Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 31
मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī
Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm
गोप्ता हि रामं सौमित्रिर्लक्ष्मणं चापि राघवः।अश्विनोरिव सौभ्रात्रं तयोर्लोकेषु विश्रुतम्।।2.8.31।।
goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrir lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ |
aśvinor iva saubhrātraṃ tayor lokeṣu viśrutam ||2.8.31||
スミトラーの子ラクシュマナはラーマを守り、ラグハヴァたるラーマもまたラクシュマナを守る。二人の兄弟の契りは、アシュヴィン双神のごとく世に名高い。
Just as Lakshmana protects Rama, Rama protects Lakshmana. Their brotherhood is renowned in the world like that of the Ashwins.
FAQs
It praises reciprocal duty (paraspara-rakṣaṇa) within family: true brotherhood expresses itself as mutual protection—an important dharmic ideal in the epic.
Mantharā points to the famous unity of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to argue that Rāma’s side is strongly consolidated, thereby heightening Kaikeyī’s anxiety about Bharata.
Fraternal devotion and steadfast guardianship—mutual loyalty that is publicly celebrated (lokeṣu viśrutam).