Lakshmaṇa Vaikuṇṭha Gamana

In the Lava Kuśa Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Lakshmaṇa leaves the earth. Three events lead to it. Yama (Kāla) comes to Ayodhyā in disguise with Brahmā’s message that the avatāra’s purpose is complete. Durvāsa Maharshi threatens to lay a śāpa (curse) on the whole kingdom, and Lakshmaṇa breaks the privacy of Rāma’s meeting to admit him. Rāma is then torn between his oath, that whoever overheard the meeting would die, and his great love for his brother. Lakshmaṇa settles it himself. He cannot live apart from Rāma, so he gives up his body at the Sarayū by yoga. Ādiśesha, of whom he was an avatāra, returns to Vaikuṇṭha.

Brahmā’s message and Yama’s visit

Brahmā had kept it secret that Rāma’s avatāra was coming to its end. The time had now come. He sent Nārada to call Yama Dharmarāja and told him to go to Ayodhyā himself. He was to tell Rāma that the purpose of the avatāra was fulfilled and the time to return to Vaikuṇṭha had come.

Yama came to Ayodhyā disguised as a muniśvara (a lord among munis). Lakshmaṇa greeted him at the palace door with great respect and took him to Rāma. The disguised Yama asked Rāma for a completely private talk, with one hard condition: whoever overheard their words, even Brahmā or Maheśvara, would be made to die by his word. Rāma accepted the condition gravely, knowing what it meant.

Rāma then called Lakshmaṇa and made him doorkeeper. The order was clear: no one was to come in, whatever the reason. If anyone entered without leave, Rāma himself would have to bring about that person’s death.

The private talk

When they were alone, the muniśvara told Rāma who he really was. “O Sarvajña, I am Kāla (Yama), come in disguise. Brahmā sent me to you. Your work in the bhū-loka is complete. The time has come to end the avatāra and return to your own svadhāma (own abode).” They then spoke in private about what had to be settled before the mahāprasthāna (the great departure).

Durvāsa’s demand

While Rāma and the disguised Yama were talking, Durvāsa Maharshi came to the palace gate and demanded to be let in at once to see Rāma. He had kept a long fast and said his vrata (vow) was ending. He wished to break his fast only after seeing Rāma and taking food from his hands, and he could not wait even a moment.

Lakshmaṇa received him with full respect. He explained that Rāma was in a completely private meeting and no one could be admitted. Durvāsa was well known for his impatience, and he flared up at once. He said: “If you do not let me in this instant, I will lay a śāpa on you, on your line and on the whole city of Ayodhyā. I will burn all of it to ash in a moment.”

Lakshmaṇa was caught between two kinds of ruin. If he let Durvāsa in and broke the meeting, Rāma’s oath said that the one who overheard must die, and that one would be himself. If he refused, the śāpa would fall on the whole kingdom, the royal line and the people. The good of thousands weighed against his own life.

Lakshmaṇa chose at once. His own life was a small price for the safety of the kingdom and the people. He went in.

Lakshmaṇa’s interruption and its result

Lakshmaṇa went into the meeting room and told Rāma that Durvāsa had come. Rāma came out at once, received Durvāsa with the highest honour, had the finest food made ready, satisfied the muni and sent him off with respect.

But as soon as Durvāsa had gone, a heavy weight settled on Rāma. He remembered his oath, spoken openly and with full authority. The one who had entered and overheard was his brother, his companion from birth, who had never been apart from him through the whole avatāra. Rāma sank into grief.

He called Bharata and Śatrughna, who came running in alarm. He then sent for Vasishṭha and told him the whole matter. Vasishṭha listened carefully and gave his ruling by dharma. In the śāstras, visarjana (banishment) is equal to vadha (killing). If Rāma banished Lakshmaṇa, the oath would be kept.

Lakshmaṇa’s decision

Rāma, Bharata and Śatrughna were all in grief. Lakshmaṇa’s own eyes were wet. Then Lakshmaṇa steadied himself and spoke quietly and firmly:

“Shall I live apart from my master and enjoy comfort? It is better to give up life than to be parted from my elder brother.”

He decided not to wait for banishment but to give up his life of his own will. He paid his respects to Rāma. He bowed down and walked around him, with the same devotion he had shown through the whole avatāra. He bowed to Vasishṭha and touched his feet in reverence. He bowed to Bharata and Śatrughna. Then he walked straight towards the Sarayū.

The departure by yoga

Kaṭi prāmaṇa jala madhyamēṃ kīnhēvu dhyāna akhaṇḍa।
Yogayatna kari rāmakahi phōḍyo nija brahmāṇḍa॥

In the verse, Lakshmaṇa stands waist-deep in the water, fixed in unbroken meditation. By the effort of yoga, calling out “Rāma”, he breaks open his own brahmāṇḍa.

Lakshmaṇa entered the Sarayū and stood waist-deep in its water. He performed ācamana (the ritual sipping of water). He then entered unbroken dhyāna (meditation), whole and without a ripple. By the focused effort of yoga he spoke the name “Rāma”. In that one word, with the power of all his yogic discipline, he pierced his own brahmarandhra (the opening at the crown of the head) and sent his jīva (life spirit) upward.

Lakshmaṇa was an avatāra of Ādiśesha, the eternal serpent of endless hoods on whom Bhagavān Vishṇu rests in Vaikuṇṭha. Ādiśesha’s partial descent as Lakshmaṇa had done its work in the Rāmāvatāra. Now the quarter part (chaturthāṃśa) that had lived as Lakshmaṇa was drawn back. Ādiśesha returned to Vaikuṇṭha.

Rāma’s grief

When the news of Lakshmaṇa’s departure reached Rāma, he was overcome by grief that he called unbearable. He went to Bharata and said: “Saumitri has left me. He was merciless. He went without me. My dear companion is gone. I cannot stay even a moment without my Saumitri. I am going to follow him.” He gave Bharata charge of the kingdom and told him to call the princes at once.

Sources

• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Lava Kuśa Kāṇḍa, Chapter 14 (Chaturāsyuni Sandeśamu)
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Lava Kuśa Kāṇḍa, Chapter 15 (Lakshmaṇuḍu Vaikuṃṭhamu Cherukonuṭa)