In the third chapter Yama defines what part of our being dies and what part is
deathless, what is mortal and what is immortal. But the Atman, the Higher
Self, is so entirely beyond human conception that it is impossible to give a
direct definition of It. Only through similies can some idea of It be
conveyed. That is the reason why all the great Teachers of the world have so
often taught in the form of parables. So here the Ruler of Death represents
the Self as the lord of this chariot of the body. The intellect or
discriminative faculty is the driver, who controls these wild horses of the
senses by holding firmly the reins of the mind. The roads over which these
horses travel are made up of all the external objects which attract or repel
the senses:--the sense of smelling follows the path of sweet odours, the sense
of seeing the way of beautiful sights. Thus each sense, unless restrained by
the discriminative faculty, seeks to go out towards its special objects. When
the Self is joined with body, mind and senses, It is called the intelligent
enjoyer; because It is the one who wills, feels, perceives and does
everything.
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