Laksmana - (Wayang Kulit)

Laksmana - third son of Prabu Dasaratha

Title	Laksmana - () - Ramayana
Other names
Size	45 cm
Personal data	Laksmana is the third son of Prabu Dasaratha, king of the Kosala Kingdom and is the half-brother of Sri Rama, the prince of the Kosala kingdom. Laksmana is the closest brother to Rama when compared to his other brothers. His first brother was Rama, his second brother was named Bharata, and his twin and younger brother was named Satrugna. Laksmana married Dewi Sita's sister Urmila
Appearance	Laksmana is one of the protagonists in the epic Ramayana.
Collection	Private collection

Laksmana - () - Ramayana

According to the Puranas, Lakshmana is the incarnation of Sesa. Sesha is a snake who serves Vishnu and becomes a bed when Vishnu rests in the ocean of milk. Sesha always cared for every avatar of Vishnu and became his loyal companion. In this case, Sesha inherited Laksmana, who later became Vishnu's avatar companion, namely Rama.

The four sons of Dasarata do have a strong bond of brotherhood even though they have different mothers. They love each other. However, Satrugna is closer to Bharata, while Lakshmana is closer to Rama.
When Rishi Wiswamitra asked Rama for help to drive away the Giants in the Dandaka forest, Lakshmana also participated. They both managed to kill many giants and protect the sages. Laksmana always accompanied Rama wherever he went, he was always devoted to his older brother.
When Kekayi, Bharata's mother, took her promise to Dasaratha who asked that Bharata be made the heir to the throne, and banished Rama for 14 years. Lakshmana also followed Rama with Sita, Rama's wife.
When Bharata came after Rama into the forest, Lakshmana was suspicious of his second brother's arrival and prepared to attack. However, Rama, who already knew the purpose of Bharata's arrival, prevented and asked Lakshmana to restrain his lust. Rama then explained that Bharata's arrival was actually to ask him to return to Ayodhya.

During the exile, Lakshmana made a hut for Rama and Sita. When a rekshasi named Surpanaka disturbed them and wanted to injure Sita, Lakshmana immediately acted and his sword injured Surpanaka's nose. Full of shame, Surpanaka ran away and complained to his sisters. Surpanaka is Ravana's younger brother, hearing his younger brother's complaints, Ravana became increasingly angry and wanted revenge against Rama. He then asked Marica for help. Ravana made a plan on how to kidnap Sita.

Marica disguised herself as a golden deer who passed Rama and Sita's hut. Sita was interested in the golden deer and asked Rama to catch it. In fact, Rama and Laksmana knew that the deer was not an ordinary deer, but because of Sita's insistence, Rama finally obeyed his wife's wishes and asked Laksmana to protect Sita in the hut.
Marica's reincarnated deer continued to run into the forest, causing Rama to go deeper into the forest. When Rama shot the golden deer, the animal turned into the rakshasa Marica and groaned loudly, imitating Rama's voice. Sita heard Marica's moans and thought it was Rama. She was worried and asked Laskmana to follow Rama.
Laksmana politely refused his brother-in-law's orders, because he was firm in his duty to protect Sita. However, Sita accused Laksmana of having bad intentions. Hearing Sita's accusations, Lakshmana became offended and was ready to follow Rama, but before that he made a protective line with his arrows so that no evil people would disturb Sita. This protective line is called Laksmana rekha, people who are inside this line will be protected as long as they do not leave this line. Laksmana then went into the forest to catch up with his brother.

After Sita was living alone in the hut, Ravana, disguised as an old brahmin, appeared and asked Sita for water. Sita felt sorry, she wanted to give water to the brahmin who was the incarnation of Ravana. However, Ravana could not reach Sita who was in Laksmana Rekha. He also asked Sita to stretch out her hand. When Sita's hand approached, Ravana immediately grabbed her and dragged her out of the protective line that Laksmana had made.
After learning that Sita had been kidnapped, Rama and Laksmana searched the Dandaka forest to look for Sita. After learning that Ravana had taken Sita to the kingdom of Alengka. Rama and Laksmana , assisted by Vanara troops, attacked the kingdom. In one battle, Lakshmana and Rama and their troops were unable to move because of the Brahmastra weapon released by Indrajit, Ravana's son. Jembawan then ordered Hanumanto bring a medicinal plant called Sanjiwani on Mount Dronagiri, in the Himalayan mountain range between the peaks of Risaba and Kalisasa. Hanoman immediately shot to the place in question without asking what the shape of the plant was. Because he didn't know what the plant looked like, Hanuman cut the mountain and took it to the camp of Rama's troops. When the Sanjiwani plant was applied topically, Rama and Lakshmana and their vanara troops became healed and stronger.

When Indrajit performed a ritual to gain strength, Laksmana came with an army of vanara and destroyed the ritual location. Indrajit was angry and war could not be avoided. Laksmana didn't want his fight with Indrajit to last long, so he immediately released Indrastra's arrow weapon. The weapon severed Indrajit's neck so he died instantly. For his services, Rama praised Lakshmana and the gods and gandarvas dropped flowers from heaven.

After Ravana was successfully defeated, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita along with the Vanara army went to Ayodhya. They are welcomed by Bharata and Kekayi. Rama wanted to give the award of kingship to Lakshmana, but he refused because he felt that Bharata was more deserving than himself. Because Bharata ruled Ayodhya well and wisely while Rama and Lakshmana lived in exile in the forest.

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Blog: Hadisukirno – Yogyakarta - 2011