11.37
raya kahe, carana-ratha, hrdaya-sarathi
yahan lana yaya, tahan yaya jiva-rathi
SYNONYMS
raya kahe—Ramananda Raya replied; carana—the legs; ratha—chariot; hrdaya—the heart; sarathi—chariot driver; yahan—wherever; lana—taking; yaya—goes; tahan—there; yaya—goes; jiva-rathi—the living entity on the chariot.
Ramananda Raya said, “The legs are like the chariot, and the heart is like the charioteer.
Wherever the heart takes the living entity, the living entity is obliged to go.”
PURPORT
In the Bhagavad-gita (18.61) Lord Krsna explains:
isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of material energy.” Thus the living entity wanders within this universe riding upon a chariot (the body) bestowed by material nature.
A similar explanation is given in the Katha Upanisad (1.3.3-4):
atmanam rathinam viddhi
sariram ratham eva tu
buddhim tu sarathim viddhi
manah pragraham eva ca
indriyani hayan ahur
visayams tesu gocaran
atmendriya-mano-yuktam
bhoktety ahur manisinah Here it is said that the living entity is the passenger riding in the chariot of the body, which is offered by material nature.
The intelligence is the charioteer, the mind is the reins controlling the horses, and the senses are the horses.
Thus the living entity is the false enjoyer of the material world.
One who is advanced in Krsna consciousness can control the mind and intelligence and in this way rein in the horses, the senses, even though they are very powerful.
One who can control the senses by his mind and intelligence can very easily approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Visnu, who is the ultimate goal of life.
Tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah.
Those who are actually advanced approach Lord Visnu, their ultimate goal.
Such people are never captivated by Lord Visnu’s external energy, the material world.