The Chariot Metaphor

To understand the glory of Gita is to understand the glory of the self. When we imbibe the meaning of the Gita, we begin the journey from traveling from the Jeevatma to the Paramatma and recognize that they are one and the same.

Since Gita is the essence of the Upanishads, let’s go to one of the sources, the Kathopanishad.

Here’s the chariot metaphor, Ratha Roopa Kalpana, that is being used just as the chariot is depicted in Gita in the war of Kurukshetra.

आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु। बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रगहमेव च॥ इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुíवषयांस्तेषु गोचरान्‌। आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः॥

“Ãtmãnam rathinam vidhi shariram rathameva tu Buddhim tu sarathim viddhi maraha pragahameva cha॥ Indriyãni hayãnãhurvishayãnsteshu gocharãn Ãtmendriyamanoyuktam bhoktetyãhurmaneeshinaha॥

Here Yama explains to Nachiketa that this body is the chariot and this atma is its owner, the charioteer. The buddhi is its driver. The mind is its reins. The indriyas are the horses pulling the chariot. The objects of taste, touch, etc. are its path. Thus, the atma uses the indriyas and anthkaran as a means to enjoy worldly pleasures. Understand in this way’ (Katha Upanishad 3/3-4).

So, the owner is separate from the chariot, driver, horses, reins, path and everything else. He is called the master of the chariot. Similarly, this atma is totally different from body, indriyas, antahkaran and other things, and is the master, or head, of them all.

SOURCE: https://www.baps.org/Article/2011/The-Kathopanishad-(pt-3)-2056.aspx

Only when we have everything under our control, the chariot – the human body, the driver – the intellect, the 10 horses – are the karmendriyas and the gyanedriyas, the reins – the mind – we can go on the right path to the destination.

What Must Be Our Destination?

Recall the Shanti mantra:

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

O Lord, lead me from ignorance to knowledge,
From illusion to reality, and
From misery to bliss – mortality to immortality.

Depending on the distance we are going to travel, we determine our vehicle. If the terrain is water, we go via boat, if the distance is near, we take a bike, if it’s too far, we go in an aeroplane.

For going from Jeevatma to the Paramatma, we use our body as the vehicle .

The charioteer is the one that makes sure we reach our destination. He is the one who is going to decide how we are going to get there. His strength is his knowledge of everything he needs to know. He must determine the speed and the direction in which he will take the chariot.

He must be the master of the horses, he must know how to use the reins, and must have a good understanding of the roads. In essence, he must be an embodiment of knowledge.

Life Led By Sensory Pleasures

Based on past experiences, based on others’ ideas, and books etc, we can collect all the knowledge to decide whether we are right or wrong with what we are about to do. The charioteer – the intellect, must be able to command the mind and the senses to implement the right decisions.

Then, the one mind – reins, can understand and guide all the 10 sensory experiences – the horses.

But, if the intellect has no knowledge, then the horses – the senses, will decide the destination.

Gita Chapter 2, Verse 67:

indriyanam hi charatam yan mano ’nuvidhiyate
tadasya harati prajnam vayur navam ivambhasi

Translation: Just as a strong wind sweeps a boat off its chartered course on the water, even one of the senses on which the mind focuses can lead the intellect astray.

Chapter 3, Verse 34:

indriyasyendriyasyarthe raga-dveshau vyavasthitau
tayor na vasham agachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau

Translation: The senses naturally experience attachment and aversion to the sense objects, but do not be controlled by them, for they are way-layers and foes.

In essence, the mind loves to follow the sense pleasures – vishayaananda. The senses are indiscriminately indulging in pleasures.

Even though, the intellect is a decision making engine, when it sees the mind being happy in the sensory experiences, it lets the mind take charge of the decision making process.

But, what is the problem with vishayaananda? Why is indulging in sensory experiences bad?

1. the joy is limited.
2. it is full of misery and pain.

