“Oh Rama! I heard the story of the stone turning into a woman(Ahalya) when your foot touched it. Now that you are getting into my boat,I don’t want my boat to turn into a woman when you get into it. So let me clean your feet before getting into the boat”.
Guha in Sanskrit means the resident of the “cave of the heart. This meaning is derived from the Hindu philosophy that the ultimate truth/reality (God) is ever present in the hearts of all living beings and is also the cause of the life force.We see this character in the holy Ramayana. Guha assists Rama(reincarnation of Lord Vishnu) to cross the river Ganges during Rama’s banishment from Ayodhya by his stepmother. Guha is revered for his high-standing honorable qualities and continues to be an inspiration to many practicing Hindus. Guha is the king of Shrungabheripura. He will be learning about the Sri Rama’s Aranyavasa (stay in the forest for 14 years). As the time forwards his excitement increases exponentially. He will be repeatedly reminding his followers about the arrangements to be made. He orders his followers to clear all the stones thorns etc., in the way and starts moving towards the outskirts along with his group.
Meanwhile Sita Rama and Lakshmana gets down from the chariot. The chariot starts back to Ayodhya. Lakshman says to Sita mata “We almost reached the village. This is the place of our friend Guha.” pointing through the bushes.
Shree Rama says”the village looks like a bride in a green sari”. Sita says” like sister Urmila” with a smile.
Meanwhile they see Guha coming towards them. Guha tries to reach for the Sree Rama’s feet but Sri Rama saying that a friend like him has a place in his heart and not at his feet, hugs him affectionately. Sita and Lakshmana will have tears in their eyes seeing the affection and devotion.
Guha asks Rama to stay there forever and let him have the pleasure of worshiping him for the rest of his life. But Rama disagrees and asks him whether he wants his friend to disobey the words of his father and promise given by his father to his stepmother Kaika.
Unable to convince sree Rama Guha asks them to accept his invitation to stay there for that night. After staying there for that night they start in the next evening. With Sita Ram and Lakshman came Guha to the shores of the Ganges. Even the wind couldnot take a breath because of its sorrowness.Ganges stopped flowing.
Guha says to Rama ” Oh Rama! I heard the story of the stone turning into a woman(Ahalya) when your foot touched it. Now that you are getting into my boat,I don’t want my boat turning into a woman when you get into it. So let me clean your feet before getting into the boat”.
The actual intention behind saying these words is different. Guha wants to touch Sri Rama’s feet and worship them heartfully. But he doubted if Sri Ram allows him to do that.
Meanwhile they reaches Chitrakoota.Guha says that he would leave his body the very next second after 14 years if failed to have Sri Rama’s darshan. Sri Rama grants his wish with a smile. He doesn’t allow Guha to get down from the boat. In the evening the mountain Chitrakoota is like an elephant which came to the river bed for water.
As Guha stares Sita Rama and Laxman moves into the dark forests of Chitrakoota. His eyes were piercing the darks of the forest to get a view of his beloved friend. Now and then they sparkled. Finally when they moved far enough that his eyes failed to get a view of them he started moving towards his village with a sorrow filled heart.
