Hearing the mighty roar of his brother, Vali—powerful and enraged—burst forth, fiercely agitated, as if the sun itself had risen from the western horizon. At once, a tumultuous battle erupted between Vali and Sugriva, their struggle fierce and spectacular in the sky, resembling the dreadful clash of Mercury and Mars. The two brothers, overcome with wrath, struck each other with blows like slaps and belts, their fists as hard as thunderbolts, locked in relentless combat. Rama, holding his bow, watched them intently. Both heroes were so alike, it was as if the twin Ashvins, divine physicians among the gods, had descended to fight. Unable to distinguish Sugriva from Vali, Raghava did not decide to release his deadly arrow. Meanwhile, Sugriva, defeated by Vali and unable to see Rama for support, fled toward the sanctuary of Rishyamuka. Exhausted, his body drenched in blood and battered by blows, Sugriva, pursued by Vali in anger, entered the great forest. Seeing Sugriva enter, Vali, mindful of a curse, declared, “You are freed,” and withdrew, mighty as he was. Raghava, together with his brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, followed to the very forest where Sugriva had fled. When Rama arrived with Lakshmana, Sugriva, ashamed and dejected, gazed at the earth and spoke: “Having called me, shown your prowess, and slain the enemy, what have you now accomplished? At this very moment, you must tell me the truth, O Raghava: why did you not slay Vali? Otherwise, I will not remain here.” Sugriva, great-souled, spoke these words in sorrow and distress. Raghava replied gently: “Sugriva, listen, dear friend, and let your anger be set aside; I shall explain why I did not release my arrow. In ornament, attire, stature, and gait, you and Vali are alike. In voice, radiance, glance, valor, and speech, O monkey, I saw no distinction between you two. Therefore, O foremost of monkeys, being bewildered by your resemblance, I did not release the swift arrow that destroys enemies. Because of your similarity, I hesitated to let loose the dreadful arrow, lest it strike the root of both of you. If you, O hero, had perished through my ignorance, then my folly and childishness would be exposed, O lord of monkeys. To slay one who has been granted safety is a great and wondrous sin; and I, Lakshmana, and Sita of noble complexion—all of us are under your protection in this forest; you are our refuge. Therefore, fight again, and do not be anxious, O monkey. In this very moment, you will see Vali in battle, struck down by a single arrow, lying motionless upon the earth. Establish a mark of recognition for yourself, O lord of monkeys, so that I may know you when you enter the duel.” Rama then instructed, “Pluck this blossoming Gajapuspi flower, adorned with auspicious signs, and place it, O Lakshmana, upon the neck of the great-souled Sugriva.” Lakshmana, having plucked the Gajapuspi vine blooming on the mountain slope and rich with blossoms, placed it upon Sugriva’s neck. Adorned with that splendid vine, fastened around his neck, Sugriva shone like a garlanded cloud among cranes at dusk. Radiant in form and attentive to Rama’s words, Sugriva departed with Rama and returned again to Kishkindha. Now, hear the thirteenth sarga in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, in the Kishkindha Kanda. From Rishyamuka, the righteous elder brother of Lakshmana, Rama, went to Kishkindha with Sugriva, which was guarded by Vali’s prowess. Rama raised his great bow adorned with gold and took arrows shining like the sun, fit for battle. Sugriva, broad-necked, and mighty Lakshmana went ahead of the great-souled Raghava. Behind them followed the heroic Hanuman, Nala, powerful Nila, and Tara, the illustrious chief of monkey troops. On their journey, they beheld trees weighed down with masses of blossoms, and rivers with clear waters, all flowing toward the ocean. They saw mountain valleys, peaks, ravines, and caves, prominent summits, and delightful glens. Along the way, they observed lakes adorned with clear waters like beryl, filled with lotuses both in bud and bloom, resounding with the calls of cranes, sarasa birds, swans, vanjula ducks, waterfowl, chakravaka ducks, and other birds. They saw deer grazing everywhere on tender grass shoots, roaming fearlessly through the forest and standing on the plains. Wild elephants, enemies of the lakes, adorned with white tusks, fierce and solitary wanderers, struck the banks. Intoxicated monkeys, massive as mountain peaks, moved like living mountains, resembling elephants, covered with dust from the earth. Seeing other forest-dwelling creatures and birds flying in the sky, they hurried on, all under Sugriva’s command, toward Kishkindha, prepared for the great challenge ahead.