Chapter 18, Verse 37:

yat tad agre visham iva pariname ‘mritopamam
tat sukham sattvikam proktam atma-buddhi-prasada-jam

Translation: That which seems like poison at first, but tastes like nectar in the end, is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness. It is generated by the pure intellect that is situated in self-knowledge.

Vishayaananda is painful because it drains away the vitality of the senses. And these pleasures never satiate us, infact, they are addictive. When we are under the spell of addiction, we lose our discretionary powers.

3. they will take you to places where you will suffer.
Experiences that enable our kama krodha lobha will take us to miserable places.

4. the mind is a slave to senses and the chariot – the body, moves to hell.

5. sense objects are few, but desires around sensory pleasures are many.

So unhealthy competition comes into play. Our thoughts, intentions and actions become impure, because we are focused on getting ahead at any cost. To acquire sense objects, we need wealth. In the pursuit of wealth, we might indulge in unlawful and illegal things. Once we are successful, we get greedy and our ahamkara (ego) might kick in.

We lose our peace of mind and to quieten our mind, we might indulge in drugs or alcohol. But, these are all unnatural means to achieve the ultimate goal of peace. This is how life becomes miserable when ruled by the senses.

What Is True Knowledge

With Gita, we realize that the real ananda is not vishayaananda. There’s a higher way to get ananda and that is through the nature of the self. Our true nature is the original source of our joy.

How do you find it, by withdrawing our senses and indulging in some inner reflection. Thus, we gain knowledge through shravanam – listening, mananam – inner reflection, and nidhdhyasanam – the state of awakening.

Our intellect – buddhi is “sat paksha paatini”. It means that its naturally attracted to the truth.

When the right knowledge, our intellect tells the mind, “Come with me, there’s a source of happiness, I will show you.”

Through practice – sadhana, we can get better at finding out the right path.

Chapter 2, Verse 40:

nehabhikrama-nasho ’sti pratyavayo na vidyate
svalpam apyasya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat

Translation: Working in this state of consciousness, there is no loss or adverse result, and even a little effort saves one from great danger.

Slowly, we start moving towards the higher pleasures of life through the joy of selfless service, satsang, meditation and devotion. Once we get a taste, the mind starts cooperating with the intellect which has shown the direction.

Kathopanishad says:

yastu vigyanavaan bhavati yuktena manasa sada

When the person has the right knowledge, the intellect gets more and more stronger with shravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam. When the intellect gets more stronger, the mind is able to control itself from sensory urges. And continue to pursue the original source of happiness, which is aatmananda, not vishayaananda – the reflected, glossy, temporary happiness.

When the mind is pursuing aatmananda, it is fulfilling. And it becomes one with the intellect. And they both continue doing what they like to do, like doing more meditation because it gives them bliss.

yuktena manasa sada: Mind becomes one with the intellect. Such a mind becomes a divine mind.

The senses remain quietly at the feet of the mind, mind is at the feet of the intellect. and intellect is at the feet of devotion. “yasmaat bhooyonajaayate” This is the point of no return. We have achieved Vishnu’s paramam padam.

Thus, true knowledge is that that silences the indriyas. My senses become calm and quiet, there’s peace and there’s tranquility.

In Dhanyashtakam, Adi Sankara says:
tat gyanam prashamakaram yat indriyaanam

That jnanam prasamakaram yadheendryanam – That is wisdom, which maintains senses at peace.

The Glory Of Gita

The above article is a summary of Swamiji’s lecture. Please watch:

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About Sanatana Dharma

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।
अनेन वेद्यं सच्छास्त्रमिति वेदान्तडिण्डिमः॥

Brahman alone is real; the universe is mithya – neither fully real nor unreal, but an appearance. The individual self (jiva) is none other than Brahman itself, not separate or different. This is the true teaching of the scriptures, as revealed by Vedanta. ~ Verse 20 from Brahma Jnānavali Māla