Sages & Others
Sugriva
सुग्रीव
The Monkey King of Kishkindha
Who was Sugriva?
Sugriva (सुग्रीव): The Monkey King of Kishkindha, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. The exiled monkey king whom Rama met on Rishyamuka through Hanuman, and with whom he made a compact over a scrap of cloth Sita had dropped.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | सुग्रीव |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Monkey King of Kishkindha |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | Dispossessed, Shrewd, Grateful, Forgetful |
| Notable relationships | Brother: Vali, Sister-in-law: Tara, Ally: Rama, Counselor: Hanuman |
| Featured in | 7 stories |
About Sugriva
The exiled monkey king whom Rama met on Rishyamuka through Hanuman, and with whom he made a compact over a scrap of cloth Sita had dropped. Rama killed his brother Vali for him and he took Kishkindha back; when he was slow to keep his half of the bargain, Lakshmana was sent angry to the city and found the search parties already gone out to the four quarters. In Markandeya's telling of the Rama story to the Pandavas he is the ally whose armies cross to Lanka.
In Their Words
Robbed of my wife and my kingdom both, what was I keeping this life for?
Sugriva
Traits
- Dispossessed
- Shrewd
- Grateful
- Forgetful
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Sugriva
4 further tales on this site name Sugriva, in canonical reading order.
- The Grove of Ashoka TreesA captive refuses, and a rakshasi tells her dream
- The Testimony of the ElementsWhat Rama said when she was brought back to him
- The Friend of DasarathaA vulture fights Ravana in the sky, and a headless Rakshasa points the way to Sugriva
- Nala's BridgeThe Ocean refuses to part and names a workman instead, and the monkey army walks to Lanka
Character Arc
- The ClothShows Rama the bundle Sita let fall from the sky
- The ChallengeRoars at Kishkindha's gate with an archer behind him
- The DebtIs reminded by an angry Lakshmana what he promised
Key Relationships
Places in Sugriva's Story
Drawn from the stories Sugriva appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.