The Brahmins could not understand how everything happens in this world. And they were told: “Go to Kurukshetra and serve the children there. They will tell you about it." And then, going together, they came to Kurukshetra and began to serve the children.
A year passed and the children said:
“Truly, these brahmanas lived here for a year. Let's tell them everything.
And together with the Brahmins they went out onto the road, where they met a cart roaring along. The children said:
- Look! What is this?
The Brahmins replied:
- This is a carriage, dears.
- So how does it move?
— Just as a running horse from Balkh jumps up, bouncing on its hooves, like billowing waves, so does this cart with its draft animals and rotating wheels jumping up. And just as that horse neighs when it encounters its equal, so does this cart rumble. And just as that horse constantly runs back and forth and flies forward, as if shrinking, as if holding back jumps, so this cart constantly runs back and forth and flies forward, as if shrinking, as if holding back jumps. And just as that horse delivers the king or the king’s servant to the dwelling, so this cart delivers the charioteer to the dwelling.
The Brahmins asked:
- Is this correct?
- Right.
And they followed the path of this cart and reached their goal in the evening. And when the driver unharnessed the horses, rolled the cart away and left, it fell apart.
-Have you seen it? How did this happen?
The Brahmins said:
“As an untied bundle of firewood falls, so this cart falls to the ground.” It doesn't move, doesn't roll, and doesn't ride.
The children asked:
- What went out of her, why did she become like this?
— Charioteer.
- That's right, dears. Verily, the Atman is the leader of this body, the senses are the horses, the sinews are the belts, the bones are the reins, the blood is the oil for lubrication, the action is the scourge, the speeches are the creaking of the cart, the skin is the blanket. And just as this cart, abandoned by the charioteer, does not move and does not make a sound, so this body, abandoned by the cognizing Atman, does not speak, does not walk, does not even breathe - it rots, dogs run to it, crows flock to it, kites descend, jackals strive to devour it.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru