Table with Moral - The Silent Sacrifice for Duty (Urmila Nidra- Ramayana)

When Lord Rama was sent to the forest for 14 years, Sita chose to go with him. Lakshmana decided to leave his royal life behind to serve his elder brother. He asked his wife, Urmila, to stay back in Ayodhya. He explained that his time would be fully dedicated to guarding Rama and Sita, leaving no room for family life. Urmila agreed with a heavy heart. She chose to support his duty instead of becoming a distraction.

On the very first night in the forest, Rama and Sita fell asleep. Lakshmana stood outside the hut with his bow, keeping watch. Nidra Devi, the Goddess of sleep, appeared before him. She noted that it was time for Lakshmana to rest. Lakshmana folded his hands and begged the Goddess to spare him for 14 years. He needed to stay awake day and night to ensure his brother's safety.

Deeply moved by his devotion, the Goddess agreed to his request. However, the balance of nature required someone to bear Lakshmana's share of sleep. Lakshmana asked the Goddess to approach his wife back in Ayodhya. Nidra Devi went to Urmila and explained the situation. Without hesitation, Urmila accepted the burden.

For the next 14 years, Urmila slept continuously in the palace of Ayodhya. This divine pact allowed Lakshmana to remain completely sleepless and alert during the entire exile. His unbroken wakefulness eventually enabled him to defeat Indrajit (Meghnada), who could only be killed by a warrior who had conquered sleep. When the exile finally ended, Lakshmana returned and finally fell into a deep sleep so Urmila could wake up. This quiet act became known as Urmila Nidra, an unmatched tale of silent sacrifice and devotion.

Moral of the fable: True duty requires shared sacrifice