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He has only been shown/featured as a character in 2 tv serial's, one is "Shri Krishna" (1993) the other is "Jai Mahabharat" (2001) in both he has somewhat of a cameo role, as in Jai Mahabharat he was mentioned a few times but only shown in one episode (he dies a day before chakravyuha in that tv serial).
Ironically star bharath (2014) had one episode where duryodhan mentioned his existence (arpit ranka talked to gandhari's character) but he never made a appearance, his death was not shown due to starplus not caring about quality.
BR Chopra failed to show laxman either, perhaps he did not desire for duryodhan's son laxman to be shown as a warrior above hanutati [Hanumana] or dashrath's son laxman? In kmg/bori mahabharat his character was a recurring antagonist in bhishma parva & drona parva.
Unfortunately he did not speak but he still did at least get his hand's dirty and involved in wars.
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AGE OF LAXMAN II.
Bheem quoted existence of duryodhan's betas;
Quote;
"I would send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions of Yama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and brothers!"
Logic - unfortunately duryodhan's name was only mentioned in the bracket so possibly it's not a part of the original text. But realistically speaking no marriage of the pandavas occurred before the death of hidimva. Cause the pandavas entered the jatugriha mansion (lakshagraha) one year before it was burned to a crisp.
Though Duryodhan & Pandava's were of a marriageable age it was Duryodhan's wedding which happened first.
Probably a reason why the opinion of Yudisther was this:
[Quote]
"Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereignty will certainly compass our death by means of spies. While we have no rank and power, Duryodhana hath both; while we have no friends and allies, Duryodhana hath both; while we are without wealth, Duryodhana hath at his command a full treasury."
Logic - the friend's and allies were likely his in laws, the male relatives of woman that duryodhan married or the ones that his brothers married, or possibly due to fear of jarasandha (if this incident happened after the duel Jarasandha had vs Karna in Malini).
And the duel of Malini was the only fight between Karna/Jarasandha, it directly happened after kalinga swayamvara;
Note - the claim's of karna fighting jarasandha in kalinga (instead of malini) are false/inaccurate made by biased fans. Their were not 2 fights, their was only one fight between both of them, it makes sense for jarasadha to find out about karna's prowess based on servants or allies that informed him of what they witnessed karna do in the swayamvara incident.
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Because Satadhanwan got mentioned in santi parva this means the incident of kalinga swayamvara has to have occurred before lakshagraha. According to purans Satadhanwan died at Krishna's hand after lakshagraha. This marriage to satyabhama occurs after pandavas were presumed dead (like Vardhan from Don 2006).
Proof that Lakshagraha happen's before Satadhwan's mrityu;
{Quote}
Having performed the watering ceremony of the Pandavas burnt in the house of lac Krishna engaged Satwaki to perform their obsequial rites. Thereupon hurrying on to the city of Dvarka the graceful slayer of Madhu said to his elder brother Haladhar "Prasena has been killed by a lion and Satrajit has been slain by Shatadhanva. Therefore I am the master of the jewel Sywamantaka. Therefore speedily get on your car, O mighty armed hero. After slaying the highly powerful Bhoja Svyamataka will be ours".
Other cross reference:
"After performing the obsequies and offering libations of water to the Pāṇḍavas who were (supposed to have been) burned, Hari engaged Sātyaki for the condolence rites for the Pāṇḍavas. Śrīkṛṣṇa then, hastened to Dvārakā and spoke to Balarāma, his elder brother."
Satadhanwan VADH:
"Thereupon, O king, going on foot, Acyuta (Krishna), highly skilled in the use of arms, killed Shatadhanva on the way to Mithila. Having slain the highly powerful Bhoja king he did not see Svyamantaka."
Satadhanwan's death gets mentioned in Mahabharat also;
{quote}
"Thou hast slain Ahvriti at Jaruthi, and Kratha and Sisupala with his adherents, and Jarasandha and Saivya and Satadhanwan!"
Existence of Satadhanwan during the swayamvara of kalinga's kumari.
