.Shalya Parva ‧ 15 min
• The Queens Who Came a Long WayWhat the Kuru quarrel cost the kingdoms that were only alliesStri Parva ‧ 17 min
• The Count of the DeadKrishna's blunt answer, and a king who could see where they had goneStri Parva ‧ 16 min
• Gandhari Shows Krishna the FieldWith the sight Vyasa gave her, the blindfolded queen walks Krishna through the dead of KurukshetraStri Parva ‧ 21 min

Character Arc

1. 1PampaHolds his brother together when the search has come to nothing
2. 2KishkindhaGoes in anger to hold a king to his given word
3. 3The GiantCuts down Kumbhakarna with the Brahma weapon

Key Relationships

• Brother➝Rama
• Sister-in-law➝Sita
• Father➝Dasaratha
• Slain by him➝Kumbhakarna

Places in Lakshmana's Story

Drawn from the stories Lakshmana appears in.

• Hastinapurहस्तिनापुर
• Kurukshetraकुरुक्षेत्र
• Kambojaकम्बोज
• Madraमद्र
• Magadhaमगध
• Kosalaकोसल
• Avantiअवन्ति
• Sindhu Kingdomसिंधु
• Sauviraसौवीर
• Kalingaकलिंग
• Chediचेदि
• Pragjyotishaप्राग्ज्योतिष

Related Characters

Others counted among the Sages & Others.

• ✦Sage Kanva
• ◎Eklavya
• ★Shukracharya
• ♛Vrishaparva
• ♛Yadu
• ✧Princess Amba