Lakshmana the Jitendriya

Lakshmana the Jitendriya
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A sloka in Ramayana which is quoted very often underlying the greatness of Lakshmana is
नाहं जानामि केयूरे नाहं जानामि कुण्डले
नूपुरे त्वभिजानामि नित्यं पादाभिवन्दनात्
nAhaM jAnAmi keyUre nAhaM jAnAmi kunDale
nUpure tvabhijAnAmi nityaM padAbhivandanAt..

This sloka occurs in Kishkinda Kandam of Valmikiramayanam.

Sita is abducted by Ravana, and Rama along with Lakshmana wanders aimlessly in the southern forests in search of the Lady.

They reach the precincts of Rishyamooka mountain,
meet Anjaneya
and strike up a friendship with the leader of the Monkey Clan Sugriva..

Sugriva informs Rama that he had occasion to see a lady(Sita) being forcibly carried away through the air by a demon(Ravana)

and that the lady had just thrown down her ornaments which he had collected and kept safe..
Sugriva suggests that Rama could perhaps check whether those ornaments belonged to Sita..

Rama, his mind clouded with sorrow and rather disoriented,
asks Lakshmana to have a look at the ornaments and state whether they belonged to Sita..

Lakshmana, after having a look at the ornaments says,

'I am not able to identify the shoulder ornaments or ear rings,
but sure, I am able to identify Sita's anklets because
I used to see them when I offered my pranams to her every day.."

People usually interpret that Lakshmana never looked at Sita out of respect for her just like a mother

And not having a look at ladies other than ones own wife is extolled as a great virtue..

I have no difference of opinion about that..
One should not venture to cast glance at other ladies...
I mean a lustful glance..
a glance bereft of affection and respect..

But it was not a case that Lakshmana did not ever see with his eyes or recognize the facial and physical features of Sita..

We see in Ayodhya Kandam that while the three proceeded to forest leaving Ayodhya, and when they were crossing the Gangetic plain, Rama led the way, Sita walked in the middle and Lakshmana walked behind guarding Her..

We can see so many such descriptions in Ramayanam.

In the Dandaka forest, Lakshmana led the way, Sita followed and Rama guarded her from behind..

It is also seen that while in Chitrakoota, Sita used to ask both Rama and Laksmana about the specialties of plants and flowers in the area, and Lakshmana often brought her many twigs and flowers, just to keep her happy even under trying circumstances.
Rama even instructed Lakshmana to fetch for her all flowers and things that she fancied..

It is described that it was Lakshmana who lifted her and conducted her to the boat of Guha which ferried them across Ganga,
and Rama entered the boat after them..

So it has to be understood that Lakshmana treated Sita with motherly affection, and was it was not a blindfolded existence.

The fact is that even though he was seeing her all the time,
her features which attracted his utmost respect alone got retained in his mind..

It was not the eyes and physical vision,
but the capacity to perceive and retain only that which is great and noble, that kept Lakshmana so noble and detached.

This exactly is what we should learn..
We will see everything around us.. our eyes are crafted for that unless we are blind..
But we should be able to realize what is noble and sublime and retain them in our vision and simultaneously leave the bad useless and unnecessary things..