Look on the spirit as the rider,
Take the body for the chariot,
Regard the mind as reins,
The senses as steeds,
And objects of the senses
As the ways they trample on.
So the soul is the Lord who owneth
Spirit, body, will, mind, senses, all,
Itself unowned.
Thus, think the wise.
He who is unwise
Drives with slack reins
On the neck of the senses.
Then they romp and play
Like the restless horses of a charioteer.
He who is wise,
With firm and watchful mind,
Calms those wild five,
So they run fair and straight,
Like the well trained horses of a charioteer.
The man who is unwise and unmindfulComes not to the fixed place of peace.
He falls back to the region of sensual life.
The wise and mindful, with heart purified
Attaineth to the changeless place
Wherefrom birth shall never renew him.
For whoso rides this chariot of the flesh
With the reins of the mind well grasped,
That charioteer faithful and firm
Comes to his journey's end,
Vishnu's abiding seat, the eternal home.