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Sugriva | |
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Ramayana character | |
![]() Sugriva | |
In-universe information | |
Race | Vanara |
Family | Surya (spiritual father)Riksharaja (father) |
Spouses | Ruma |
Relatives | Vali (brother),Hanuman (uncle) andAngada (nephew) |
Home | Kishkindha |
Sugriva (Sanskrit:सुग्रीव,lit. 'beautiful necked',IAST:Sugrīva), is a character In the ancient Hindu epicRamayana. He is the younger brother ofVali, whom he succeeded as ruler of thevanara kingdom ofKishkindha.[1] He is a son ofSurya, the Hindu deity of the sun. As the king of the vanaras, Sugriva aidedRama in his quest to liberate his wifeSita from captivity at the hands of therakshasa kingRavana.
He is also known asKhmer:Sukhreeb,Lao:Sugeep,Lao:Sangkip,Javanese:Sugriwa,Thai:Su-khrip,Creole: Soogrim,Telugu:Sugrīwũdu,Tamil:Sukkrivan,Burmese:Thugyeip, Sugreeva or Sugreev. Malayalam:Sugreevan.
The story of Sugriva is part ofRamayana and in an abbreviated version, is also present in theMahabharata.
The king of Kishkindha, Vrikshraja, was a divine creature born from Brahma's tilaka. He had the body of a human and face and tail of a monkey. He was instructed to roam the forests and kill demons. One day, Vriksharaja entered an enchanted pond, and was transformed into a beautiful lady, attracting the attention of both Indra and Surya. Soon after, they each sired Vali and Sugriva respectively. Vali and Sugriva were born having brute strength, equal to Indra and Surya.
According to a legend from theKathasaritsagara,Aruṇa, the charioteer ofSurya, travelled toDevaloka to see the dance of theapsaras. Since men were not allowed to observe the event, Aruna assumed the feminine form of Arunidevi. Observing the beautiful form of Arunidevi,Indra grew infatuated with her, and a child was soon born to them. On the advice of Indra, Arunidevi took the child toAhalya, leaving it there before the dawn to be brought up by her. This child became Vali. Aruna reported this incident to Surya, who wished to see his female form of Arunidevi as well. Becoming besotted with her, Surya sired a son from her. The child, Sugriva, would also be raised under the care of Ahalya.[2]
Vali ruled the kingdom ofKishkindha; his subjects were thevanaras.Tara is his wife. Angada is his son. His son left his house at a very young age and later became a follower ofVaishnavism. A raging demon by the name of Mayavi came to the gates of the capital and challenged Vali to a fight. Vali accepted the challenge, but when he sallied forth, the demon fled in terror into a deep cave. Vali entered the cave in pursuit of the demon, telling Sugriva to wait outside. When Vali did not return and upon hearing demonic shouts in the cave and seeing blood streaming from its mouth, Sugriva concluded that his brother had been slain. With a heavy heart, Sugriva rolled a boulder to seal the cave's opening so as to lock the demon in, returned to Kishkindha, and assumed kingship over the vanaras, taking his wife back from ValiRuma as his queen. Vali, however, ultimately prevailed in his combat with the demon and returned home. Seeing Sugriva acting as king, he concluded that his brother had betrayed him. Though Sugriva humbly attempted to explain himself, Vali would not listen and exiled Sugriva from the kingdom. To exact his vengeance, Vali forcibly took Sugriva's wifeRumā for his own, and the brothers became bitter enemies.[3] Sugriva went on to live upon the mountain Rishyamukh, the only place on earth that Vali could not tread on. Vali had been previously cursed by Sage Mathanga to be unable to lay a foot on this mountain on pain of death.
In exile, Sugriva made the acquaintance ofRama, theavatar ofVishnu, who is on a quest to rescue his wifeSita from the demonRavana, king of therakshasas. Rama promised Sugriva that he would kill Vali and would reinstate Sugriva as the king of the vanaras. Sugriva, in turn, promised to help Rama with his quest.[4]
Together, Sugriva and Rama went to seek out Vali. While Rama stood back, Sugriva shouted a challenge and dared him to battle. The brothers rushed at each other, fighting with trees and stones, with fists, nails, and teeth. They were evenly matched and indistinguishable to the observer, until Sugriva's counselorHanuman, stepped forward and placed a garland of flowers around Sugriva's neck. It is then that Rama emerged with his bow and drove an arrow through Vali's heart.[5] After Vali's death, Sugriva reclaimed the vanara kingdom, took back his first wife,Rumā, who became his queen. Vali's son Angada, became the crown prince.[6]
After the death of Vali he became king of Kishkinda by the wishes of Rama. He helped Rama to fight Ravana in the war of Lanka. He sent the Vanara Warriors to four sides of earth to search for kidnapped sita. For that he ordered all vanaras on the earth should gather in kishkinda. Many vanara chiefs came with their armies. The search team consisted of his elite warriors nephew Angada, Hanuman, Bhalluka Jambavan and other returned with good news that sita is in Ravana Lanka.
After that Sugriva personally commanded his vanara army for Rama to relieve Sita who was being help captive byRavana. Upon reaching Lanka, Sugriva lost his patience on seeing Ravana and an engraged Sugriva attacked Ravana all alone and had a fight with Ravana almost knocking him down but later had to flee when Ravana gained an upper hand in the duel.Sugriva killedKumbhakarna’s sonKumbha in a fierce dual. He was also imprisoned by Kumbhakarna but Sugriva tricked him and escaped.In a fight against Ravana, he was almost killed but got rescued byJambavan. Later, Rama killed Ravana and the war was won by Sugriva’s Vanaras and accompanied Rama toAyodhya.
OnLakshmana's request and after GuruVasistha's approval,Rama plans to doAshvamedha yajna. At this auspicious occasion he calls Sugriva along withAngada, Nala, Nila,Jambavantha andHanuman to come toAyodhya. Rama greets and hugs Sugriva, Jambavantha and others on their arrival to Ayodhya.
The yajna horse is captured byLava andKusha brothers. In the Rama's army the news spreads that two muni kumara's has captured the Yagya's horse. Shatrughana walks and fights with Lava and he is defeated by Lava. Then Lakshamana comes and he is also defeated by Lava due to the fact that he was holding back. ThenBharata asks Rama to give him the permission to go to set horse free from both muni Kumara. Sugriva and Hanuman also request Rama to permit them to go along with Bharata in the battle. Lava and Kusha defeat Bharata and Sugriva and took Hanuman as a prisoner. Hanuman is the only one who knew that Lava and Kusha were sons of his master Rama & Sita and thus allowed himself to be imprisoned by his master's sons.[7]
When Rama decided to depart from the world and tooksamadhi in theSarayu river, Sugriva also retired from earth and went with his fatherSurya. He crowned his nephew Angada as the next king of Kishkindha. This happened post Vibhishan allowed them.
According toJain texts, Sugriva is a human being and he tookJain Diksha and attainedMoksha fromMangi-Tungi.[8]
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