Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 18
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
那罗陀牟尼继续说：我所称的“战车”其实就是此身；诸根为牵引之马。年复一年，随时间之疾驰，它们似无阻碍地奔走，却并无真实进展。善业与恶业为两轮；三德为旗帜；五种气（五 prāṇa）为系缚。心为缰绳，智为御者。心脏为座位；乐与苦等二对为结扣之处。七种要素为车之覆护；五种作业根为外在运作；十一根为军队。众生沉溺于感官享受，坐于车上，如逐海市蜃楼般追逐虚妄欲求，为求满足而生生世世奔走。
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
In this verse Nārada explains that the body functions like a chariot driven by time, pulled by the senses, and directed by karma and the three guṇas—showing why the soul should not identify with the body.
Prācīnabarhi was absorbed in fruitive rituals; Nārada used the allegory to awaken detachment and redirect him from karma-centered life toward self-realization and devotion.
Treat the senses as powerful but trainable: regulate habits, avoid needless sense objects, and engage the senses in bhakti (hearing, chanting, serving), so the ‘chariot’ moves toward spiritual freedom instead of bondage.