Sugriva the underrated Character (3)

When Vibhishana reaches Rama he was first sighted by Sugriva [ 6-17-05]. Sugriva immediately concludes that Vibhishana is intending tgo kill them [ 6-17-07]. Sugriva immediately orders to kill them [ 6-17-09]. But Vibhishana preempts him claims he has come seeking refuge with Rama abandoning his wife and children [ 6-17-16]. Immediately Sugriva speaks to Rama and Lakshmana. He warns Rama that Vibhishana is from enemy force [ 6-17-19]. Warns that he may trick them after gaining confidence [ 6-17-23]. Questions how he can be Trusted[ 6-17-25]. Rama appreciates this advice and asks everyone to say their opinion. This exactly what Manusmriti advices. Take every bodies opinion and then make your own decision.
7.57 तेषां स्वं स्वम् अभिप्रायं उपलभ्य प्र्तक प्र्तक समस्तानां च कार्येषु विदध्यद्य् हितम् आत्मनः
7.57. Having (first) ascertained the opinion of each (minister) separately and (then the views) of all together, let him do what is (most) beneficial for him in his affairs. After getting every bodies opinion
Rama decides to take him But Sugriva persists. Say if he can deceive his own brother why can’t he deceive us. Rama compliments Sugriva again by saying he is well read hence he is speaking like this [ 6-18-08]. Why did he say that? Again because Manusmriti says;
7.180 यथा एनं आतिष्ठेद् अर्रिराष्ट्रं प्रति प्रभुः तदानेन विधानेन ययद् अरिपुरं शनैः
7.180. Let him arrange everything in such a manner that no ally, no neutral or foe may injure him; that is the sum of political wisdom

Thus Sugriva is a person well read and knows dharma. Hence the accolade from Rama.

Sanskrit English
6-17-05
तम् आत्म पन्चमम् दृष्ट्वा सुग्रीवो वानर अधिपः |
वानरैः सह दुर्धर्षः चिन्तयाम् आस बुद्धिमान् ||६-१७-५
Sugriva the valiant of monkeys, who was difficult to be overpowered, having seen Vibhishana, the fifth one along with four others, became thoughtful along with monkeys. Back
6-17-07
एष सर्व आयुध उपेतः चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः |
राक्षसो अभ्येति पश्यध्वम् अस्मान् हन्तुम् न संशयः ||६-१७-७
“See this demon possessing all types of weapons, coming along with four demons. There is no doubt that he is coming to kill us.” Back
6-17-09
शीघ्रम् व्यादिश नो राजन् वधाय एषाम् दुरात्मनाम् |
निपतन्तु हताः च एते धरण्याम् अल्प जीविताः ||६-१७-९
“Do you swiftly order us to slay these wicked doers, O, king? Let us strike these fools down so that they drop to the ground!” Back
6-17-16
सो अहम् परुषितस् तेन दासवच् च अवमानितः |
त्यक्त्वा पुत्रामः च दारामः च राघवम् शरणम् गतः ||६-१७-१६
“Reviled by him and humiliated as a slave, I, leaving my sons and my wife, have come to take refuge with Rama.” Back
6-17-19
प्रविष्टः शत्रु सैन्यम् हि प्राप्तः शत्रुरतर्कितः |
निहन्यादन्न्तरम् लब्ध्वा उलूको वायसानिव ||६-१७-१९
“Belonging to the enemy force, here is an adversary taking us unawares, who unexpectedly has come here to slay us at the first opportunity like an owl destroying crows!” Back
6-17-23
अथवा स्वयमेवैष चिद्रमासाद्य बुद्धिमान् |
अनुप्रविश्य विश्वस्ते कदाचित्प्रहरेदपि ||६-१७-२३
“Otherwise he , intelligent by himself, can get into possession of a weak point in us. Having first gained our confidence by craft, he may even at any time attack us.” Back
6-17-25
प्रकृत्या राक्षसो ह्येष भ्रातामित्रस्य वै प्रभो |
आगतश्च रिपोः साक्षात्कथमस्मिंश्च विश्वसेत् ||६-१७-२५
“O, Lord! He is indeed a demon by nature and a brother of an enemy who came directly from an adversary. How can we keep trust in him?” Back
6-18-08
अनधीत्य च शास्त्राणि वृद्धाननुपसेव्य च |
न शक्यमीदृशम् वक्तुम् यदुवाच हरीश्वरः ||६-१८-८
“Without studying scriptures and without serving elders, it is not possible to speak such words as Sugreeva spoke.” Back

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All Sloka Translations are from the site Valmiki Ramayana

11 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. sachin
    Jan 07, 2012 @ 09:51:07

    sugriva was aa taritor of vali who killed his brother and had sxx with his bhabhi tara who is a wxxxx too

    Reply

  2. M H Gopalakrishnan
    Jan 07, 2012 @ 10:37:07

    Please control your language in expressing these things It reflects on you not on any thing else.

    Reply

  3. Kalyana Pallavi
    Jul 24, 2012 @ 11:36:24

    Ramayana is story of humans not gods, so i think it shows how normally people react(like sugiva) in a situation and how actually should behave(like Rama).

