The conversation continues through the evening and into the night and, at its end, the narrative lapses into indefinite time. One of the outstanding conversations of the entire novel occurs when Siddhartha asks Vasudeva about time. The ferryman tells him of the transcendent timelessness of the river, which brings Siddhartha to the realization that life is also a river and that past, present, and future are all one. Childhood, adulthood, and old age are separated only by shadows, not by reality.
This, basically, is Siddhartha's Nirvana. This mystical union with simultaneity, with Brahma, forms the nucleus of the book. The conversation then culminates with Siddhartha's equating time with suffering, another basic idea of the book. We are reminded that the river embodies all creation, all layers of consciousness: It is the collective unconscious of man's ancestral soul in its ten thousand voices, and the eternal OM brings them to the surface of our consciousness simultaneously.
The two ferrymen, Vasudeva and Siddhartha, become as brothers, united by the sacred river. Years pass and we come to learn that Gotama Buddha is on the threshold of eternal salvation and his Buddhist followers are gathering to their teacher for the last time. Siddhartha recalls the living presence of the Buddha which has awed him so much, and he feels a strong bond with him. The montage narrative again zooms into a definite time sequence as we observe the day when Kamala and her eleven-year-old son come to see Buddha.
The observant reader somehow knows now that Kamala has been attracted to the life of the Buddhist monks, for she made a direct inquiry about Gotama when Siddhartha was taking leave of the city. Kamala is a prostitute by profession yet she attracts Siddhartha though her impulsive smile.
She has a very powerful impact on him making him leave his ascetic lifestyle of self-control. Siddhartha is mesmerized with her beauty and pauses his search for enlightenment for love. Kamala is also responsible to make Siddhartha leave his family for her. However, it does not mean that she can exercise only her sensuousness. She also has a spiritual aspect of her character that leads her toward Buddha.
She finally dies because of snakebite, in the hut of a boatman near the river. Despite her leaving this world, she leaves a sign of her love, her son, young Siddhartha named after his father, who reminds him of her love. Gotama is a religious leader, the famous Buddha, with thousands of followers. He is commonly known as Gautama Buddha the founder of Buddhism.
He attracts Siddhartha toward him on his search to Nirvana. Buddha carved out an eightfold path for his followers to achieve enlightenment through learning.
Siddhartha and Govinda become his followers. Later, Siddhartha does not consider Gotama worthy of pursuit. He thinks that there is a world beyond his Nirvana. Kamaswami meets Siddhartha and teaches him the commercial tricks of doing business. He guides Siddhartha to live an urban life full of deceit and deception. Later, Siddhartha learns that the world of materialism introduced to him by Kamaswami is full of unhappiness and that money cannot buy happiness. These are just games that do not fulfill the necessary needs of life.
He does not find compatibility with the enlightenment experience of his father. As a ferryman, he can no longer physically make the crossings. As a spiritual guide, Siddhartha has now reached nirvana. Vasudeva looks forward to his death with joy, knowing that he completed his work on earth. SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Character List Siddhartha Govinda Vasudeva. Themes Motifs Symbols. Mini Essays Suggested Essay Topics. Quotes Vasudeva Quotes.
This too I have learned from the river: Everything returns! You, too, Shramana, will come back. The river taught me how to listen, from the river you too will learn how.
Look here, I am no scholar, I do not understand how to speak, I do not understand how to think, either. I understand only to listen and be pious, I have learned nothing else.
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