Ram started to question Sugriv eagerly about everything he had seen on that day and what he knew about Ravana. Sugriv admitted sadly that he knew nothing about Ravana. All he had seen was a beautiful woman, in great distress. From her cries, he had guessed that she was being abducted. But he assured Ram that they would soon rescue her.
“Be full of hope and courage. Please do not give way to your grief like this” Sugriv had a very affectionate nature and could not bear to see Ram’s distress. “A friend considers the grief of his friend, as his own, and I cannot bear to see your sorrow. Please rest assured that I will help you to find your wife”.
Then he recounted to Ram the full details of his own banishment. “Vali is my eldest brother and was crowned king by my father. Kishkindha is the name of Vali’s fortress. One day, an asura, called Dundubhi, in the shape of a buffalo, came and challenged Vali. Dundubhi was one of those who delighted in fights. He had challenged the ocean who ignored him and swept over him with tidal waves so that Dundubhi was forced to back off in a hurry. His next target was Himavan, the Lord of the Himalayas, who simply froze him with ice and sleet.
At last Dundubhi came to Kishkinda and challenged Vali. After a good fight, Vali broke his neck and threw his carcass miles away, to this mountain. As it flew through the air, drops of blood fell on the altar of the rishi, Matanga, who was practising penance here and he cursed him that his head would break if he ever came here. That is why I have taken shelter here.
Mayavi, was the son of Dundubhi. He came to Kishkinda to take revenge on Vali and challenged him to a fight. Vali and I came out and chased Mayavi who ran off when he saw the two of us and hid in a cave. Vali followed him and told me to wait outside. I waited for a year and then to my horror, I saw blood flowing out of the cave and the roars of the asura, I was sure that my dear brother was dead. I took a large stone and closed the mouth of the cave since I was afraid the asura would come out and kill me too. Sadly I returned to Kishkinda and told my story. After due consideration, the ministers decided to crown me, king.
One day after a fairly long gap, Vali returned. He was furious when he saw that I had been crowned. He spoke very harshly to me and accused me of having contrived a plot, to oust him from his heritage. I spoke very sweetly to him and told him the whole story and begged him to take back his rightful inheritance. He would not listen to anything I had to say. He bounded me out of the kingdom and kept my wife, Rumi, for himself. For many years I was a wandering mendicant. Eventually I took refuge on this mountain, which is the one place to which Vali cannot come. 0 Ram! I can never forget the pain and humiliation which my brother has caused me”. So saying Sugriv burst into tears.
Ram comforted him and promised to kill Vali and get his kingdom back. But though he believed Ram, Sugriv had some doubts whether Ram could actually defeat Vali, for he knew his brother to be very powerful.
Sugriv said, “Vali is as strong as a thousand elephants. Just for sport he would pull down trees along the forest paths as he went along. He would snap off the peak of a mountain and fling it far away into the sea. Come, I will show you the huge skeleton of the asura, Dundubhi, which is lying not far from here”.
So saying, Sugriv took Ram to the skeleton. He also showed him seven, huge, palmyra trees, which Vali used to shake simultaneously as a joke and denude them of their leaves.
Lakshman was amused at this description of Vali’s prowess. He realised that Sugriv doubted if Ram could conquer Vali. He said to Sugriv, “I see that you have doubts about Ram’s prowess. Tell me what he can do to banish your doubts and restore your faith in him”.
Sugriv hung his head in shame, for Lakshman had correctly gauged his fears. “Please do not misunderstand me”, he said, “my fear of Vali is so great, that I find it difficult to accept that someone so slim and handsome as Ram, can beat him. See those trees. Vali could pierce each tree with one arrow. Can Ram do that and will he able to lift up this skeleton of Dundubhi with one foot and fling it to a distance of a hundred lengths? If he can do these two tasks, my mind would be at rest”.
Turning to Ram he said, “Please do not think I am trying to test you, or that I am trying to insult you by asking you to display your ability, but I do not want you to meet Vali until I am sure that you can beat him”.
Ram smiled reassuringly at him and said, “Your doubts are quite understandable. I will try to convince you. Saying this, Ram walked to the skeleton and lifting it with his foot, he flung it about ten miles off. Sugriv was impressed but he still wavered.
“When Vali threw the body of Dundubhi, it was much heavier, covered as it was with flesh and blood. If you can pierce at least one of those trees with a single arrow, I will be convinced”.
Ram smiled and fixing an arrow on his bow he shot it. The arrow sped like a golden streak and piercing all seven trees, it fell to the earth along with the trees which were all split into two by Ram’s arrow.
All five monkeys were jubilant when they saw this feat and jumped up and down with excitement. Sugriv’s doubts had been cleared and he rushed and embraced Ram and begged his pardon for having doubted him.
“Let us go immediately to Kishkinda and kill Vali”, he said with great excitement.
Ram agreed but he asked Sugriv to go first and challenge Vali for a duel. He promised to conceal himself and kill him when the opportunity arose.
Thus ends the first Canto called “The Famous Encounter” of the Kishkinda Kanda in the glorious Ramyana of the Sage Valmiki.