Sumitra is calm and composed

When Sumantra tells Dasaratha and Kausalya that Rama has entered the forest with Sita and Lakshmana, the king and his chief queen are devastated. Kausalya speaks harshly to Dasaratha, wondering how he could have been so cruel as to banish his own son to the forest, said Navalpakkam Vasudevachariar in a discourse.

How would Sita, who was accustomed to eating rich food survive on what was available in the forest? She wonders if Rama will get what is rightfully His, even after He returns from exile. Who but Kaikeyi and Bharata can be happy with the present state of affairs, she wonders. Sumitra is also present, but is calm and composed. That has always been her nature. After all, her son Lakshmana too is no longer in the kingdom. In his case, he had not even been banished, but he had voluntarily chosen to accompany Rama to the forest. Yet, Sumitra does not give way to emotions. Even when it had first been made known that Rama would have to go to the forest, it was Sumitra who had consoled Kausalya. Lakshmana, who was blemishless and who was kind hearted, was with Rama. He would serve Rama to the best of his ability. Thus it is obvious that Sumitra is very clear in her ideas about the role of Lakshmana. His role is to serve Rama, and when Rama has to go to the forest, it is only natural that the one who is born to serve Him must also go to the forest.

Lakshmana and Rama’s paduka can be said to be two characters in the Ramayana who had undertaken unusual vratas. Lakshmana never slept while in exile. His vrata was that of sleeplessness. Sandals are usually worn when a person is on the move. So sandals are hardly stationary. But Rama’s padukas remained on the throne of Ayodhya for 14 years, thus going against the very nature of footwear.