Quote:
"When the festivities commenced in that self-choice, diverse rulers, O best of kings, came thither for the hand of the maiden. There were amongst them Nila and Rukmi of steady prowess, and Sringa who was ruler of the kingdom females, and Asoka and Satadhanwan."
So sequence of event's would be first kalinga swayamvara next laxman II is born, after that lakshagrah is burnt down then krishna performs funeral rights. Ghatotkaca is born after that Satyabhama's father died, finally Krishna killed Satadhanwan last event is the swayamvar of draupadi.
THE POINT OF THIS INFORMATION IS TO PROVE SUYODHANA WAS MARRIED BEFORE THE BIRTH OF GHATOTKATCHA. Because then the case for Laxman being older than the upa pandavas would make alot more sense.
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His AGE:
The birth of Laxman was not given importance in mahabharat, so the exact date for his birth is not known at all. Of course it is also possible that laxman II was not the first born child/offspring of duryodhan, maybe he had a daughter first or duryodhan had another son whose older than laxman but less capable as a warrior. So his age remain's unknown but all that needs to be known is that its obvious he was old mature & old enough to fight, so i'd call him an adult male.
According to madhvacharya this laxman was a incarnate of ravana's son aksha kumar. To me that made no sense since (according to the same madhvacharya) ravan incarnated as sisupala so dristhaketu shouldve been aksha kumar.
Their does exist a minor possibility of laxman having a married life and offspring but i doubt he had a adult son that fought in the war, and even if he did have an adult son it is highly unlikely he would be given permission to fight as then his life would be risked. Surely Duryodhan would want at minimum one of his descendant's to remain alive in the case he loses the war.
On the 18th after noon Suyodhana said this line;
"Alas, what shall be the plight of the old king, my sire, with Gandhari, and his daughters-in-law and grand-daughters-in-law! Without doubt, the beautiful and large-eyed mother of Lakshmana, made sonless and husbandless, will soon meet with her death!"
Point; the key word i desire to bring attention to is grand daughters in law. That indicates that Gandhari's grandson Laxman was married to a nameless woman.
Pandavs were old enough to be grandfathers too.
Quote;
"And there the son of Pritha beheld, standing (his) sires and grandsons, and friends, and father-in-law and well-wishers, in both the armies. Beholding all those kinsmen standing (there), the son of Kunti, possessed by excessive pity, despondingly said (these words)."
"Of what use would sovereignty be to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life, since they, for whose sake sovereignty, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us, are here arrayed for battle ready to give up life and wealth, preceptors, sires, sons and grandsires, maternal uncles, father-in-laws, grandsons, brother-in-laws, and kinsmen."
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Laxman II's career on the BATTLEFIELD.
On the 2nd day prince Laxman cut a bow of Abhimanyu fairly.
[Begin]
"Thy grandson Lakshmana then, beholding Subhadra's son engaged in battle, rushed at him, excited with rage. And the battle commenced between them. And the son of Duryodhana, excited with rage, pierced Subhadra's son with sharp shafts in that combat. And that seemed highly wonderful. The light-handed Abhimanyu then excited with rage, quickly pierced his cousin with five hundred arrows. Lakshmana also, with his shafts, then cut off his cousin's bow-staff at the middle, at which all the people sent forth a loud shout."
"Then that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Subhadra, leaving aside that broken bow, took up another that was beautiful and tougher. And thereupon those two bulls among men, thus engaged in combat and desirous of counteracting each other's feats, pierced each other with sharp shafts. King Duryodhana then beholding his mighty son thus afflicted by Abhimanyu proceeded to that spot. And when thy son turned, all the kings surrounded the son of Arjuna on every side with crowds of cars. Incapable of being defeated in battle and equal in prowess unto Krishna himself, that hero, O king, thus surrounded by those heroes, was not agitated in the least."
Note - though this's an impressive achievement of course this also makes u wonder what Laxman II was doing in the first day? I tried searching but could not find even a defeat of Laxman II, it seems either Laxman II did not participate on day one or he didn't do anything significant for Sanjaya/Sauti to remember, so it was not narrated or mentioned by the authors of the story.
