Ṛksharāja

Ṛksharāja was the first ancestor of the royal line of the vānaras (forest people) of Kishkindhā. Vāli and Sugrīva were born from him in the end. The Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa gives this account. Brahmā cleaned the earwax from his ear and threw it on the ground. From it Ṛksharāja was born, a strong male vānara. Brahmā told him to roam the forests and kill rākshasas.

One day he jumped into a lake and came out as a beautiful woman. Indra and Sūrya were both drawn to her. From Indra’s aṃśa (portion) Vāli was born, and from Sūrya’s aṃśa Sugrīva was born. After the birth, the woman became the male vānara Ṛksharāja again.

Birth from Brahmā’s earwax

Sugrīva told this account to Bhagavān Rāma, when Bhagavān Rāma asked him to tell of his own birth and history.

Brahmā once cleaned the matter (pushi, earwax) from his ear with his fingernail and threw it to the earth. A strong vānara was born from it. This was Ṛksharāja. Brahmā gave him his name and his task: roam the forests freely and kill rākshasas. So Ṛksharāja lived as a forest-dweller and a killer of rākshasas.

The change at the lake

One day, while roaming the forest, Ṛksharāja jumped into a lake. When he came out of the water he had changed. He came out as a beautiful woman of great radiance and grace. The change came by itself and was part of the divine plan that led to the birth of the great vānara kings.

The births of Vāli and Sugrīva

The woman’s beauty was so great that Indra and Sūrya were both overcome by desire when they saw her. Both sought her. From Indra’s aṃśa Vāli was born, who had the strength and power of the king of the devas. From Sūrya’s aṃśa Sugrīva was born, who had the radiance and energy of Bhagavān Sūrya.

After she gave birth to the two sons, the woman became again the original male vānara, Ṛksharāja. Their father Ṛksharāja then took the two sons to Brahmaloka. Brahmā looked at them and blessed them and gave them this direction.

Go to the city of Kishkindhā and enjoy the pleasures of kingship. In due time, Śrī Hari will come in the Rāmāvatāra to that place and bestow his grace upon you.

With this direction, the two brothers went down to Kishkindhā. They lived happily together there until the episode of the Māyāvī cave drove them apart.

Sources

• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa