Sugriva (asura)

This character is about the asura, for the vanara in the Ramayana see Sugriva.

Sugriva was an asura who was the messenger of the asura king Shumbha. After Shumbha and Nishumbha conquered the Three Worlds, two lesser asuras, Chanda and Munda came into the service of Shumbha. One day Chanda and Munda encountered Parvati, and were overwhelmed by her beauty on the Himalayas. After Shumbha learned about Parvati's beauty from Chanda and Munda, Shumbha sends Sugriva as a messenger to Parvati asking her to become his wife. Parvati's respond was: He who conquers me in battle, removes my pride and is my match in strength in the world shall be my husband. So let Shumbha and Nishumbha come here, vanquishing me here, and let Shumbha soon take my hand in marriage. Afterward, Sugriva went back to Shumbha and reported Parvati's response. Shumbha and Nishumbha were enraged decided to abduct her. First Dhumralochana and an army of 60,000 asuras were sent but were annihilated. Next Chanda and Munda were deployed to kill Parvati but were killed by her. Parvati got the epithet Chamunda from destroying Chanda and Munda. Finally Raktabīja was sent, but was slain by Goddess Kali. In some stories Sugriva gets slain by Parvati, in her Durga form, when he was send along with Dhumralochana and his army of 60,000 asuras.