Sugriva

In Hindu mythology, Sugriva (Sanskrit: सुग्रीव, "Sugrīva", Malay: "Sugriwa", Thai: "Sugreep"), also spelled Sugreeva or Sugreev, was the younger brother of Vali, whom he succeeded as ruler of the vanara or monkey kingdom Kishkindha. He was the son of Surya, the Hindu deity of the sun. He is also the uncle of Hanuman. As king of the monkeys, Sugriva aided Rama in his quest to liberate his wife Sita from captivity at the hands of the Rakshasa king Ravana.

The Story of Sugriva in the Great Epics

The story of Sugriva is part of the Ramayana and, in an abbreviated version, can also be found in the Mahabharata.

ugriva and Vali have a disagreement

Vali ruled the kingdom of Kishkindha; his subjects were the vanaras or monkeys. Tara was his wife, and Sugriva his brother. One day, a raging demon 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 oozing from its mouth, Sugriva concluded that his brother had been killed. With a heavy heart, Sugriva rolled a boulder to seal the cave's opening, returned to Kishkindha, and assumed kingship over the vanaras. 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. As a result, Sugriva was ostracized from the kingdom, and the brothers became bitter enemies. [Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 9-10.]

ugriva makes an alliance with Rama

In exile, Sugriva made the acquaintance of Rama, the avatar of Vishnu, who was on a quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon Ravana, king of the Rakshasas. Rama promised Sugriva that he would kill Vali and would reinstate Sugriva as the king of the monkeys. Sugriva, in turn, promised to help Rama with his quest. [Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 8, 10; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.]

Rama kills Vali; Sugriva takes over the monkey kingdom

Together, Sugriva and Rama went to seek out Vali. While Rama stood back, Sugriva accused Vali of usurping his wife and kingdom, and challenged him to a fight. 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 counsellor Hanuman stepped forward and placed a garland of flowers around Sugriva's neck. It was then that Rama emerged with his bow and drove an arrow through Vali's heart. When Vali had expired, Sugriva claimed his widow Tara and the monkey kingdom. [Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 11 ff.; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.]

ugriva helps Rama to conquer Lanka and to rescue Sita

Sugriva sent his trusted advisor Hanuman to determine Sita's whereabouts. Hanuman's finding was that Ravana was holding Sita captive in his island fortress of Lanka. When Rama decided to move against Lanka, Sugriva placed his army of monkeys at the hero's disposal. The army crossed into Lanka by means of a specially erected bridge and laid siege to Rama's citadel. After some hard fighting, the monkeys prevailed over the demons, Rama slew Ravana, and Sita was liberated. [Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 280 ff.]

During the battle, Sugriva almost came to a violent death when he decided to take on the Rakshasa Kumbhakarna, a brother of Ravana. Seeing the demon in the middle of the fray, Sugriva attacked him with the trunk of a sala tree. The tree, however, merely broke over the demon's head. Kumhhakarna then seized Sugriva and dragged him off, and no doubt would have killed him but for the timely intervention of Rama's brother Lakshmana. [Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 285.]

Artistic and Folkloric Depictions of Sugriva

* The combat of Sugriva with his brother Vali was a favorite motif of the Khmer sculpters contributing to the Angkorian temples and monuments near Siem Reap in Cambodia.
** A detailed and moving tympanum at the 10th century Hindu temple of Banteay Srei depicts the combat of the brothers, as well as Rama's intervention and Vali's death in the arms of another monkey.
** A bas-relief at the 12th century temple of Angkor Wat shows the fight between the brothers, the arrival of Rama, and Vali lying on his death-bed, mourned by many other monkeys. Another scene shows Sugriva and Rama entering into their alliance. A large bas-relief depicts the Battle of Lanka between Rama and Sugriva's army of monkeys and Ravana's army of Rakshasas.
** The fight between Vali and Sugriva is also represented at the lesser-known 13th century Angkorian temple of Preah Pithu.

References

*Anna Dhallapiccola, "Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend". (ISBN 0-500-51088-1)

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rama The Ramayana] of Valmiki, online version, English translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith.
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm The Mahabharata] of Vyasa, online version, English translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.
* [http://angkorblog.com/_wsn/page2.html Photos of the tympanum at Banteay Srei] in Cambodia depicting Sugriva's combat with Vali and Rama's intervention.