On the 13th day Karna cut off Abhimanyus bow unfairly.
Quote;
"Vikartana's son Karna quickly cut off, by means of his shafts, the bow of Abhimanyu, as the latter was shooting with great activity. Kritavarman then slew his steeds, Kripa slew his Parshni charioteers. The others covered him with showers of arrows after he had been divested of his bow."
Note this line - "as the latter was shooting with great activity" meaning that abhimanyu's focus/attention was to a different person as he was firing arrows and clearly since karna had not made a hint of fighting earlier (he went to have a conversation with master Drona) so abhimanyu has a good excuse for not paying attention to karna.
LOGIC;
On day 2 Laxman II was fighting Abhimanyu when he was alone. He also did not need advice from guru Drona (akin to a cheat code in a video game) so Laxman > Karna (without divyastras).
Laxman did not do anything during days three and four, he was basically not mentioned by Sanjaya, Souti or Vaisampayana.
Laxman vs Abhimanyu (5th day).
Quote:
"The son of Subhadra, while smiting thy troops seemed to glow in splendour. Seeing that conduct of his, thy grandson Lakshmana then, O monarch, quickly fell upon the son of Subhadra. Thereupon that mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, excited with wrath, pierced Lakshmana graced with auspicious marks, as also his charioteer, with six sharp arrows. But Lakshmana also, O king, pierced Subhadra's son with many keen shafts. And that feat, O king, seemed to be highly wonderful. Then that mighty car-warrior Abhimanyu, slaying the four steeds as also the charioteer of Lakshmana with sharp shafts, rushed towards the latter."
"Thereupon Lakshmana, that slayer of hostile heroes, staying on that car of his whose steeds had been slain, and excited with wrath, hurled a dart towards the car of Subhadra's son. Abhimanyu, however, with his sharp arrows, cut off that irresistible dart of fierce mien, resembling a snake, and coming impetuously towards him. Then Kripa, taking Lakshmana up on his own car, bore him away from the conflict, in the very sight of all the troops."
Note; after this he is inactive again for multiple day, not even getting a mention on day ten or eight, but he did do something important on the ninth day however.
Saved the life of Bhishma's uncle;
"Bhimasena, within a moment, deprived king Valhika of his steeds, car and charioteer, in the very sight of all the troops. Fallen into a situation of great danger and with fear in his heart, O king, Valhika, that best of men, jumping down from that vehicle, quickly mounted upon the car of Lakshmana in that battle."
Note - Laxman II is a better bodyguard compared to Kennedy's and other celebrities.
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ON DAY 11 this's where the final seventy two hrs of this man's life begins.
He also murdered a grandson of Droopad, son to Srikandi;
"Shikhandi's son Kshatradeva, that foremost of warriors, possessed of great bravery, hath been slain by thy grandson Lakshmana, O sire!"
He was compared to Vishnu himself or Narasimha:
"Lakshmana fought fiercely with Kshatradeva, even as Vishnu, O monarch, in days of old, with the (Asura) Hiranyaksha."
Result of this duel is clearly referenced above as Kshatradev died, but it was not elaborately described so nobody can actually study the way Laxman II fought his enemy, we can only imagine how Kshatradev was murdered.
Unjustice was done to Laxman II's character by Vyasa, Vaisampayan, Souti and Sanjaya. Cause his life was not elaborately discussed or shown in MB. Hopefully indonesian mahabharat or the southern edition could tell us more about him, i have yet to read Gita Press "Gorakhpur" so maybe they can give him better details.
12th day.
"Duryodhana's son, Lakshmana, resisted the slayer of the Patachcharas. Him, that is, O king, who is regarded by both the armies as the bravest of the brave. The latter, however, cutting off both the bow and the standard of Lakshmana, and showering upon him many arrows, flared up with splendour."
Amvastha's beta is killed by Laxman II
[Begin]
"The slayer of the Patachchatras the handsome son of Amvashtha, surrounded by a large force, had put forth all his prowess for the sake of his allies. Having made a great slaughter among the foe, he was encountered by Duryodhana's son, the brave Lakshmana, in battle and despatched to Yama's abode."
