Lakshmana is the avatar of Shesha (the thousand headed or multiple headed serpent associated with Lord Vishnu) or the manifestation of Lord Vishnu. He is known as Lakhan, Saumitra, Bharatanuja, Ramanuja and Laxman. His wife is Urmila and Chandraketu and Angada are his children. Sumita his mother and Dasharatha his father bore children including Lakshmana, Rama, Shanta (half-sister), Bharata and Shatrughna (twin brother). In Sanskrit, Lakshmana means ‘the one who has the signs of fortune’. In the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, Rama’s aide is Lakshmana, his younger brother.
Lakshmana was born in Ayodhya. Rama was taken by sage Vishwamitra to kill the demons. Lakshmana gives them company and goes with them to Mithila. Rama and Lakshmana are very attached to each other. While Rama weds Sita, Lakshmana weds Urmila, the younger sister of Sita. On Kaikeyi’s pursuance, Lakshmana leaves his wife Urmila and accompanies Rama for 14 years in exile.
During exile when Surpanakha tries to insult Sita and seduce Rama, Lakshmana cuts off her nose in anger. He builds a hut for Sita and Rama to live, in Panchvati. On one occasion, Sita requests Rama to bring her a golden deer. Rama requests his brother Lakshmana to guard her. Rama is distracted by Maricha the demon (in the guise of the golden deer) but kills him. Maricha cries out in the voice of Rama. Hearing this, Sita in panic sends Lakshmana to Rama’s aid. Lakshmana draws the Lakshmana Rekha (perimeter line) and tells Sita not to cross this line to search Rama.
However Ravana in a poor Brahmin’s disguise comes, abducts her which later leads to the war between Ravana and Rama. Lakshmana kills Ravana’s sons, Atikaya and Indrajit during the war between Ravana and Rama. Lakshmana was angry with Rama when he asked Sita to undergo the test for her purity.
