The Chariot Metaphor

Not a nuance, first mentioned in the Katha Upanishad, where Lord Yamaraj compares the mind, body, and soul to elements in a chariot. Let me first give a brief of this exact metaphor.

The pathway on which the chariot travels are the sense objects, meaning things in this world that can be sensed or felt. The chariot itself is the body, the physical body. The horses pulling the chariot are the senses. The reins are the mind and the charioteer is the intellect. Where does that leave the soul?

Let’s say as a dilettante I managed to decipher the distinction of mind, body and soul because each of them can be identified as the self. I would have to bet on the charioteer, probably the most important component being the soul. Don’t I decide where my chariot goes? Apparently not! There’s an even more prime piece to the puzzle. The traveller. The traveller!! The soul, the highest reflection of self is simply the passenger. The senses felt, the road taken, the mastery on the reins, the mindfulness and the calculative turns made doesn’t really matter to the self, the traveller. He chooses the destination and enjoys the ride. The most bejewelled, the fastest, the most advanced chariot would not make any difference.

The traveller is you taking a ride in this body guided by your mind maneuvered by the intellect. Just enjoy it.

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