The Journey of the Ratha – Part 5

 The Journey of the Ratha – Part 5

Women at the Reins: Courage Knows No Gender

When we think of the great charioteers of ancient India, the mind naturally turns to Krishna, Sumantra, Mātali, Daruka, or Shalya.

Rarely do we think of women.

Yet the epics quietly preserve inspiring accounts of women who possessed remarkable courage, presence of mind, and mastery over the reins. Their stories remind us that in ancient India, royal women were often educated in far more than music and literature. They were trained in horse riding, chariot driving, statecraft, and the arts expected of princes and princesses alike.

Among them, Queen Kaikeyi occupies a unique place.

Long before the events that changed the course of the Ramayana, Kaikeyi accompanied King Daśaratha to the battlefield. During the fierce conflict, disaster struck. The king's chariot was disabled, placing his life in grave danger.

Displaying extraordinary courage and composure, Kaikeyi took control of the situation. She skilfully drove the chariot to safety and saved the king's life. Deeply moved by her devotion and bravery, Daśaratha granted her two boons.

Years later, those very boons would alter the destiny of Ayodhya, leading to Rama's exile and ultimately to the destruction of Ravana. Thus, one heroic act on the battlefield became the starting point of one of the greatest spiritual epics ever told.

Another remarkable example is Subhadra.

According to traditional accounts, when Arjuna carried Subhadra away from Dwaraka with her consent, she confidently took the reins of the chariot while Arjuna faced the pursuing warriors. Her calmness and skill reveal that courage and competence were admired wherever they appeared.

These accounts are not merely stories of women driving chariots.

They are reminders that the person holding the reins must possess alertness, intelligence, courage, and unwavering confidence. The chariot does not ask whether the hands upon its reins belong to a man or a woman. It responds only to skill.

The epics never portray Kaikeyi or Subhadra as extraordinary because they were women. They portray them as extraordinary because they rose to the demands of the moment.

Perhaps that is the deeper lesson.

History often remembers those who fought with weapons.

The epics also honour those who guided, protected, and served.

The reins require steady hands, a clear mind, and a fearless heart.

These qualities belong to no single gender.

As our journey draws closer to its conclusion, we leave behind the heroes of the epics and enter the realm of philosophy, where the ancient sages transformed the chariot into one of the most profound symbols ever conceived.

There, the body becomes a chariot, the senses become horses, the mind becomes the reins, and wisdom itself becomes the charioteer.

Coming Next

Part 6 – The Chariot of the Soul: The Timeless Wisdom of the Katha Upanishad

The greatest journey is not across kingdoms or battlefields. It is the journey within.