Shloka 226
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
ऊर्ध्व॑ पर्वतमारुह्[ नान्ववेक्षेत भूतलम् । किंतु उसी मार्गपर घोड़े जुते हुए शीघ्रगामी रथके द्वारा यात्रा करनेवाला पुरुष जिस प्रकार शीघ्र ही अपने लक्ष्य स्थानपर पहुँच जाता है तथा वह ऊँचे पर्वतपर चढ़कर नीचे पृथ्वीकी ओर नहीं देखता
Ūrdhvaṁ parvatam āruhya nānvavekṣeta bhūtalam | kintu yathā mārga-pari ghodaiḥ yuktaiḥ śīghra-gāmi-rathena yātrāṁ kurvan puruṣaḥ śīghram eva sva-lakṣya-sthānaṁ prāpnoti, tathā ca sa ūrdhve parvate ārūḍhaḥ san adhaḥ pṛthivīṁ na paśyati, tathā jñānināṁ puruṣāṇāṁ gatiḥ ||
風神ヴāユは言った。「高き山に登りきった者は、もはや地を見下ろして振り返り続けはしない。同じく、駿馬を繋いだ疾き戦車で道を行く者は、たちまち目指す所に到る。そして高峰に登れば、地上へと目を向けぬ。これこそ賢者の歩みである。いったん高き道に身を置けば、心を低き目的へ戻さず、揺るがず速やかに真の目標へ進むのだ。」
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches single-pointed progress toward the highest aim: like a traveler in a swift chariot who reaches the destination quickly, the wise move steadily toward their goal; and like one who has climbed a high mountain, they do not keep looking back to the lower ground—symbolizing detachment from inferior, worldly preoccupations once higher understanding has arisen.
Vāyu-deva is speaking and uses two vivid analogies—ascending a mountain and traveling by a fast horse-drawn chariot—to describe the ‘gati’ (course) of the wise, emphasizing their forward movement and refusal to be drawn back toward lower concerns.