Sleeping Beauty

Everyone knows about Ramayan, In there each doing his bit to take the story forward and all of them are acknowledged for their contribution. The sacrifice of Sita and Ram’s siblings has been the subject of endless debates. Amidst this entire glorification, one woman’s selflessness goes almost unnoticed by the epic author. That of Urmila, Lakshman's wife.

This story is about Our Sleeping Beauty

The story starts when Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, was exiled to the forest for 14 years as per the wishes of Kaikeyi, his father’s youngest queen. Sita, his wife, insisted that she wants to accompany him to the forest.

Sita said, “A woman’s place is with her husband and I shall go wherever you go. Please do not stop me. If it’s your duty to follow the orders of your father, it is mine to follow you to the ends of the earth.” The young princess was stubborn and Ram had no choice but to let her have her way.

As for Lakshman, his younger brother, there was no question that he would let his brother go into exile on his own. From their days in the cradle, they were always together, so much so if baby Lakshman was placed anywhere other than near his brother Ram, he would cry and cry until he was beside him again!

“Dear Ram, you know you have no choice but to let me come with you. All I want to do is to take care of you and Devi Sita,” said Lakshman when his brother tried to dissuade him. “Can you ever remember a time when we were apart?” Rama had no answer to that.

*******

Lakshman was married to Urmila, Sita’s younger sister. He hurried to her chambers to break the news to her. Gently, Lakshman, gently, he told himself. He knew that Urmila was a lively princess too. Of course, he was being unfair to her.

Urmila had heard from her sister that she was accompanying her husband and when Lakshman announced that he was going too, she was least perturbed. “Oh, we must go with them...” she began cheerfully, her beautiful eyes lighting up at the thought them all going off into the great unknown.

“Not we, Urmila, just me,” said Lakshman gently. “You must stay behind and take care of our old parents, when we are away.”

“But a wife’s place is beside her husband. Isn’t sister Sita going? She has told me herself. If you

are going, I come too.” Urmila was beginning to get annoyed with her husband.

“I know you are right, dear Urmila. It is just that if I were to take you along, it would be a huge responsibility for me. The forest is a dangerous place with evil asuras and wild animals lurking in unknown corners. I will need all my wits about me to focus on protecting my dear brother and his wife. Please understand and make this sacrifice for me.” Lakshman knew he was being unfair but his life was dedicated to his brother. Urmila knew that too.

As the night fall they embrace each other with great affection.

“Are you sure you are leaving me?” She asked with a twinkling teardrop in her left eye.

“I am afraid, I am…. I have to leave you!” He said looking away, trying to hide his breaking voice.

“Can’t I come with you?”

“You know why…” He looked at the sunrise. The whole night they haven’t slept, cherishing their last moments together. When the dawn hit the sky and he finished his morning rituals, it was time to say their final goodbye. Urmila held him, breaking down into tears. She had been holding her heart. ‘I will come through.’ she kept fooling herself. But now she knew how weak the heart really is! Her tight embrace and soft sobs melted her man who believed he was strong. Laxman smelt her hair. The fragrance of her body, her soft touches… He was going to miss her.

Drums rolled. The call of duty broke his heart. It was the moment of separation. Laxman gently soothed her head. It took his entire determination to walk off that room. Urmila stood stiff, seeing her husband’s shadow moving away, afar and afar…

The princess tearfully and bid adieu to her husband.

Ram, Sita and Lakshman left for their exile. When night fell and the entire world was asleep, Lakshman stayed awake watching over his beloved brother and his wife.

The day Laxman left, Urmila held her tears on her cheek. It is said she held those tears for 14 years.

One night as he sat outside his brother’s dwelling, a luminous form appeared before him. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw before him a resplendent goddess. She smiled at him. “How are you going to do this, Lakshman?” asked the goddess

“Do what?” Lakshman was puzzled for he knew not who she was and what she was getting at. “Sleep… everybody needs to sleep. I’m Nidhra, the goddess of sleep. Are you going to spend 14 years of your brother’s exile without sleep? It will be impossible!”

“But I will not, cannot, sleep for I intend to watch over my brother day and night,” said Lakshman.

“I know your devotion, Lakshman. But no living creature can survive without sleep. That is the universal law.... Unless…” the goddess paused.

“Unless... what?” Lakshman seized upon that pause.

“Unless there is someone who will do that for you,” smiled the goddess. “Sleep all the sleep you need for the 14 years you are here in exile.... Is there someone who will do that for you?”

Lakshman smiled in relief. He knew he could count on someone, his wife! “My wife, Urmila... she will surely take my place for me.”

“I will go at once to the palace of Dasharata in Ayodhya and ask her,” said Goddess Nidhra and disappeared as she had come.

And of course Urmila did offer to take Lakshman’s share of sleep and went into a deep slumber for all the 14 years he was away. Which is why, no one speaks of Urmila throughout The Ramayan.

*******

After 14 years of long wait when the trio came back from there exile and Laxman entered the room with gentle steps. Just like the first stroke of sunrise, Urmila’s beautiful body facing the balcony gleamed in his eyes. He went the other side to see her face. With each passing step, he drank the nectar of her beauty.

He sat on the bed beside her. A frail strand of hair fell on her face. He gently put the hair behind her ear. Her closed eyelids invoked magic. He leaned over to kiss her eyes.

She was still the same. She didn’t wake. He kissed her forehead most gently. She did not wake. He held her hand and kissed her palms. She did not wake.

He finally moved over and kissed her lips. They were parted. Urmila felt the warmth of her lover. She wondered if she was dreaming. Carefully and gently she opened her eyes.

Laxman had been staring at her smilingly. She could not believe if it was true.

“Is it a dream?”

Laxman leaned close to her ear. “What do you think?”

She held his arms to believe her eyes. Laxman smiled and let her touch him. As her hands slipped towards his face: his eyes, his nose, his beautiful lips, Laxman kissed her fingers holding them in his hands. He looked different with those battle scars and eyes full of wisdom… 14 years were a long separation.

Urmila leaned over with happiness. The teardrop she had been holding ever since, at last fell off her cheeks. Laxman let her cry in his arms. He held her tightly, for he too had his part of tears to shed.

At last the longing was over. They were together. Nothing was between the two, no duties, no distance … only love…