Saushilyam with Guha

Sri Rama's saushIlya was specially shown toward Guha and others. It is this that is spoken of by Thirumangai Azhvar in his Periya Thirumozhi pasuram "Ezhai Edhalan kIzhmagan ennAdhirangki" (5-8-1). Guha was the leader of boatmen and ruled in the town of Srungiberapura in the banks of the Ganges.

When Sri Rama came there with Sita and Lakshmana while going to the forest, Guha became absorbed in His divine beauty and stood in His protection. As Rama and Sita were sleeping, Lakshmana stood in guard with his bow and arrows, like a walking wall. Seeing that Guha became suspicious thinking that 'while one brother (Bharata) chased Him to the forest through his mother, another one (Lakshmana) is perhaps trying to kill Him here'. So, he too stood in guard with a bow and arrow, prepared to kill Lakshmana if he made any such attempt. This is told by Guha himself to Bharata later.

Lakshmana's devotion to Rama right from the time they were born is well known. Yet, the love for Rama was so immense in Guha that it led to him suspecting even Lakshmana. It is on this account that Rama's saushIlya guNa was first showered on Guha.

Showing Guha's lowliness, Thirumangai Azhvar says "Ezhai Edhalan kIzhmagan". Just one of these would be sufficient for Rama to ignore him. Yet, in spite of his having so many of these qualities, not only did He not ignore him but actually took him into His inner circle. This is what Hanuman says as "sIraNindha thOzhamai" (Periyazhvar Thirumozhi 3-10-4).

Did He became friendly with Guha seeing his limitless love? Or did Guha became this devoted seeing His saushIlyam? Perhaps even He does not know.

Valmiki says that the king Guha who is Rama's friend came to Rama when he heard that He had come to the bank of the Ganges ("tatra rAjo guho nAma rAmasya Atma samassakhA"). From this it appears that Guha was His friend from before. He also says that Rama embraced Guha as soon as he arrived.

However, Azhvars and Kambar say that the friendship developed only after Rama met Guha at that time. Periyazhvar says "guganOdum gangkai thannil sIraNindha thOzhamai koNdadhum Or adaiyALam".

Kambar, when talking about Vibeeshana sharanagati, says "guganodum aivarAnOm munbu". In this verse Kambar says that 'Dasaratha was not satisfied with four children and wanted his sons to go attain some more children for him. That is why he sent some to the forest. In the banks of Ganges, they attained Guha as a brother; in the banks of Pamba, they attained Sugreeva as another brother; and now in the shores of the ocean, they have attained Vibeeshana as one more brother. So, Dasaratha now has seven children.'He says that Rama considered them as His own brothers. The verse even refers to Dasaratha as Vibeeshana's father.

Thus, this nature of Sri Rama of mixing with one and all such as Guha, Sugreeeva and Vibeeshana, without looking at the difference between Himself and them, is saushIlyam; and it is this quality that is refered to in the question "ka: guNavAn?".