Kiskindhākānda - Canto 12

Amazed to behold Śrī Rāma's arrow re-enter his quiver after piercing all the seven sal trees and penetrating the bowels of the earth, and applauding Śrī Rāma, Sugrīva implores him to make short work of Vālī. Sending Sugrīva to challenge Vālī to a combat, Śrī Rāma sits in hiding behind a tree. When a passage at arms commenced with Vālī who would not brook a challenge, Śrī Rāma did not hit Vālī with an arrow because the two brothers so closely resembled each other that it was difficult for him to distinguish one from the other. The result was that Sugrīva lost heart and ultimately taking to his heels, returned to Rsyamuka. Explaining to Sugrīva the reason of his failure to hit Vālī, Śrī Rāma reassures Sugrīva and encourages him to seek an encounter with Vālī again. Urged by Śrī Rāma, Laksmana uproots a blossomed Gajapuspī creeper and ties it about the neck of Sugrīva for identification.