Ratha Rupaka (रथरूपकम्)

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The metaphor of a chariot (रथरूपकम्) given in the Kathopanishad is well-known. The Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 15) also uses the example of a chariot to explain the relation between sharira, indriya, mana, atma, etc. and enumerates the path to moksha. It says the following:

• The wise say that this body is a chariot, the senses are the horses, mind (the controller of senses) is the reins, the objects of senses are the paths, intellect (reasoning faculty) is the charioteer and the consciousness which is spread through out the body, is the cause of bondage in this material world.

आहुः शरीरं रथमिन्द्रियाणि हयानभीषून्मन इन्द्रियेशम् | वर्त्मानि मात्रा धिषणां च सूतं सत्त्वं बृहद्बन्धुरमीशसृष्टम् ||४१||

āhuḥ śarīraṁ rathamindriyāṇi hayānabhīṣūnmana indriyēśam | vartmāni mātrā dhiṣaṇāṁ ca sūtaṁ sattvaṁ br̥hadbandhuramīśasr̥ṣṭam ||41||

• The ten vital breaths form the axis, Dharma and Adharma its two wheels, the atman who identifies himself with the body due to ahamkara is the owner (occupant) of the chariot. The Vedic mantra pranava (Om) is the bow, the pure Self is the arrow and Paramatman (the Supreme Being) is the target.

अक्षं दशप्राणमधर्मधर्मौ चक्रेऽभिमानं रथिनं च जीवम् | धनुर्हि तस्य प्रणवं पठन्ति शरं तु जीवं परमेव लक्ष्यम् ||४२||

akṣaṁ daśaprāṇamadharmadharmau cakrē'bhimānaṁ rathinaṁ ca jīvam | dhanurhi tasya praṇavaṁ paṭhanti śaraṁ tu jīvaṁ paramēva lakṣyam ||42||

• Attachment, hatred, greed, sorrow, infatuation, fear, pride, hautiness, disgrace, jealousy, deceitfulness, violence, envy, passion, bewilderment, hunger, sleep - these and the like are the enemies to be vanquished. These are born of Rajas and tamas and rarely from sattva. (However, at the time of conditioning of the mind, ideas of goodness also are a distraction and hence unfavourable).

रागो द्वेषश्च लोभश्च शोकमोहौ भयं मदः | मानोऽवमानोऽसूया च माया हिंसा च मत्सरः ||४३||

रजः प्रमादः क्षुन्निद्रा शत्रवस्त्वेवमादयः | रजस्तमःप्रकृतयः सत्त्वप्रकृतयः क्वचित् ||४४||

rāgō dvēṣaśca lōbhaśca śōkamōhau bhayaṁ madaḥ | mānō'vamānō'sūyā ca māyā hiṁsā ca matsaraḥ ||43||

rajaḥ pramādaḥ kṣunnidrā śatravastvēvamādayaḥ | rajastamaḥprakr̥tayaḥ sattvaprakr̥tayaḥ kvacit ||44||

• While yet he continues to hold the chariot in the form of human body with all its constituent parts (the sense organs) under his control, he, deriving his strength from Lord Vishnu, and wielding the sword of spiritual knowledge sharpened through the seva (सेवा | selfless service) of the highly exalted atmans, should put an end to all the (aforesaid) enemies. Enjoying to his utmost satisfaction the highest bliss of the Self, he should attain (perfect) tranquility and cast off this (body).

यावन्नृकायरथमात्मवशोपकल्पं धत्ते गरिष्ठचरणार्चनया निशातम् | ज्ञानासिमच्युतबलो दधदस्तशत्रुः स्वानन्दतुष्ट उपशान्त इदं विजह्यात् ||४५||

yāvannr̥kāyarathamātmavaśōpakalpaṁ dhattē gariṣṭhacaraṇārcanayā niśātam | jñānāsimacyutabalō dadhadastaśatruḥ svānandatuṣṭa upaśānta idaṁ vijahyāt ||45||

• Otherwise, these wicked horses in the form of senses and the (feeble) charioteer take the careless and unwary occupant astray to the path of Pravrtti and land him among a band of robbers, viz. objects of sense-enjoyment. Those robbers hurl him among with the horses and the charioteer in the deep well of bliding darkness in the form of samsara beset with the terrible fear of death.

नोचेत्प्रमत्तमसदिन्द्रियवाजिसूता नीत्वोत्पथं विषयदस्युषु निक्षिपन्ति | ते दस्यवः सहयसूतममुं तमोऽन्धे संसारकूप उरुमृत्युभये क्षिपन्ति ||४६||

nōcētpramattamasadindriyavājisūtā nītvōtpathaṁ viṣayadasyuṣu nikṣipanti | tē dasyavaḥ sahayasūtamamuṁ tamō'ndhē saṁsārakūpa urumr̥tyubhayē kṣipanti ||46||