indriyÄṇi Å›arÄn Ähur
ÄkÅ«tÄ«r asya syandanam
tan-mÄtrÄṇy asyÄbhivyaktiá¹
mudrayÄrtha-kriyÄtmatÄm
indriyÄṇi - the senses; Å›arÄn - His arrows; Ähuḥ - they say; ÄkÅ«tīḥ - (the mind with its) active functions; asya - of Him; syandanam - the chariot; tat-mÄtrÄṇi - the objects of perception; asya - His; abhivyaktim - external appearance; mudrayÄ - by the gestures of His hands (symbolizing the giving of benedictions, the offering of fearlessness, and so on); artha-kriyÄ-ÄtmatÄm - the essence of purposeful activity.
His arrows are said to be the senses, and His chariot is the active, forceful mind. His external appearance is the subtle objects of perception, and the gestures of His hands are the essence of all purposeful activity.
All activity is ultimately aimed at the supreme perfection of life, and this perfection is awarded by the merciful hands of the Lord. The gestures of the Lord remove all fear from the heart of a devotee and elevate him to the Lord’s own association in the spiritual sky.
