samaya

According to Srimad Valmiki Ramayana neither Indrajit received such a boon nor did Lakshmana serve Sri Rama without sleeping. The following narrations in Slokas 1 to 3 of Sarga 56 of Ayodhya Kanda did confirm that Lakshmana slept during his stay in forest. अथ रात्र्याम् व्यतीतायाम् अवसुप्तम् अनन्तरम् | प्रबोधयाम् आस शनैः लक्ष्मणम् रघु नन्दनः || "Then, Sri Rama gently woke up Lakshmana, who was sleeping without break, even when the night was passing away." सौमित्रे शृणु वन्यानाम् वल्गु व्याहरताम् स्वनम् | सम्प्रतिष्ठामहे कालः प्रस्थानस्य परम् तप || "Oh, Lakshmana! Hear the sound of wild animals, resounding beautifully. It is time for our journey. Let us start." स सुप्तः समये भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणः प्रतिबोधितः | जहौ निद्राम् च तन्द्रीम् च प्रसक्तम् च पथि श्रमम् || "Lakshmana, who was sleeping, being woken up by his brother at the right moment, had relinquished sleep, sloth and strain, which resulted on the way." There is a difference between being alert while in forest and not sleeping. Lakshmana was alert during his stay in forests. But in other Ramayana we can find that Laxmana did not slept for 14 years due to his brother Rama security and the time of his sleeping period was added to his wife Urmila so Urmila slept for 14 years continiously. ---------------------------------------- If you are searching for analogy for Lakshmana's sleep , you could say it was a psychiatric trick of some kind. Its like hypnotising someone to be awake, by convincing him that someone else is sleeping on his behalf. I could give you the mythological version of how he managed to stay awake. So, Lakshmana was all set to accompany Rama, on his exile. His reason, going with them was to protect Sita & Rama, 24×7 for 14 years. That wouldn't be possible if he had to sleep. So, he devised a clever plan. When Nidra devi ( Thats right, Nidra was a Goddess) approached him on the first day of Aranya Vaasa, he asked her to go to his wife Urmila, who was glad to take up her husbands share of sleep. ( You see, Sleep can neither be destroyed nor created. It can just be transferred from one person to another). That way, Urmila Devi was asleep for 14 years , while Lakshmana was awake protecting his brother. The funny part is, when Rama's coronation was in progress, Lakshmna had used up his 14 years of "No sleep" deal, and he had to miss the Crowning, while Urmila got to attend the same. There are great poems written in praise of Urmila Devi's sacrifice( In South Indian tales of Ramayana ) Some of them are : 1. Urmila Devi Nidra 2. Urmila Devi Viraham Sources : [1]. Urmila Devi Wikipedia. [2]. Devdutta Pattanaik's Ramayana