Sugriva

Sugriva
Maharaja
Rama and Lakshmana confer with Sugriva
Predecessor	Vali
Successor	Angada
Consort	Rumā
Dynasty	Vanara
Father	Surya
Mother	Aruni
Religion	Hinduism

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Sugriva (Sanskrit: सुग्रीव, lit. beautiful necked) was younger brother of Vali, whom he succeeded as ruler of the vanara or monkey kingdom of Kishkindha. Rumā was his wife. He was son of Surya, the Hindu deity of sun. As the king of monkeys, 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).

He is also known as Javanese: Sugriwa, rtgs: Su-khrip, Lao: Sugeep, Khmer: Sukhreeb, Creole: Soogrim, Lao: Sangkip, Tamil: Cukkirivan, Burmese: Thugyeik, Sugreeva or Sugreev.

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

Vali ruled the kingdom of Kishkindha; his subjects were the vanaras, or monkeys. Tara was his wife. One day, 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. 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 Matang and hence cannot lay a foot on this piece of land. Doing so would cause his death.