Siddhartha
An earnest spiritual pilgrim, Siddhartha
is totally consumed by his quest for spiritual enlightenment. Though in his
youth he learns the wisdom of his Brahmin heritage and masters the skills of
the Samanas and the teachings of Gotama,
the spiritual explanations that satisfy those around him are inadequate for Siddhartha
because they do not lead to enlightenment. No matter how many others accept a
particular religious explanation, Siddhartha will refuse the explanation if it
rings false. Siddhartha seeks spiritual enlightenment at any cost, even when
the search complicates other areas of life. Friends, lovers, and family members
fall by the wayside when Siddhartha believes they are not compatible with his
quest. Further, he believes no leader or philosophy is beyond questioning. Guided
by a strong belief in his convictions, he argues with the head of the Samanas
and even with the enlightened Gotama the Buddha himself. Siddhartha does not
argue for argument’s sake, nor does he question wisdom out of a sense of pride
or superiority. He finds logical flaws in the teachings put before him, and he
seeks the truth.
Siddhartha possesses an incredible degree of
patience, which proves to be important since his quest takes a lifetime to
fulfill. He progresses through successive spiritual explorations, experiences
failure numerous times, but persists until he reaches his goal. The
instantaneous, magical transmission of Nirvana from Siddhartha to Govinda
demonstrates that Siddhartha has found the transcendent understanding they have
both sought for so long. He has finally reached his goal.
Siddhartha is the Sanskrit name of the
Buddha and means “he who is on the proper road” or “he who achieves his goal.”
Hesse is not attempting to directly portray the life of the Buddha himself
through Siddhartha but to use Siddhartha as a means of discussing a path to
enlightenment. At the same time, many striking similarities exist between
Siddhartha and the actual Buddha. For example, both left promising lives in
their pursuit of knowledge. In Siddhartha’s
case, he leaves Kamala
when he becomes disillusioned with the material world, while the Buddha left a
wife and son to become an ascetic. Both studied with ascetics, and both spent
many years in study by a river, finally achieving enlightenment. Siddhartha has
succeeded in his own arduous quest, and at the end of the novel, he is poised
to take on followers of his own.
Govinda
Siddhartha’s best friend, Govinda, is also
an earnest spiritual pilgrim but does not question teachings to the same extent
Siddhartha does. For example, though Govinda is excited at the chance to follow
Gotama, Siddhartha goes along but says he has lost his faith in teachers. When
Siddhartha decides to leave Gotama’s side, Govinda instead remains stalwartly
committed. Govinda does not choose his own path but follows the suggestions of
others. Similarly, when the two old friends meet in the end, Govinda quickly
apprentices himself to Siddhartha because Siddhartha has attained the Nirvana
they both seek. The significant difference between Govinda and Siddhartha is
that Govinda is primarily a follower, whereas Siddhartha is more inclined to
strike out on his own path. This difference is one of the reasons Siddhartha is
eventually able to achieve enlightenment through his own efforts, while Govinda
needs assistance in order to achieve the same state. Siddhartha is better able
to see the truth before him because of his self-reliance. Govinda needs others
to point out the wisdom he should follow and is unable to see when he is following
a flawed path and, ultimately, when he is nearing enlightenment.
At the beginning of their quest, when
Govinda joins the Samanas, he may well have gone along simply to be with his
friend. However, the severity and austere nature of their new lifestyle leaves
little reason to doubt Govinda’s conviction. He may be more of a follower than
Siddhartha is, but his conviction and determination to find enlightenment are
still strong. He does, after all, eventually find enlightenment, just as
Siddhartha does—he just arrives at it in a different way.
Vasudeva
Vasudeva,
the enlightened ferryman, is the guide who finally leads Siddhartha to
enlightenment. Siddhartha first meets Vasudeva after leaving Gotama and Govinda
and immediately notices Vasudeva’s serenity. Although Vasudeva lives within
this world, his presence seems to transcend it, and all who meet him feel his
divine, enlightened energy. He does not boast about his power or wisdom but
simply credits all knowledge he has to the river. His primary action, other
than ferrying passengers across the river, seems to be listening to whatever
wisdom the river imparts to him. He is such a powerful figure that when a
desperate, suicidal Siddhartha, convinced he’ll never reach enlightenment,
encounters Vasudeva a second time, he asks to become Vasudeva’s apprentice. In
a way, Siddhartha relies on Vasudeva to save his life.
Vasudeva does not teach Siddhartha a
complicated philosophical belief system, only that he should learn from the
river and allow it to explain its wisdom. Throughout Siddhartha’s spiritual
progression, Vasudeva keeps him moving in the right direction by prompting him
to listen to the river whenever he has questions or doubts. In a bittersweet
ending to their time together, Siddhartha’s achievement of Nirvana coincides
with the end of Vasudeva’s time on the river and on earth. Vasudeva, who has
literally and figuratively ferried Siddhartha to enlightenment, can now leave
the earth, with Siddhartha taking over as ferryman. Vasudeva will live on in
Siddhartha’s own enlightenment and teachings.
Vasudeva is a name for Krishna, an
incarnation of Vishnu, one of the powerful gods in a Hindu trinity, and means
“he who lives in all thoughts, and who lives in all people.” He is the most
godlike figure within the book, yet he acts with surprising humility.
Kamala - A courtesan who instructs
Siddhartha in the art of physical love. In addition to being Siddhartha’s
lover, Kamala helps him learn the ways of the city and leave his ascetic life
as a Samana behind. Just before she dies from a snakebite, she reveals that
Siddhartha is the father of her son.
Kamala is the beautiful courtesan from whom
Siddhartha attempts to learn the pleasures of life. He comes to her filthy and
poor, and she helps him to become a man of wealth, clothing, and earthly
pleasures. After realizing that he has become an ordinary man, just like the
others in the town, he leaves Kamala to again search for salvation. He leaves
her pregnant with a son. ("Kamala" is a common Indian name meaning "lotus".)
Kamaswami - An older businessman who
teaches Siddhartha the art of business. Kamala refers Siddhartha to Kamaswami,
and with Kamaswami’s guidance, Siddhartha successfully insinuates himself into
the society of city-dwellers. Nonetheless, the lessons he learns from Kamaswami
about the material world lead only to unhappiness. Money and business are just
a game for Siddhartha, and they do not lead to fulfillment.
Young Siddhartha - Siddhartha’s son with
Kamala. Young Siddhartha poses the final test Siddhartha must pass before
enlightenment. When Kamala dies, young Siddhartha resists starting a new life
with Siddhartha. He is a materialistic city-dweller, dislikes his father, and
wants to return to his familiar city life. Siddhartha loves his son, and he
must overcome this potentially binding love in order to achieve enlightenment.
Just as Siddhartha’s own father had to let him go out on his own, Siddhartha
must let his son discover the world for himself.