"White steeds bore that king who slew the Patachcharas and who is regarded as the bravest of men."
The patachatra's were conquered by Sahadeva;
[Quote]
"The prince then vanquished the other Matsyas and then the Patacharas."
Note - but all of them either fought on the kaurav side or they were slain before the war of kurukshetra since their murderer is a warrior who joins the pandav army. Thankfully Laxman II took their vengeance in kurukshetra.
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LAXMAN'S POSITION IN THE VYUHA.
Quote:
"The preceptor, O king, had formed the great circular array. In it were placed all the kings that are each equal to Sakra himself. At the entrance were stationed all the princes possessed of solar effulgence. All of them had taken oaths (about standing by one another). All of them had standards decked with gold. All of them were attired in red robes, and all had red ornaments. All of them had red banners and all were adorned with garlands of gold, smeared with sandal-paste and other perfumed unguents."
"They were decked with floral wreaths. In a body they rushed towards Arjuna's son, desirous of battle. Firm bowmen, all they numbered ten thousand. Placing thy handsome grandson, Lakshmana, at their head, all of them, sympathising with one another in joy and grief, and emulating one another in feats of courage, desiring to excel one another, and devoted to one another's good, they advanced to battle."
He was invincible.
{quote}
"Arjuna's son then encountered thy invincible grandson, Lakshmana, of great personal beauty, endued with great bravery, staying near his father with outstretched bow, brought up in every luxury, and resembling a second prince of the Yakshas."
Praised.
[begin]
"Endued with great activity and incapable of being easily defeated in battle, the son of Duryodhana, ever obedient to his sire's commands, hath been slain by the son of Subhadra."
Laxman II was the BRAVEST warrior of the kauravas:
"Drona's son, and Vrihadvala, and Kripa, and Duryodhana, and Karna, and Kritavarman, and Suvala's son (Sakuni), rushed in great wrath against the unvanquished son of Subhadra. Almost all these, O king, were beaten back by thy grandson. Only one warrior then Lakshmana, brought up in luxury, accomplished in arrows, endued with great energy, and fearless in consequence of inexperience and pride, proceeded against the son of Arjuna."
Note: here the term grandson is for Abhimanyu. So karna did not have the bravery to face abhimanyu but laxman II had that bravery which was needed.
Why Laxman getting killed by abhimanyu is NOT A ANTI FEAT:
Abhimanyu overpowered these four (jayadratha, guru drona, kripacharya, ashwathama).
Quote:
"Confounding Kripa, Drona and mighty son of Drona, as also the ruler of the Sindhus, the great bowman moved on the field of battle with great activity and skill. As he consumed thy troops I beheld his bow incessantly drawn to a circle and resembling on that account the circular halo of light that is sometimes seen around the Sun. Brave Kshatriyas, beholding him endued with such activity and scorching the foe thus, thought, in consequence of those feats, that the world contained two Phalgunis."
Elaboration - after that quote Drona got stuck in a fight with Arjuna, so it makes sense for him to not retaliate against abhimanyu when a different warrior also needs to be handled.
Abhimanyu vs Bhishma.
{Quote}
"Abhimanyu in great wrath, stationed on his car unto which were yoked excellent steeds of a tawny hue, rushed towards Bhishma's car. And with his standard adorned with pure gold and resembling a Karnikara tree, he approached Bhishma and those (five) foremost of car-warriors. And striking with a keen-edged shaft the standard of the palmyra-bannered (warrior), that hero engaged in battle with Bhishma and those other car-warriors that protected him. Piercing Kritavarman with one arrow, and Salya with five, he weakened his great-grandsire with nine arrows. And with one arrow well shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, he cut off (his adversary's) standard adorned with pure gold. And with one broad-headed shaft capable of penetrating every cover, which was perfectly straight, he cut off from his body the head of Durmukha's charioteer."
