Siddhartha - The Spirit
When Siddhartha leaves the followers of Gotama, he encounters a
ferryman who allows him passage for no charge. The ferryman is a kind
man for whom Siddhartha seems to have some level of admiration. Later,
after leaving Kamala and Kamaswami, he meets the ferryman once again.
Vasudeva has spent many years learning from the river. He has learned many important life lessons from his time alone on the river. Siddhartha is very intelligent, but Vasudeva is very wise.
"I only know how to listen, to be devout; otherwise, I have learned nothing."
After leaving Kamala and coming to river, Siddhartha wants to drown himself in it. Before he is able to complete the task, he hears the river speak to him and give him peace. It is the first of many lessons Siddhartha learns from the river while staying with Vasudeva. Later, he learns about the nature of time and eternity from the river. When he explains it to Vasudeva, the old ferryman listens intently and then simply smiles and gives Siddhartha and encouraging pat on the shoulder.
Vasudeva is constantly encouraging Siddhartha. He "smiled radiantly," "laughed joyously," was attentive to Siddhartha, and patted Siddhartha's shoulder throughout his portion of the story.
When Siddhartha finally reaches a state of spiritual maturity, or "enlightenment," Vasudeva listens to all his apprentice has learned.
As he went on talking and confessing, Siddhartha felt more and more like this was no longer Vasudeva, no longer a man who was listening to him. He felt that this motionless listener was absorbing his confessions as a tree absorbs the rain, that this motionless man was the river itself, that he was God Himself, that he was eternity itself.
Shortly after this, Vasudeva simply walks away. He doesn't die, like Kamala, or go on following another teacher, like Govinda. He simply walks away into the forest and becomes a part of it.
The Spirit Character: Vasudeva
Vasudeva has spent many years learning from the river. He has learned many important life lessons from his time alone on the river. Siddhartha is very intelligent, but Vasudeva is very wise.
"I only know how to listen, to be devout; otherwise, I have learned nothing."
After leaving Kamala and coming to river, Siddhartha wants to drown himself in it. Before he is able to complete the task, he hears the river speak to him and give him peace. It is the first of many lessons Siddhartha learns from the river while staying with Vasudeva. Later, he learns about the nature of time and eternity from the river. When he explains it to Vasudeva, the old ferryman listens intently and then simply smiles and gives Siddhartha and encouraging pat on the shoulder.
Vasudeva is constantly encouraging Siddhartha. He "smiled radiantly," "laughed joyously," was attentive to Siddhartha, and patted Siddhartha's shoulder throughout his portion of the story.
When Siddhartha finally reaches a state of spiritual maturity, or "enlightenment," Vasudeva listens to all his apprentice has learned.
As he went on talking and confessing, Siddhartha felt more and more like this was no longer Vasudeva, no longer a man who was listening to him. He felt that this motionless listener was absorbing his confessions as a tree absorbs the rain, that this motionless man was the river itself, that he was God Himself, that he was eternity itself.
Shortly after this, Vasudeva simply walks away. He doesn't die, like Kamala, or go on following another teacher, like Govinda. He simply walks away into the forest and becomes a part of it.
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