Paingala Upanishad 3 — Verse 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव च। बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥३॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

आत्मानम् । रथिनम् । विद्धि । शरीरम् । रथम् । एव । च । बुद्धिम् । तु । सारथिम् । विद्धि । मनः । प्रग्रहम् । एव । च ॥३॥

IAST Transliteration

ātmānaṃ rathinaṃ viddhi śarīraṃ ratham eva ca | buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragraham eva ca ||3||

Translation

Sache que le Soi (Ātman) est le cavalier, et que le corps est véritablement le char. Sache que l’intellect (buddhi) est le cocher, et que le mental (manas) est les rênes.

Academic Translation

Know the Self as the rider; and the body indeed as the chariot. Know the intellect as the charioteer; and the mind as the reins indeed.

Verse Context

• Ātman distinct from body-mind; buddhi as discriminative faculty; mastery of mind; sādhana through viveka
• Mahavakya: Supports mahāvākya assimilation by disidentifying from body-mind and recognizing the witnessing Self (basis for ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’/‘ayam ātmā brahma’ in Advaita pedagogy).
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)