Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 103: Rāma Meets His Mothers and Vasiṣṭha
Text 2.103.6
जघन्यमपि ते पुत्रः कृतवान्न तु गर्हितः।
भ्रातुर्यदर्थसहितं सर्वं तद्विहितं गुणैः॥
jaghanyam api te putraḥ kṛtavān na tu garhitaḥ
bhrātur yad artha-sahitaṁ sarvaṁ tad vihitaṁ guṇaiḥ
jaghanyam = this inferior service; api = though; te = Your; putraḥ = son; kṛtavān = has been performing; na tu = it is not; garhitaḥ = condemned; bhrātuḥ = of His elder brother; yat artha-sahitam = for the purpose of; sarvam = everything; tat vihitam = is prescribed as; guṇaiḥ = being endowed with auspicious features.
Though Your son has been performing this inferior service, it is not condemned. Everything for the purpose of His elder brother is prescribed as being endowed with auspicious features.
Jaghanyam (“inferior service”) indicates that Lakṣmaṇa had brought water and performed other [such menial services].
The second line reveals why [such engagement by Lakṣmaṇa is not condemned]. Service to one’s elder brother is auspicious like service to one’s father for an elder brother is like a father (jyeṣṭha-bhrātā pitṛ-samaḥ).