While Rama and Dharmaraja were conversing, Sage Durvasa came to the palace. He had come to meet Sri Rama urgently. Durvasa was famous for his impatience and his fiery temper. He came to the room where Lakshmana stood guard. Lakshmana bowed to him and said, “Revered sir! Sri Rama is doing something urgently at this time. Please wait for a short while. I do not have permission to enter the room, sir.” This was enough to inflame Durvasa’s temper. Blazing with anger, he said, “Lakshmana! If you don’t immediately tell Rama that I am here to see him, I’ll reduce the whole of Ayodhya to ashes with a curse!” Lakshmana faced a crisis. ‘If I don’t tell Rama, Durvasa will burn down Ayodhya. If I go in, I will have to die. Better to die than let the kingdom be destroyed,’ he thought. He opened the door and entered the room.
Lakshmana Faces Durvasa
