Date: October 12, 2025
Venue: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi Branch
Watch the recording HERE.
On October 12, 2025, Mr. Narendra Murty, Research Associate, BhāratShakti was invited to deliver a talk at the Sunday Satsang held in the Meditation Hall of the Delhi Branch of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The subject of the talk was “The Symbolism of the Human Chariot in the Kathopanishad”.
Mr. Murty began his talk by giving a short introduction of the context of the teaching. The young seeker Nachiketa had spurned all the temptations for health, wealth and material enjoyments and was determined only to receive the supreme wisdom from the Lord of Death himself. Impressed by the sincerity and the doggedness of the disciple, in his enlightening discourse, Yama, the Lord of Death while explaining the various constituents of the human personality gives out the amazing analogy of the Human Chariot in four extraordinary verses (from Verse 3 to Verse 6) in Part I, Canto III of the Kathopanishad.
In the Chariot symbolism as described in the above mentioned verses, the various planes of being are:
- The five horses – the five sense organs
- The road on which they run – the objects of the world
- The reins – Manas or the vital mind
- The charioteer – Buddhi, the guiding intellect
- The master of the chariot – the Jivatman
Taking up each verse, Mr. Murty explained the meaning of each word and its deeper significance for better understanding. After discussing the verses in detail, he concluded by saying that ultimately the journey of the chariot (the human being) depends on the quality of the charioteer. Hence, in the battle field of Kurukshetra, this role has been assigned to none other than the Lord himself. For he is the Divine charioteer who guides Arjuna through the tremendous battle of Dharmayuddha. He is Parthasarathi, the charioteer of Partha (Arjuna) who symbolises the human Jivatman.
A question-answer session followed the presentation. Participants brought up questions not only related to the topic of the talk but also several aspects related to various events of the Mahabharata. This resulted in an interesting and lively discussion.