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43.224.157.22: /* Disagreement between Sugriva and Vali */ corrected spelling error

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Disagreement between Sugriva and Vali: corrected spelling error

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{{Short description|king of kishkindha}}
{{redirect|Sugreeva|the 2010 Indian film|Sugreeva (film)}}
{{more footnotes|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox character
| image = Brooklyn Museum - Rama and Lakshmana Confer with Sugriva about the Search for Sita Page from a Dispersed Ramayana Series.jpg
| series = [[Ramayana]]
| relatives = [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]]
| caption = [[Rama]] and [[Lakshmana]] confer with Sugriva
| title = [[Maharaja]]
| family = [[Surya]] (father)<br>Vriksharaja (adoptive father)
| spouses = [[Rumā]]<br>[[Tara (Ramayana)|Tara]]
}}

In the ancient Indian epic [[Ramayana]], '''''Sugriva''''' ({{lang-sa|सुग्रीव}}, {{IAST|sugrīva}}, {{lit|beautiful necked}}) was younger brother of [[bali (Ramayana)|Vali]], whom he succeeded as ruler of the [[vanara]] kingdom of [[Kishkindha]].<ref name="Ambedkar1979">{{cite book|author=Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar|title=Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Writings and Speeches: Riddles in Hinduism|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=rJX2d-c4oaYC&dq=sugriva+vali+kishkindha|year=1979|publisher=Education Department, Government of Maharashtra}}</ref> [[Rumā]] was his wife. He was son of [[Surya]], the Hindu deity of sun. As the king of vanara, Sugriva aided [[Rama]] in his quest to liberate his wife [[Sita]] from captivity at the hands of the [[Rakshasa]] king [[Ravana]]. This aid is referred to as [[Sugrivajne (Sugriva pledge)|Sugrivajne]].

He is also known as {{lang-jv|Sugriwa}}, {{lang-th|Su-khrip}}, {{lang-lo|Sugeep}}, {{lang-km|Sukhreeb}}, [[Creole language|Creole]]: ''Soogrim'', {{lang-lo|Sangkip}}, {{lang-ta|Cukkirivan}}, {{lang-my|Thugyeik}}, Sugreeva or Sugreev.

==The story of Sugriva==

The story of Sugriva is part of [[Ramayana]] and in an abbreviated version, is also present in the [[Mahabharata]].

=== Disagreement between Sugriva and Vali ===

[[File:Rama Meets Sugreeva.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Rama Meets Sugreeva]]

[[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] ruled the kingdom of [[Kishkindha]]; his subjects were the [[vanaras]]. [[Tara (Ramayana)|Tara]] was his wife. A raging demon by the name of Maayaavi 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, Vali forcibly took Sugriva's wife [[Rumā]] and the brothers became bitter enemies.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 9–10.</ref> Sugriva then goes on to live on Rishyamukh as it is the only place on earth that Vali cannot tread on. Vali was previously cursed by Sage Mathanga and hence cannot lay a foot on this piece of land. Doing so would cause his death.

===Sugriva makes an alliance===

[[File:Rama and Lakshmana Meet Sugriva at Matanga’s Hermitage.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Rama and Lakshmana Meet Sugriva at Matanga's Hermitage]]

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 vanaras. Sugriva, in turn, promised to help Rama with his quest.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 8, 10; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.</ref>

===Rama kills Vali and hands over the kingdom to Sugriva===

[[File:Killing of Vali Monkey.jpg|thumb|250px|Killing of Vali vanara]]

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 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.{{cn|date=April 2020}} After Vali’s death, Sugriva reclaimed the vanara kingdom, took back his wife, [[Rumā]] and took over Vali's main wife, Tara, who became empress and her son by Vali, Angada, who became crown prince.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 11 ff.; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.</ref>

==Sugriva's fight with Lava & Kusha==

[[File:Duel of Rawana and Sugreeva.jpg|thumb|250px|Sugriva fight with [[Ravana]]]]

On [[Lakshmana]]'s request and after Guru [[Vasistha]]'s approval, [[Rama]] plans to do [[Ashvamedha]] Yagya. At this auspicious occasion he calls Sugriva along with [[Angada]], Nala, Neela, [[Jambavantha]] and [[Hanuman]] to come to [[Ayodhya]]. Rama greets and hugs Sugriva, Jambavantha and others on their arrival to Ayodhya.

The Yagya horse was captured by [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] and [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] 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 was defeated by Lava. Then Lakshamana comes and he was also defeated by Lava. Then [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]] 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 take Hanuman as a prisoner. Hanuman was the only one who knew that Lava and Kush were sons of his master & Sita and thus allowed himself to be imprisoned by his master's sons.<ref>Valmiki Ramayana</ref>

==Retirement==

When Rama decided to depart from the world and took ''[[samadhi]]'' in the [[Sharayu River]], Sugriva also retired from earth and went with his father [[Surya]].

==Jain version==

{{main|Rama in Jainism}}
According to [[Jain texts]], Sugriva was a human being and he took [[Jain monasticism|Jain Diksha]] and attained [[Moksha (Jainism)|Moksha]] from [[Mangi-Tungi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|title=Mangi Tungi Temple|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001202528/http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|archive-date=1 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Artistic and folkloric depictions of Sugriva==
{{unsourced section|date=April 2020}}
[[File:Stone bas relief at Banteay Srei in Cambodia from front.jpg|thumb|250px|This [[tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] from the Khmer temple of [[Banteay Srei]] depicts Sugriva fighting with his brother Bali. To the right, Rama is poised to shoot an arrow at Vali.]]

* The combat of Sugriva with his brother [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] was a favorite motif of the [[Khmer people|Khmer]] sculptors contributing to the [[Architecture of Cambodia|Angkorian temples and monuments]] near [[Siem Reap]] in [[Cambodia]].
* A detailed and moving [[tympanum (architecture)|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 vanara.
* A [[bas-relief]] at the 12th-century temple of [[Angkor Wat]] shows the fight between the brothers, arrival of Rama and Vali lying on his death-bed, mourned by many other vanaras. 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 vanaras 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==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}
==Further reading==
*Anna Dhallapiccola, ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend''. ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}})
* [[Valmiki Ramayana]], ''Ramayana written by Maharshi Valmiki''.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sugriva}}
* [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.
* [https://archive.is/20070929094537/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.

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Vanara in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Animals in religion]]
[[Category:Characters_in_the_Ramayana]]

Sugriva - Revision history

Nayem: small fix

43.224.157.22: /* Disagreement between Sugriva and Vali */ corrected spelling error