Rama bade farewell to Guha, thanking him. He found a boatman on the banks and requested him to ferry them all across River Ganga. The boatman appeared to be slightly reluctant. Rama questioned him so the simple fellow said, “I have heard of you and of your powers. You turned a rock into a woman with the dust of your feet! My wooden boat is my livelihood. If you step into it, and it turns into a female, I will lose my means to earn. Besides how will I look after two women? I’m sorry, sir, but I cannot take you in my boat!” Rama smiled at his simplicity and found a solution. “Wash my feet thoroughly with water from the Ganga, so there will be no dust on them to work any magic on your boat,” suggested Rama. This suited the boatman.
The Boatman’s Ferry
