Kaṭha Upaniṣad 133

133

tatra ya upādhikṛtaḥ saṃsārī vidyāvidyāyor adhikṛto mokṣagamanāya saṃsāragamanāya ca, tasya tadubhayagamane sādhano rathaḥ kalpyate / tatrātmānam ṛtapaṃ saṃsāriṇaṃ rathinaṃ rathasvāminaṃ viddhi jānīhi / śarīraṃ ratham eva tu rathabaddhahayasthānīyair indriyair ākṛṣyamāṇatvāc charīrasya / buddhiṃ tv adhyavasāyalakṣaṇāṃ sārathiṃ viddhi, buddhinetṛpradhānatvāc charīrasya sārathinetṛpradhāna iva rathaḥ / sarvaṃ hi dehagataṃ kāryaṃ buddhikartavyam eva prāyeṇa / manaḥ saṃkalpavikalpādilakṣaṇaṃ pragrahaṃ raśanāṃ viddhi / manasā hi pragṛhītāni śrotrādīni karaṇāni pravartante raśanayevāśvāḥ ///1,3.3 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—Here a chariot is imagined for the atman, conditioned in Samsara, entitled to acquire knowledge and perform Karma for attaining emancipation and for travelling in Samsara, as a means to reach both. Know the atman, who is the enjoyer of the fruits of Karma and is in the bondage of Samsara, to be the lord of the chariot. Know the body to be verily the chariot, because like a chariot the body is drawn by the senses occupying the place of horses. Know also the intelligence to be the driver, furnished with the capacity for determination, because the body is mainly guided by the intelligence, as the chariot is mainly guided by the driver; for, everything done by the body is generally done by the intelligence. Know the mind with its characteristics of volition, doubt, etc., to be the reins; for, the senses, such as the ear, perform their functions when grasped by the mind as horses by the reins.