"And with another keen-edged arrow he cut in twain the gold-decked bow of Kripa. And them also, with many sharp-pointed shafts, that mighty car-warrior smote in great wrath, seeming to dance (the while). And beholding his lightness of hand, the very gods were gratified. And in consequence of Abhimanyu's sureness of aim, all the car-warriors headed by Bhishma regarded him to be possessed of the capacity of Dhananjaya himself. And his bow, emitting a twang like that of Gandiva, while stretched and re-stretched, seemed to revolve like a circle of fire. Bhishma then, that slayer of hostile heroes, rushing on him impetuously, speedily pierced the son of Arjuna in that combat with nine arrows. And he also, with three broad-headed shafts, cut off the standard of that warrior of great energy. Of rigid vows, Bhishma also struck his charioteer."
"And Kritavarman, and Kripa, and Salya also, O sire, piercing Arjuna's son, all failed to make him waver, for he stood firm like the Mainaka mountain. And the heroic son of Arjuna, though surrounded by those mighty car-warriors of the Dhartarashtra army, still showered on those five car-warriors arrowy downpours. And baffling their mighty weapons by his arrowy showers, and pouring on Bhishma his shafts, the powerful son of Arjuna set up loud shout. And struggling in the battle thus and afflicting Bhishma with (his) arrows, the strength we saw of his arms then was very great. But though endued with such prowess Bhishma also shot his arrows at him."
"But he cut off in that combat the arrows shot from Bhishma's bow. And then that heroic warrior of arrows that were never lost, cut off with nine arrows, in that combat, the standard of Bhishma. And at that feat the people there set up a loud shout. Decked with jewels and made of silver, that tall standard bearing the device of the palmyra, cut off, O Bharata, by the shafts of Subhadra's son, fell down on the earth. And beholding, O bull of Bharata's race, that standard failing in consequence of the shafts of Subhadra's son, the proud Bhima set up a loud shout for cheering the son of Subhadra. Then in fierce combat, the mighty Bhishma caused many celestial weapons of great efficacy to appear. And the great grandsire of immeasurable soul then covered Subhadra's son with thousands of arrows."
Logic; bhishma fans wont talk about this cause it's embarrassing & abhimanyu haters will downplay this fight.
Dristadyumn valued abhimanyu as a warrior even better than Arjuna himself.
Quote;
"For he regarded Abhimanyu as superior to Arjuna himself in battle. And distributing his warriors thus, individually and collectively, that mighty bowman, of the hue of blazing fire, kept Drona for his own share."
Abhimanyu has only ever been truly embarrassed by Bhagadatta.
COMPARISON.
Bhishma vs Laxman II:
Abhimanyu's bow has only ever been cut off by 3 people, one is kritvarman, the other is Laxman II the last is Karna. It is not known when Abhimanyu lost his Rudra Dhanush but it was likely when one of these three characters had cut his bow. Still Bhishma tried and failed, guru Drona had the ability & knew how to do it but out of partiality chose against cutting Abhimanyu's bow. Since Bhishma even with a group could not cut a bow of Abhimanyu it should be a fact if you remove divine missiles then Laxman II was a better archer than Bhishma.
However in physical strength it is obviously going to be Bhishma who takes the cake against Laxman II because in the Rajasuya Ceremony Bhishma put his hands and finger's on Bheem to restrain him from attacking Sisupala. Though Bheem is tougher than Bhishma the mere fact of Bhishma making an attempt in touching Bheem shows that Bhishma had a certain level of confidence in his own physical strength. Laxman II unfortunately does not have the achievements necessary to be considered a greater wrestler or martial artist than the overrated hijda Bhishma so Bhishma is superior to Laxman II in all other aspects besides archery.
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Making it clear:
Laxman I means "the one who is Rama's brother"
Laxman II mean's "the man that is a son of Duryodhana".
When it comes to comparing him with Raam's brother then i would say it is only a fair comparison if you remove the divya astras possessed by laxman I, cause if you add them then the comparison becomes unfair. In fair battles, and normal archery clearly Laxman II is better than Laxman I.
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