Saumitra-II

For most part of Ramayana, Ram and Lakshmana, by most accounts, are believed to be exceptional kshatriya (warrior section of the society) princes but nothing more; they behave and feel like humans and are not known to speak explicitly of any supernatural elements they might have within them.For 12-13 years of their exile, they live quietly and slowly, unknowingly getting better and better; their bedrock of patience getting stronger;their knowledge and use of weapons, better.
Ageing has its effects on Ram and Saumitra who slowly begin to spend more of their time worshiping Shiva while still as a discipline, practicing and maintaining their weapons and tools in good shape. Saumitra is known to mirror Ram in his conduct during this period. It is only towards the end of this period, in dandakaranya , when Surpanakha abuses Sita beyond limit, an angry Saumitra cuts nose of Surpanakha. But this time, he is fully aware of his words and his actions.
After some time passes by, one day Sita manipulates Rama emotionally to chase a golden deer and bring it to her. When Sita hears Ram's cry from deep in the woods, she forces Saumitra to look for his brother. Saumitra senses some abnormal situation and does not believe that anyone could put Ram in trouble. He is not ready to leave Sita alone in the woods.When forced to leave the hut, Saumitra is known to draw a line around the hut; this is the line which Sita must not cross come what may, and any unauthorized entity crossing this line towards the hut would get destroyed. Saying this he leaves for the woods. Ravana, waiting for Laxman's departure realizes from his knowledge and senses that this was a line even he could not cross. In this flurried period of felicitous narration by Valmiki, the readers get , for the first time, an implicit indication of supernatural element in Saumitra.
On losing Sita, Ram immediately goes into shock and seems to be discombobulated. He loses self-control and self-esteem.In agitation he threatens to destroy this creation by his power. Seeing such uncharacteristic loss of self-control, Saumitra is known to have boldly and tactfully tell Rama, that destroying this creation was a very unfair view of the situation because this creation has no special interest in conspiring against Ram for his misfortunes. Ram becomes very weak and blames himself for every misfortunes and ills affecting his family. Saumitra displays level-headedness and suggests searching for Sita to be a better option.
The search for Sita and their journey further southward provide, although not definitive, evidence of the divinity of the brothers when Rama frees Devi Ahilya and some demons from their curse who are known to be waiting for ages for Ram for their salvation.
During the war in Lanka, Saumitra is known to take up initiative for killing many demons including Ankpan, and Indrajit. His encounters with Indrajit ( Meghnad) have been described vivdly in Ramayana. He has to use indrastra to beat Meghnad in the penultimate battle.
(concluded)

Saumitra-I

Ramayana is full of interesting characters. Each of them have their background and some bring their own stories to gently merge with the epic, where their stories meet their ends. Let me write about one of the very important characters of Ramayana today. The very nectar of this very great epic is a north indian prince's southward journey in exile with his younger brother and wife and ultimately waging a war against the most powerful king ever born and winning this war, to free his wife. Ramayana is too good a story to be wasted by narrating or reciting it in one monosyllabic way. It has to be looked from different angles and one might eventually ponder that who's story is it, Ram or Ravana's. For, in a broader context, several parallel stories run for generations, all of which find a climax in a special immortal combat in Lanka.
Saumitra is the prince of Ayodhya who accompanies his elder brother to a life in distant forests for 14 years. He is married to Urmila, sister of Sita. With a quiet and unnoticed separation from Urmila, he leaves for exile which was his destiny,as Saumitra, without Urmila, was to be part of a mythology to be sworn by Asian landscape for perpetuity.
Blessed with a silvery look and an unrivaled physique, commanding knowledge and practice in archery and other weapons, he is known to possess a very good demeanor. He is known to lose temper and become aggressive sometimes. Saumitra , none-the-less, is an extension of Rama's controlled aggression and manifestation of 'maryada purushottam' (the best among men in terms of behavior).Many believe that, he and some other characters of the story are incarnations of divine souls who come together to end Ravana's reign as the emperor of all worlds.Unknown to Ravana, thus is a divne plan which gradually takes shape and the story builds up , so that divine forces in a particular combination find way through the loopholes of boons granted to Ravana.