The Supreme Being has pledged to save mankind from the cycle of birth and has prescribed the principle of surrender in this regard. This promise of succour has been explicitly stated especially in His incarnations such as Varaha, Rama and Krishna. He has also advocated the essence of this principle of surrender through the Acharyas who are His chosen deputies to guide mankind.
The Ramayana unfolds the many facets of this principle, illustrating the qualities and the state of mind of the seeker on the one hand and that of the protector on the other. Rama is extolled as the Saranagata Vatsala and in His vehement speech during Vibhishana's surrender, He reiterates His pledge to save all those who seek Him unconditionally.
Ironically, in the same Ramayana , Rama also places Himself in the state of a seeker, when He befriends Sugriva for assistance in the search for Sita, pointed out Sri M. V. Anantapadmanabhachariar in a lecture. In the Raghuveera Gadya , Vedanta Desika alludes to this unique situation when he praises the Lord for His Saulabhya. He, who is supremely independent and is the one and only Being capable of protecting the entire universe, forsook all this glory temporarily and allowed Himself to become a dependent of Sugriva.
Rama gave His entire Self to Sugriva and His love for Sugriva exceeded all limits. In the Yudha Kanda, when Sugriva saw Ravana from the Suvela mountain, he sprang to his side and had a duel with him. It lasted for along time and after causing Ravana to be tired, Sugriva gets back to Rama. Rama, who watched this from a distance, is agitated at Sugriva's reckless act. Rama tells Sugriva that all of them had become anxious of his safety.
Rama tells him that had anything happened to Sugriva, what would be the use of gaining Sita and being with Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrugna. In fact Rama would not be interested in His own self. Had Sugriva not returned safely, the Lord said He had already resolved that after killing Ravana, He would install Vibhishana in Lanka and entrust Ayodhya with Bharata and renounce His life.
