Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 18: The Advent of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and ŚatrughnaText 1.18.30
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 18: The Advent of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna
Text 1.18.30
बाल्यात्प्रभृति सुस्निग्धो लक्ष्मणो लक्ष्मिवर्धनः।
रामस्य लोकरामस्य भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य नित्यशः॥
bālyāt prabhṛti susnigdho lakṣmaṇo lakṣmi-vardhanaḥ
rāmasya loka-rāmasya bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya nityaśaḥ
bālyāt = their childhood; prabhṛti = since; susnigdhaḥ = was very affectionate; lakṣmaṇaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa; lakṣmi-vardhanaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa enhanced the prosperity [of menial service to Rāma]; rāmasya = Rāma; loka-rāmasya = who pleases the whole world; bhrātuḥ = brother; jyeṣṭhasya = to His elder; nityaśaḥ = always.
Since Their childhood, Lakṣmaṇa was always very affectionate to His elder brother Rāma who pleases the whole world. Lakṣmaṇa enhanced the prosperity [of menial service to Rāma].
The sage describes the unique qualities of Lakṣmaṇa in four verses beginning with this. Just as a Tulasī stick is pure since its birth, Lakṣmaṇa was endowed with unbounded bhakti to Lord Rāma since His birth. Even in Their childhood, Lakṣmaṇa would not sleep unless His bed was kept next to Rāma’s bed. His Rāma-dāsya was natural since His birth. Lord Rāma was a pleasure to everyone and therefore His qualities also attracted Lakṣmaṇa’s service.