Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 15: Lakṣmaṇa Constructs an Āśrama for Rāma in Pañcavaṭī
Text 3.15.1
ततः पञ्चवटीं गत्वा नानाव्यालमृगायुताम्।
उवाच भ्रातरं रामः सौमित्रिं दीप्ततेजसम्॥
tataḥ pañcavaṭīṁ gatvā nānā-vyāla-mṛgāyutām
uvāca bhrātaraṁ rāmaḥ saumitriṁ dīpta-tejasam
tataḥ pañcavaṭīm = to Pañcavaṭī; gatvā = having gone; nānā-vyāla-mṛga-āyutām = which was filled with several fierce serpents and beasts; uvāca = spoke [as follows]; bhrātaram = to His brother; rāmaḥ = Rāma; saumitrim = Lakṣmaṇa; dīpta-tejasam = who glowed with prowess.
Having gone to Pañcavaṭī which was filled with several fierce serpents and beasts, Rāma spoke [as follows] to His brother Lakṣmaṇa who glowed with prowess.
In this chapter, the author points out that the servant should only engage in services pleasing to the master.
Saumitrim [literally meaning “son of Sumitrā”] indicates that Lakṣmaṇa was prepared to engage in menial service to Rāma on the order of Sumitrā-devī in accordance with her instructions such as:
rāmaṁ daśarathaṁ viddhi māṁ viddhi janakātmajām
ayodhyām aṭavīṁ viddhi gaccha tāta yathā-sukham
“Consider Rāma to be King Daśaratha. Consider Jānakī to be me. Consider the forest to be Ayodhyā. Go, my child, in full happiness!” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.40.10)
“Who glowed with prowess” indicates that Lakṣmaṇa was satisfied by getting a place which was suitable for Him to render menial services [to Sītā-Rāma].