Answer:
best friend
Step-by-step explanation:
Govinda has come the way of Siddhartha, but on his own — not as a disciple or as a follower of Siddhartha.
Govinda's attaining the transcendent beatific smile and union with the river of life is, therefore, his own. Most important, he has accomplished this in the only way one can — independently.
In Siddhartha, Govinda is Siddhartha's oldest friend. We meet Govinda in the village of Siddhartha's birth. The story follows both of their attempts to find enlightenment. Initially, the two leave a life of great comfort, working as Brahmin and trying to find enlightenment through rituals.