Urmila

Urmila (Sanskrit: ऊर्मिला, romanized: Urmilā, lit. 'enchantress'), is a Hindu goddess and the princess of Videha in the Hindu epic Ramayana. She is considered to be an avatāra of Nagalakshmi, the serpent goddess. Urmila was married to Lakshmana and is known for her dedication towards her husband, for her sacrifice.
Urmila was born as the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and Queen Sunayana. Sita, the female protagonist of the epic, is her elder sister. She was married to Lakshmana, after her sister's svayamvara. According to a legend, Urmila slept continuously for fourteen years, so that her husband could protect Rama and Sita during the exile. She is notable for this unparalleled sacrifice, which is called Urmila Nidra. Urmila is worshipped in Hinduism, at various places in India, alongside her husband.
The name Urmila is of Sanskrit origin, and could be divided into Ur meaning waves, and mila, meaning to join. Thus, her name means 'waves of passion that unite a couple'. Her name also means 'humble' or 'enchantress'.
Urmila was born as the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and Queen Sunayana. Urmila is considered as the incarnation of Nagalakshmi, Shesha's consort. In the Garga Samhita, Nagalakshmi is considered to be the personification of the divine ocean called the Kshira Sagara and is called as Kshira.
Urmila was born on Jaya ekadashi, after her elder sister Sita, was adopted by her parents. Mandavi and Shrutakirti are her cousins, who were born to her father's younger brother, Kushadhvaja and his wife Chandrabhaga. According to legends, she was a scholar and an artist .
After Rama won the svayamvara of Sita, their marriage was fixed. King Dasharatha arrived in Mithila for his son's wedding and noticed that Lakshmana had feelings for Urmila , but according to tradition, Bharata and Mandavi were to marry first. King Dasharatha then arranged for Bharata to marry Mandavi and Shatrughna to marry Shrutakirti, allowing Lakshmana to marry Urmila. Ultimately, all four sisters married the four brothers, strengthening the alliance between the two kingdoms. The wedding ceremony was conducted under the guidance of Shatananda. During the homeward journey to Ayodhya, another avatar of Vishnu, Parashurama, challenged Rama to combat, on the condition that he was able to string the bow of Vishnu, Sharanga. When Rama obliged him with success, Parashurama acknowledged the former to be a form of Vishnu and departed to perform penance at the mountain Mahendra. The wedding entourage then reached Ayodhya, entering the city amid great fanfare.
According to Vishwamitra, Urmila and Lakshmana equals each other in "grace and heritage". Urmila and Lakshmana had two sons named Angada and Chandraketu. Urmila is described as being as dedicated to Sita as Lakshmana was to Rama.
Some time after the wedding, Kaikeyi compelled Dasharatha to make Bharata king, prompted by the coaxing of her maid Manthara, and forced Rama to leave Ayodhya and spend a period of exile. Sita and Lakshmana willingly renounced the comforts of the palace and joined Rama in exile. Urmila was ready to accompany her husband, but he asked her to stay back in Ayodhya, so that she could take care of his aging parents and he could serve his brother and his wife.
According to a legend, Urmila decided to sleep continuously for fourteen years, so that her husband could protect his brother and sister-in-law. On the first night of exile, when Rama and Sita were sleeping, the deity Nidra appeared before Lakshmana and he requested her to offer him the boon of not sleeping for the fourteen years. The goddess asked him that she could grant his wish, but someone else would have to take his place asleep. Lakshmana asked the goddess to enquire his wife Urmila regarding this, who happily accepted the task. Urmila slept continuously for the fourteen years of exile, to complete the sleep of her and her husband's share. Urmila is notable for this unparalleled sacrifice, which is called Urmila Nidra.
Nidra told Lakshman that he would have to go to sleep as soon as the exile ends, so that Urmila could awake. After the exile, Lakshaman went to sleep and Urmila saw the coronation of Rama.
Urmila had been sleeping all those years of the exile, as per the boon by Goddess Nidra. When Lakshmana returned from the exile, he woke her up. Urmila opened her eyes and wept with joy when she saw him. Rama was then crowned the King of Kosala. According to the Uttara Kanda, Lakshmana had ruled over Karupada, with Urmila as the queen, who advised him on important state matters.
Urmila and Lakshmana's elder son Angada, inherited the Kingdom of Karupada, from his father and their younger son Chandraketu, inherited the kingdom of Mallya, being commissioned by Rama.
According to a legend in Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, after Sita and Lakshmana's death, Rama, Bharata and Shatrughan's samadhi, Mandvi and Shrutakirti, became Sati and died after their husband's samadhi. As per the promise given to her sister Sita, Urmila stayed in Ayodhya to look after her son's Angada and Chandraketu, and Sita's sons Lava and Kusha. After few years, Urmila took samadhi in the Sarayu river.
Urmila is referred to as Prithvisundari in Jain Ramayana. According to Jain storytelling, Lakshmana had around sixteen thousand wives in which Prithvisundari was his principle consort (in the Hindu epic, he had only one wife Urmila).
The Sanskrit play Mahaviracharita by Bhavabhuti is based on the early life of Rama. According to the play, Vishwamitra invites Janaka to attend his sacrifice, but he sends his brother Kushadhvaja and daughters Sita and Urmila, as his delegates. This is the place, where Laxman and Urmila meet for the first time. By the end of the act, Kushadhvaja and Vishwamitra decide to marry Sita and Urmila to Rama and Lakshamana.
Urmila has been portrayed as an ideal wife and an ideal mother known for her sacrifice in various texts, stories, illustrations, movies. She is also portrayed as a devoted and patient wife who waits faithfully for her husband. She is often considered gentle, kind, compassionate and is known for her beauty and grace. The Balakanda chapter of the Ramayana, describe her as "illustrious".
Urmila was known for her sincerity towards her husband and her family, but at the same time she stood with what was right. She was the only one who fights for justice for her sister when Sita was banished from Ayodhya. In the Ramayana, Urmila displays patience and fortitude throughout. Her sister, Sita always considered Urmila's sacrifice to be much bigger than that of her.
Urmila alongside her husband, Lakshmana is worshipped across the country.
Urmila's story and her sacrifice have inspired "painting, film, novels, poems, TV serials and plays". Prominently, she is depicted in all the adaptations of Ramayana.
The following people portrayed Urmila in the film adaptation of Ramayana.
The following people portrayed Urmila in the television adaptation of Ramayana.
The following plays portrayed Urmila's suffering in the theatre adaptation of Ramayana.
The following novels talks about Urmila's life.