Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 18: The Advent of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and ŚatrughnaText 1.18.31
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 18: The Advent of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna
Text 1.18.31
सर्वप्रियकरस्तस्य रामस्यापि शरीरतः।
लक्ष्मणो लक्ष्मिसम्पन्नो बहिःप्राण इवापरः॥
sarva-priyakaras tasya rāmasyāpi śarīrataḥ
lakṣmaṇo lakṣmi-sampanno bahiḥ-prāṇa ivāparaḥ
sarva-priyakaraḥ = pleased in every manner; tasya rāmasya = Rāma; api śarīrataḥ = even more than His own body; lakṣmaṇaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa; lakṣmi-sampannaḥ = he was endowed with the prosperity [of service to Rāma, whom He valued]; bahiḥ-prāṇa = and external life-air to Rāma; iva = and was like; aparaḥ = a second.
Lakṣmaṇa pleased Rāma in every manner. He was endowed with the prosperity of service to Rāma, whom He valued even more than His own body, and was like a second and external life-air to Rāma.
[13] rāmasya dakṣiṇo bāhur nityaṁ prāṇo bahiś-caraḥ (Rāmāyaṇa 3.34.13).
Śarīrataḥ indicates that Lakṣmaṇa served Rāma with His body, words and mind. Lakṣmaṇa was dearer to Rāma than His own body. He was Lord Rāma’s right-hand person, as will be stated later.[13] Lakṣmaṇa’s name is derived from the expression lakṣmi-sampannaḥ, “He was endowed with the prosperity (of service to Rāma).”