Vasudeva guides Siddhartha. There are several reasons that explain Vasudeva's role. To begin with, Vasudeva states that he cannot teach Siddhartha what the river teaches. Vasudeva explains the Siddhartha must wait and learn and the river will teach him how to listen. Writer Amée LaTour in her article “What it Means to Be a Good Listener” states, “Good listening connects you to the world around you and helps you understand your responsibilities.” This proves Vasudeva listened to the river, connected with the river and let it teach him patience and good listening skills. In addition, Siddhartha soon realizes Vasudeva really cannot teach him. To illustrate this point, Siddhartha takes some time to live with Vasudeva and experience the rivers teachings.
