Guha is the king of the Nishadas at Shringaverapura on the Ganga and a dear friend of Rama. He welcomes Rama on the first night of the exile and ferries him, Sita and Lakshmana across the river.
Who was Guha?
When Rama reaches Shringaverapura, Guha comes out with food and offers him his whole kingdom. Rama, bound by his vow to live as an ascetic, accepts only fodder for the horses and sleeps under a tree, while Guha and Lakshmana keep watch together through the night.
The next morning Guha brings a boat and carries the three across the Ganga. When Bharata later arrives with an army, Guha at first suspects him, then sees his love for Rama and shows him where Rama slept. Guha is remembered as a friend who crossed every boundary of rank and birth.
In the Valmiki Ramayana
Guha appears in 11 sargas across 2 Kandas.
