वर्तते चोत्तमां वृत्तिं लक्ष्मणोऽस्मिन्सदानघः।
दयावान्सर्वभूतेषु लाभस्तस्य महात्मनः॥
vartate cottamāṁ vṛttiṁ lakṣmaṇo ’smin sadānaghaḥ
dayāvān sarva-bhūteṣu lābhas tasya mahātmanaḥ
vartate = is engaged; ca = and; uttamām = in the topmost; vṛttim = service; lakṣmaṇaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa; asmin = of Rāma; sadā = [thus] He is always; anaghaḥ = sinless; dayāvān = and merciful; sarva-bhūteṣu = to all creatures; lābhaḥ = this is a reward; tasya = for that; mahā-ātmanaḥ = great soul Lakṣmaṇa.
1 Lakṣmaṇa’s menial service to Rāma is not just because Sumitrā-devī had instructed Him to honor Rāma like His father King Daśaratha. The Rāmāyaṇa repeatedly points out that Lakṣmaṇa was interested in serving Rāma at all points in time, even from His childhood.
2 This is a reward, not a punishment, for that great soul Lakṣmaṇa.
Va of vartate here is the fifth letter of the gāyatrī.
NOTE. By engaging in the unflinching service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one attains all good qualities such as sinlessness and mercy to all creatures. This is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.12:
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
“All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord’s external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?”