One day, while Brahmadev was performing a penance, a drop of his tears fell on his hand, and it bore a king called Raksharaj. He was a monkey. While he was going from forest to forest, he came to a river in Kailasa, the kingdom of Shiva. He bathed in the river, but immediately after, he became a very beautiful female. It was appointed by Parvati, wife of Shiva, that any man who would bathe in the river would become a female. Indra and the Sun were enamoured of the woman.

By Indra she got Vali, and by the Sun, Sugriva. Having heard that Raksharaj became a female, Brahmadev came to the river and prayed to Parvati to restore his son to his former form. Parvati listened to his prayer and made Raksharaj a man again. The god then created a country called Kishkindha and gave it to him. Raksharaj ruled in the country for some time and, having placed his eldest son, Vali, on the throne, proceeded to heaven.

Vali and Sugriva lived together and loved each other. Vali was very powerful and invincible, as he was presented by Indra with the Vijayamala, a garland which, if put around the neck of a warrior, always gives him success in war. After some time, both the brothers became mortal enemies, and Vali carried off Sugriva’s beautiful wife, Ruma. For fear of his brother, Sugriva made his abode on the hills called Rishyamukha Parvat. They both fought together every six months.

Rama bade Maruti tell Sugriva that he would kill Vali and restore his wife to him. Maruti immediately went to Sugriva and said to him, “You are in grief for your wife, so also Rama for his wife, Sita. Rama has promised to help you in recovering your wife, and you will have to help him also in recovering his wife, Sita.”

Sugriva was glad at what Maruti had told him and set out with his army of monkeys to see Rama. On his arrival, the prince cordially received Sugriva and told him all about Sita. Sugriva said that yesterday he had heard the screams of a woman and showed the ornaments found by the monkeys to Rama. The prince identified the ornaments as belonging to his wife and shed tears, when Sugriva said, “Do not be afraid. I shall help you with my able ministers, Nala, Nila, and Jambuvant, in recovering Sita from Ravana. Let us kill Vali first, and then we shall set out in search of Sita.”

As soon as Sugriva spoke these words, Rama assumed his arrow, when the former stopped him and said, “Vali is my mortal enemy and will fight with us to his last gasp.”

Whereupon Rama asked him the cause of the enmity with his brother, and Sugriva started narrating:

“Dundubhi, son of the demon Mahishasur,” continued Sugriva, “was very powerful and oppressed the gods in heaven and the people on earth. Nobody could fight with him. At last, the demon went to Yama and challenged him to fight. Yama said, ‘I cannot fight with you. I therefore tell you to go to Vali at Kishkindha, and he will fight with you to your satisfaction.’

The demon immediately came to Kishkindha and challenged Vali to fight with him, when the latter killed him and hurled his body in the air, which fell on the hills called Rishyamukha Parvat. All the Rishis on the hills were killed by the weight of the corpse, when a Rishi called Matanga cursed Vali, saying that if the latter touched the hills, he would instantly die.

Mayasur, son of Dundubhi, came to avenge the death of his father but fled to Patal through a cave when Vali gave him blows. Vali pursued him, having posted me at the mouth of it. For many months he did not return, though I was at the cave all the time watching it. During this time, demi-gods entered Kishkindha and sought to take possession of it. I therefore placed a mountain at the mouth of the cave and drove all the demi-gods from the kingdom.

Vali did not return to Kishkindha for twenty months, and from this fact all concluded that he was no more, whereupon the people of Kishkindha proclaimed me as their king against my wishes. In the meantime, Vali returned to the cave with the head of Mayasur and, having seen the mouth of it blocked up, he was alarmed on account of me. He immediately removed the mountain and directly came to Kishkindha. As soon as he saw me on the throne, he boiled with rage and said, ‘You blocked up the mouth of the cave with a view to kill me and take my kingdom.’ So saying, he attacked me.

But with the assistance of Nala, Nila, Jambuvant, and Maruti, I escaped and made my abode on these hills, because he would not come here for fear of the curse.”

Sugriva then showed the body of Dundubhi to Rama, who flung it at a distance with his toe. “Now do one thing,” said Rama, “just go and challenge Vali to fight with you.”

Sugriva accordingly went to Kishkindha and challenged him to fight, when Tara said to her husband, “I implore you not to meet Sugriva today. He comes to fight with you every six months, but he has now come to combat with you only three days after the last battle. I think Rama and Lakshman have promised to help him. I therefore pray that you will not go to fight with Sugriva today.”

“That will not do,” replied Vali. “I must fight with him and cut off his head. If I am killed in the fight, Angada will protect you.”

So saying, Vali went and attacked Sugriva, when Rama killed the former with one arrow. Tara, his wife, violently cried for her husband, when Rama consoled her and advised her to marry Sugriva. At first she hesitated, but soon after, she married him. Sugriva began to rule and forgot all about Rama in his luxury, with his two wives, Tara and Ruma.

|| OM SAI SHRI SAI JAI JAI SAI || 

|| SHRI SATCHIDANANDA SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI ||

Note: This narration is based on Ramavijaya: The Mythological History of Rama (Bombay, 1891, Dubhashi & Co.), a public domain text shared here for free reading.

*The Ramavijaya version includes mythic origins for Vali and Sugriva (through Brahma’s tear, Parvati’s river, Indra, and Surya). This is a regional embellishment, not found in Valmiki Ramayana. In classical versions, Vali and Sugriva are born to Ahalya’s attendants through Indra and Surya’s blessings, not via Brahma’s tears.

*Rama killing Vali while hidden behind a tree is common to all tellings, but Ramavijaya softens the moral controversy by emphasizing Sugriva’s righteousness and Tara’s eventual acceptance.