BY
Mr. Devarajan
Ms. Lakshmi Varma

Kishkinda was ruled by a monkey king Vali who was renowned for his strength and valour. Once, an asura named Mayavi challenged him for a duel. A fierce fight erupted between Mayavi and Vali in the outskirts of Kishkinda, and Vali’s brother Sugriva watched them praying that his brother should win the duel. The two entered a cave and continued fighting in the cave for more than a year. Sugriva who waited all this period, returned home in sorrow assuming his brother was dead. The elders of Kishkinda appointed Sugriva as the king to succeed Vali.

After some years, Vali suddenly returned to Kishkinda, and found that his country was now being ruled by his brother Sugriva. He mistook that his brother usurped his kingdom and threw him out of the Kishkinda and captured his wife. “A wise monkey is the monkey that does not monkey with another monkey’s monkey ” Sugriva took refuge on a mountain named Rishyamooka as he knew that his brother could not pursue him there because of a curse on him by a sage.

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By: Raghavendra

Sugreeva and his four-vanara ministers are taking refuge atop the mountain of Rishyamukha. One fine morning Sugreeva sees two handsome young men, divine looking and resplendent with the kshatriya armor. On seeing them, Sugreeva is terrified. He opines that his brother Vali has sent them to this mountain to kill him, and then in a rush hastens to flee from that place along with his entourage. But Hanuman calms him down and suggests that he would go and enquire about their identity and the purpose their visit to that place. After taking Sugreeva’s permission he assumes the guise of a young brahmachari and approaches the two newcomers with reverence and humility. He enquires them of their identity and the purpose of their visit to the mountain. Lord Rama and Laxmana reveal their identity and narrate the purpose of their visit, which is to search for Sita with the help of Sugreeva. Lord Hanuman is extremely happy at the turn of events. He then carries them to Sugreeva on his shoulders.

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