Katha:1.3.3
Mantra 1.3.3
Original Text:
आत्मानँ रथितं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु । बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ ३ ॥
ātmānam̐ rathitaṃ viddhi śarīram̐ rathameva tu | buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva ca || 3 ||
| Sanskrit Term | Transliteration | Hindi Meaning | English Word or Meaning | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| आत्मानम् | ātmanam | आत्मा – वह जो साक्षी है, चेतना का मूल स्रोत | ātman – the witnessing Self, the fundamental source of consciousness | |
| रथितम् | rathitam | रथ का स्वामी – जो रथ का स्वामी या मालिक है | lord of the chariot – the master or owner of the chariot | |
| विद्धि | viddhi | जानो – समझो, ज्ञान प्राप्त करो | know – understand, realize | |
| शरीरम् | śarīram | शरीर – भौतिक देह, जो आत्मा का वाहन है | body – the physical vehicle, the carrier of the ātman | |
| रथम् एव तु | ratham eva tu | केवल रथ – केवल रथ के समान, साधन मात्र | only the chariot – merely a means, an instrument | |
| बुद्धिम् तु | buddhim tu | बुद्धि – निर्णय करने की शक्ति, विवेक | buddhi – the faculty of discrimination, the power of decision | |
| सारथिम् | sārathim | सारथि – रथ का चालक, मार्गदर्शक | driver – the charioteer, the guide | |
| मनः | manaḥ | मन – संकल्प, विकल्प, इच्छाशक्ति का केंद्र | mind – the seat of volition, doubt, and will | |
| प्रग्रहम् एव च | pragraham eva ca | केवल लगाम – नियंत्रण का साधन | only the reins – the means of control |
Translation/Explanation
Hindi: इस मंत्र में आत्मा को रथ का स्वामी, शरीर को रथ, बुद्धि को सारथि और मन को लगाम के रूप में जानो। यहाँ आत्मा वह है जो साक्षी है और चेतना का मूल स्रोत है। शरीर केवल साधन है, जैसे रथ। बुद्धि वह शक्ति है जो निर्णय लेती है और मार्गदर्शन करती है, जैसे सारथि। मन संकल्प, विकल्प और इच्छाओं का केंद्र है, जो लगाम की तरह इंद्रियों को नियंत्रित करता है। यह उपमा संसार में आत्मा के बंधन और मोक्ष की यात्रा को दर्शाती है।
English: In this mantra, know the ātman as the lord of the chariot, the śarīra as only the chariot, the buddhi as the driver, and the manaḥ as the reins. Here, the ātman is the witnessing Self, the fundamental source of consciousness. The śarīra is merely an instrument, like a chariot. The buddhi is the faculty of discrimination and decision, guiding like a charioteer. The manaḥ is the seat of volition and doubt, functioning as the reins that control the senses. This metaphor illustrates the journey of the ātman in saṃsāra and the means to liberation.
Commentary
Here a chariot is imagined for the ātman, conditioned in saṃsāra, entitled to acquire knowledge and perform karma for attaining emancipation and for travelling in saṃsāra, as a means to reach both. Know the ātman, who is the enjoyer of the fruits of karma and is in the bondage of saṃsāra, to be the lord of the chariot. Know the śarīra to be verily the chariot, because like a chariot the body is drawn by the senses occupying the place of horses. Know also the buddhi to be the driver, furnished with the capacity for determination, because the body is mainly guided by the buddhi, as the chariot is mainly guided by the driver; for, everything done by the body is generally done by the buddhi. Know the manaḥ 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 manaḥ as horses by the reins.