"Vasudeva listened with great attention. It was one of the ferryman's greatest virtues that, like few people, he knew how to listen … the speaker felt  that Vasudeva took in every word, quietly, expectantly. That he missed nothing …He did not await anything with impatience and gave neither praise   nor blame - he only listened… Siddhartha felt how wonderful it was to have such a listener who could be absorbed in another’s life".
- Herman Hesse