Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 19
Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana
Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti
देहो रथस्त्विन्द्रियाश्व: संवत्सररयोऽगति: । द्विकर्मचक्रस्त्रिगुणध्वज: पञ्चासुबन्धुर: ॥ १८ ॥ मनोरश्मिर्बुद्धिसूतो हृन्नीडो द्वन्द्वकूबर: । पञ्चेन्द्रियार्थप्रक्षेप: सप्तधातुवरूथक: ॥ १९ ॥ आकूतिर्विक्रमो बाह्यो मृगतृष्णां प्रधावति । एकादशेन्द्रियचमू: पञ्चसूनाविनोदकृत् ॥ २० ॥
deho rathas tv indriyāśvaḥ saṁvatsara-rayo ’gatiḥ dvi-karma-cakras tri-guṇa- dhvajaḥ pañcāsu-bandhuraḥ
Нарада Муни продолжил: то, что я назвал колесницей, на самом деле есть это тело; чувства — кони, что тянут её. Год за годом, под напором времени, они мчатся без препятствий, но истинного продвижения нет. Благочестивые и греховные дела — два колеса; три гуны — знамёна; пять жизненных ветров — узы. Ум — поводья, разум (буддхи) — возничий. Сердце — сиденье, а двойственности вроде радости и боли — место узла. Семь элементов — покровы; пять деятельных чувств — внешние действия; одиннадцать чувств — войско. Погружённый в чувственные наслаждения, джива, сидя в колеснице, как за миражом гонится за ложными желаниями и бежит из рождения в рождение ради услады чувств.
The entanglement of the living entity in sense enjoyment is very nicely explained in these verses. The word saṁvatsara, meaning “the progress of time,” is significant. Day after day, week after week, fortnight after fortnight, month after month, year after year, the living entity becomes entangled in the chariot’s progress. The chariot rests on two wheels, which are pious and impious activities. The living entity attains a certain position in life in a particular type of body according to his pious and impious activities, but his transmigration into different bodies should not be taken as progress. Real progress is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) . Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: one makes real progress when he does not have to take on another material body. As stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Madhya 19.138) :
FAQs
This verse uses an allegory: the body is a chariot driven through life, with senses as horses and time (years) as the force that carries it forward, showing how embodied life is propelled by time and karma.
The ‘two wheels’ indicate puṇya and pāpa—virtuous and sinful actions—by which the embodied being moves through repeated experiences and consequences in saṁsāra.
Recognize how time pushes life forward and how choices create consequences; discipline the senses and orient actions toward devotion so the journey leads to liberation rather than further bondage.