Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, 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 ||
风神伐由说道：“登上高山之人，不再频频回望脚下大地。亦如行者乘骏马所驾的疾车循路而行，便能迅速抵达所期之处；既已攀上峻峭高峰，便不复俯视尘土。此乃智者之行：一旦踏上更高之道，便不再将心神回转于卑下之求，而是坚定而迅捷地趋向其真实的归宿。”
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.