    Reply

    • mghariharan
      Jul 26, 2012 @ 22:14:21

      In yudha kanda end Bharata calls Sugriva as fifth brother. Kadamba warns Rama don’t insult Sugriva else you will never get seetha. You are listening to upanyasams without reading Ramayana. English version is available please read it then you will understand Sugriva.

      Reply

  4. Kalyana Pallavi
    Jul 28, 2012 @ 12:26:59

    I don’t mean to say that sugriva did ever bound to Dharma and no virtuous qualities but we should understand a fact that there is tharathamya(degradation) in virtuousness of every soul. In the same situation when Rama asked the advise of Hanuma, he advised to accept sugriva’s friendship…

    Reply

    • mghariharan
      Jul 29, 2012 @ 10:21:42

      These degredations are just in your mind. Bharata had no inhibitions in accepting him as his brother. Ramayana is a great work on ethics and morals. It is difficult to understand it if we dont park our classifications of good and bad. How would you interpret Kausalya scolding Rama you are good for nothing son ( just as most mothers scold their sons).
      Kadamba advised Rama to go in search of Sugriva, kadamba also speaks high of Sugrivan Rama did not take any advice from Hanuman. Kadamba even warned that if Rama insulted Sugriva, he will not get his wife. If Rama should not insult Sugriva, what right have we to insult him.

      Reply

  5. Pallavi
    Aug 08, 2012 @ 13:01:06

    We need not under rate anyone but at the same time need not over rate too, we should be ready to accept both positive as well as negetives and should try to improve ourself in day-to-day life.
    When Kabanda advised Rama, by the time sugriva lost his kingdom and was living on rushyamukha mountain to rescue himself from vali,
    Can we think that Kabanda advising rama not to insult sugriva as that rama does not know how to behave or talk to others, who have asked baratha to accept kaikeyi as his mother and not to speak rudely to her even after loosing his kingdom?
    > Though sugriva had a chance to enjoy the kingdom and send vali out after Vali’s return, he instood bowed at vali’s feet and gave back his kingdom and explained the circumstances(hence sugriva is dharma bound person), even he cries when vaali was defeated in the fight).
    > Please see the below link http://www.valmikiramayan.net/yuddha/sarga17/yuddha_17_frame.htm
    where rama asks all others advice then angada and sarabha, many others says they should accept vibhishana after sending a spy and confiming his truthfullness but hanuma says they can accept him by just seeing his facial expressions itself. He did’nt even say that he had been to lanka already and know vibhishana well and all the stuffs.
    BUT after rama decieding to accept vibhishana, sugriva did’nt felt ego or angry for not implementing his advise unlike ravan who gets angry or ego if he is not listened.
    > Please go through the below link http://www.valmikiramayan.net/yuddha/sarga41/yuddha_41_frame.htm
    In Yudha kanda, upon seeing ravana, sugriva jumps on to ravana front door and fights with him and returns back.Where Rama complimenting sugriva’s courageous act of fighting with ravan, he even says, a king should not act in hasty.
    > What about sugriva caught under sensual pleasures after vali’s death, neglected his duty and only come out of it only after laxmana visiting sugriva in anger. In kishkinda kaanda please see the hanuma speech to sugriva who got frieghtened on seeing Rama and laxmana.
    If we start rating charecters or concluding a single point, we miss many other important points that how a king should think wisely before taking a decisin, a king should not be caught with sensual pleasures. Barata accepting sugriva as younger brother is not wrong as he helped rama in getting back seetha but for that we need not miss various points that should be learned by us.

    Reply

    • mghariharan
      Aug 08, 2012 @ 19:27:18

      I agree with your 1 st statement in complete
      Why kabanda advised may not be important but what he advised is. Important. Don’t insult Sugriva and repent later as you wont get your wife.
      I have not yet taken up Vibhishana saragathi in total, ( though I have mentioned it with represent to other aspects) but yes you are correct. Why hanuman did not say anything in favour of Vibhishana will be covered in next few postings ( am sorry I am busy with some other programme and hence I have not written for some time). It will be covered in Hanuman the overrated character. ( probably hanuman is angry and is not allowing me to write.). Bharatha accepts Sugriva as his brother and in next sentence accepts Vhibishana only as an ally.
      Regarding Sugrivas behaviour No please see the sarga before Lakshmana comes, Sugriva has already instructed to call vanaras.to start the search. Tara scolds Lakshmana for not realizing this. Bharata accepting Sugriva as fifth brother is not a single point but main message in the story. It is not a casual sentence. Sensual behaviour is not a bad behaviour. Rama himself accuses his father as a sensual person.
      I am glad you quoted somany points our openions may differ but I have learned many points from your letter and hope I am contributing some measure to your opinions also.

      Reply

  6. iwouldratherbewriting
    Dec 21, 2012 @ 00:24:40

    There so much to know from your blog. Your posts make for an interesting read, I am still not done reading 🙂 I would like to invite you to read this: http://iwouldratherbewriting.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/lord-raama-is-that-you/

    Reply

  7. vema
    Apr 14, 2013 @ 09:20:02

    sugriva did had lusty sex with his widow sister in law (bhabhi) tara and still rama embraced and blessed sugriva

    Reply

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