When Rama goes looking for Sita, Sugriva sees Him, and comes to the conclusion that Rama is a king, although the later is dressed in tree bark. Rama’s bearing and the way He holds Himself and walks — all suggest His royal background. Curious about a King in tree bark, Sugriva sends Hanuman to find out who the man is. Sugriva has to make sure that the two men,wearing tree bark, namely, Rama and Lakshmana, are not men sent out by Vali to hunt him (Sugriva) down. Hanuman takes the form of an ascetic and goes to meet Rama. This shows the caution Hanuman exercised in meeting a person he did not know. Rama is equally cautious in His approach to Hanuman, for He too does not know who the ascetic is. How can He be sure that Hanuman, in the guise of an ascetic, is not a demon? So He too has to exercise caution.
Rama asks Lakshmana to talk to Hanuman. As Hanuman speaks, Rama observes to Lakshmana that one who speaks with such precision and logic and with such musicality in his words must be well read in the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda. But the bond between Hanuman and Rama that begins on a note of caution, becomes a legendary bond, one which is spoken of with reverence even today, said Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal. Sugriva too wants to know of the prowess of Rama, and so he tells Him about Vali’s valour. He tells Rama of how Vali overcame the threat from the demon Dundubhi, who had the strength of 1,000 elephants. Dundubhi challenged Vali, says Sugriva, but Vali was not frightened and he killed the demon and flung him afar. Sugriva wants to make sure that Rama is valorous, and asks about His ability to pierce trees with an arrow. Sugriva’s reason for recounting to Rama, all the incidents that showed the strength of Vali, is to find out if Rama is as strong as Vali. Rama demonstrates His power by shooting an arrow that pierces through seven trees, enters the netherworld, and returns to His quiver. Sugriva is convinced that
Rama will be more than a match for Vali. Thus the wise weigh the evidence before their eyes, and contemplate on that evidence, before they make friends with anyone
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