Shloka 4.5.6
मैत्रीप्रतिष्ठा (Rama–Sugriva Alliance and Fire-Rite of Friendship)
राजसूयाश्वमेधैश्च वह्निर्येनाभितर्पितः।दक्षिणाश्च तथोत्सृष्टा गावश्शतसहस्रशः4.5.5।।तपसा सत्यवाक्येन वसुधा येन पालिता।स्त्री हेतोस्तस्य पुत्रोऽयं रामस्त्वां शरणं गतः4.5.6।।
tava prasādena nṛsiṃha rāghava priyāṃ ca rājyaṃ ca samāpnuyām aham |
tathā kuru tvaṃ naradeva vairiṇaṃ yathā nihaṃsyādya ripuṃ mamāgrajam || 4.5.31 ||
By your favor, O lion among men, O Rāghava, I shall regain both my beloved and my kingdom. Therefore act, O king, so that I may now destroy my enemy—my elder brother.
'This Rama, son of a king who had gratified the firegod through many yajnas like Rajasuya and Aswamedha, gifted hundreds of thousands of cows and ruled this earth with truth and austerity, has come seeking help for a woman.'
Dharma here is framed as seeking rightful restoration (wife and kingdom) through alliance with a righteous protector, rather than through uncontrolled vengeance.
Sugrīva directly petitions Rāma for assistance against his elder brother Vāli, expecting that Rāma’s support will restore his lost position.
Sugrīva’s reliance on righteous aid and formal alliance—he seeks a dharmic champion (Rāma) to resolve an otherwise unequal conflict.