Seated upon a splendid throne, the golden-hued hero Sugrīva tightly embraced Rumā. His wide, searching eyes turned to Saumitri—Lakṣmaṇa—whose spirit was unwavering and whose gaze was equally intense. Thus began the thirty-fourth chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, within the Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa. Suddenly, Lakṣmaṇa, the foremost among men, entered the hall, unhindered and ablaze with anger. Sugrīva’s senses grew agitated as he witnessed the son of Dasharatha, breathing heavily, radiant with fury, tormented by his brother Rāma’s distress. Sugrīva, the chief among monkeys, sprang up from his golden seat, abandoning its comfort like Indra’s great, adorned banner rising in the sky. As Sugrīva leapt up, Rumā and the other women rose with him, surrounding him like stars encircle the full moon in the heavens. With bloodshot eyes and hands joined in reverence, Sugrīva moved about and stood before Lakṣmaṇa, radiant and majestic, like a wish-fulfilling tree. Lakṣmaṇa, still angered, addressed Sugrīva—who was with Rumā and surrounded by women, much like the moon amid stars. Lakṣmaṇa spoke: “A king endowed with strength, noble lineage, compassion, self-control, gratitude, and truthfulness is honored throughout the world. But a king who is established in unrighteousness, who makes false promises to his benefactors—who could be more cruel than he? For breaking a promise regarding horses, one destroys a hundred; for cows, a thousand; but for breaking a promise to a person, he destroys himself and his kin. He who, having first received help from friends, does not reciprocate, is ungrateful to all beings and deserves death, O lord of monkeys. “This verse, sung by Brahma and revered by all worlds, was uttered in anger upon witnessing ingratitude. Listen, O monkey: For killing a cow, drinking liquor, theft, or breaking a vow, atonement is prescribed by the virtuous; but for ingratitude, there is no atonement. “You are ignoble, ungrateful, and a liar, Sugrīva, for you do not reciprocate the help previously given by Rāma. Indeed, having received help from Rāma, you ought to make every effort to search for Sītā, if you desire to repay him. You are attached to worldly pleasures and false in your promises; Rāma does not recognize you as a snake disguised as a frog. “By the great-hearted, compassionate Rāma, you, wicked one, have been made king of the monkeys. If you do not understand what has been done by the great-souled Rāghava, you will soon see Vāli slain by sharp arrows. The path by which Vāli was slain is not closed; keep your promise, Sugrīva, do not follow the way of Vāli. Surely you do not see the bow and those arrows of the descendant of Ikshvaku, resembling thunderbolts; thus you enjoy pleasures at ease and do not even consider Rāma’s purpose in your mind.” Thus concluded the thirty-fourth chapter. The thirty-fifth chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa in the Kiṣkindhā section began. As Saumitri—Lakṣmaṇa—spoke these words, shining like fire in his radiance, Tara, whose face resembled the moon, addressed him gently: “Lakṣmaṇa, you should not speak in this manner. Sugrīva does not deserve such harsh words, especially from you, to be heard by the lord of the monkeys. Sugrīva is not ungrateful, nor deceitful, nor cruel; the lord of the monkeys does not speak falsehood, nor is he crooked, O hero. “The valiant Sugrīva has not forgotten the favor done to him; what Rāma accomplished in battle, which others could not, is remembered by the monkey. By Rāma’s grace, Sugrīva has attained lasting fame, the kingdom of the monkeys, Rumā, myself, and you, O scorcher of foes. Having endured great suffering before, he now enjoys supreme happiness; like the sage Viśvāmitra, he does not recognize the proper time. “For ten years, Lakṣmaṇa, the righteous sage Viśvāmitra was absorbed with Ghṛtācī; he did not realize the passage of time. Even Viśvāmitra, the foremost among those who know time, did not perceive its arrival; what then of ordinary people? Rāma should forgive him here, for his body is weary, Lakṣmaṇa, and he is unsatisfied in his desires. “Lakṣmaṇa, you should not be overcome by anger, like an ordinary man, without first understanding the situation for certain. Men endowed with virtue, like you, O best of men, do not yield to anger suddenly without reflection. I implore you, knower of righteousness, with a focused mind, for Sugrīva’s sake; let the great anger that has arisen be abandoned, O faultless one. “For Rāma’s sake, Sugrīva would give up Rumā, myself, Aṅgada, the kingdom, wealth, grain, and cattle; this is my conviction. Sugrīva will bring Rāghava together with Sītā, like the moon with Rohiṇī, after slaying that vile Rākṣasa. “There are said to be hundreds of billions of Rākṣasas in Laṅkā, and thirty-six thousand hundreds of tens of thousands. Without slaying those formidable, shape-shifting Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa cannot be killed, by whom Maithilī was abducted. Those cannot be slain in battle without assistance, Lakṣmaṇa, especially by Sugrīva, nor can cruel Rāvaṇa. “Thus spoke Vāli, the lord of the monkeys, who knows well; but the tradition is not clear to me—I speak only what I have heard.” So Tara, wise and gentle, sought to calm Lakṣmaṇa’s anger and explain Sugrīva’s heart, urging compassion and patience in the quest to reunite Rāma and Sītā.