Shloka 5.35.24
रामलक्षणवर्णनम् (Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita)
त्वामेव मार्गमाणौ तौ विचरन्तौ वसुन्धराम्।ददर्शतुर्मृगपतिं पूर्वजेनावरोपितम्।।।।ऋश्यमूकस्य पृष्ठे तु बहुपादपसङ्कुले।भ्रातुर्भयार्तमासीनं सुग्रीवं प्रियदर्शनम्।।।।
tvām eva mārgamāṇau tau vicarantau vasundharām | dadarśatur mṛgapatiṁ pūrvajenāvaropitam ||
ṛśyamūkasya pṛṣṭhe tu bahupādapasaṅkule | bhrātur bhayārtam āsīnaṁ sugrīvaṁ priyadarśanam ||
Searching for you alone and wandering over the earth, the two of them saw Sugrīva, lord of the beasts, driven out by his elder brother. He sat upon the slopes of Ṛśyamūka, thick with many trees, distressed by fear of his brother—yet pleasing to behold.
"While both of them were wandering, searching for you all over the earth they saw Sugriva, the lord of animals who had been thrown out of kingship by his elder brother and was living on the mountain Rshyamuka frightened of him.
Dharma includes recognizing the distressed and forming righteous alliances: the meeting with Sugrīva becomes the basis for mutual support against wrongdoing.
Hanumān narrates the pivotal encounter: during the search for Sītā, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa meet the exiled Sugrīva on Mount Ṛśyamūka, fearful due to conflict with his elder brother.
Compassionate discernment—seeing a fearful exile and engaging him in a path that later restores justice and enables Sītā’s search.