Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 51: Guha and Lakṣmaṇa Converse at Night
Text 2.51.9
कथं दाशरथौ भूमौ शयाने सह सीतया।
शक्या निद्रा मया लब्धुं जीवितं वा सुखानि वा॥
kathaṁ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā
śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṁ jīvitaṁ vā sukhāni vā
katham = how; dāśarathau = when the son of Daśaratha; bhūmau = on the ground; śayāne = lies; saha = with; sītayā = Sītā; śakyā nidrā mayā labdhum = can I get sleep; jīvitam = consolation; vā = or; sukhāni = comfort; vā = or.
“When the son of Daśaratha lies on the ground with Sītā, how can I get sleep or consolation or comfort?
When Lakṣmaṇa can’t even get sleep, where is the question of consolation or comfort for Him?
NOTE. Lakṣmaṇa is a natural pure devotee of Lord Rāma because all He wants to do is to please Him. Prabhupāda explains this feature of a pure devotional service thus:
Anyone who has no interest but to dedicate his life to the service of the Lord is actually a sannyāsī. Such a person always thinks of himself as an eternal servant, dependent on the supreme will of the Lord. As such, whatever he does, he does it for the benefit of the Lord. Whatever action he performs, he performs it as service to the Lord. He does not give serious attention to the fruitive activities or prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.28)