The Chandogya Upanishad - 3-13: Swami Krishnananda.

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Thursday, September 20,  2022. 06:00.

Chapter - 3 : Sanatkumara's Instructions on Bhuma-Vidya : 

SECTION 13: MEMORY :

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Mantram-1.

"Cittam vava samkalpad-bhuyah, yada vai cetayate'tha samkalpayate, atha manasyati, atha vacam irayati, tam u namnirayati, namni mantra ekam bhavanti, mantresu karmani."

The will, no doubt, is a determining psychological function. But the will cannot operate unless there is a cohesive force behind the functions of thought. Will is nothing but a Tani ha va etani cittaikayanani cittatmani citte pratisthitani tasmad-yady-api bahu-vid-acitto bhavati, nayam astityevainam ahuh yad-ayam veda, yad-va ayam vidvannettam acittah syad-iti, atha yady-alpa-vicchittavan bhavati, tasma evota susrusante, cittam hy-evaisam ekayanam, cittam atma, cittam pratistha cittam upassveti.

collected focussing of the content of the mind. When the mind is directed and focussed in a particular manner, in a specified way, in a particular direction, we call it will. But this function of the mind which we call will would not be possible unless there is another capacity which we call memory. A person who is bereft of memory, and cannot even remember what took place one second before, cannot divert the will in any particular manner. Because the capacity of remembrance or retention of experiences, and the ability to maintain in one's own mind an awareness of the target towards which the will is going to be directed, are both necessary before the will rises up in the mind. This function which is precedent to the rise of the will is called chitta. It is the mind-stuff, as we may call it, which is the very basic root of all psychological functions. Will is a specific manifestation. There is a generality behind it and that is chitta. Beyond the will is chitta, the power of memory and retention. Only when one has presence of mind, one can direct one's will. Then only one can think, then only one can speak, then only name, a specific modification of speech, is manifested. In the name, mantras, sacred formulae, sacrifices and other actions become one. And from actions proceed their results, all in a continuous chain.

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Mantram-2.

"Tani ha va etani cittaikayanani cittatmani citte pratisthitani tasmad-yady-api bahu-vid-acitto bhavati, nayam astityevainam ahuh yad-ayam veda, yad-va ayam vidvannettam acittah syad-iti, atha yady-alpa-vicchittavan bhavati, tasma evota susrusante, cittam hy-evaisam ekayanam, cittam atma, cittam pratistha cittam upassveti."

Everything is rooted in memory. All learning is ultimately memory, because it is the retention in the mind of whatever we have seen or heard or thought. Whatever be our learning, if our memory has failed, people say, "This person is nothing." Whatever be our education or acquisition of knowledge in its extensiveness, if we have lost all memory power, it is as good as nothing. All knowledge will practically vanish from us. So memory is very important. "If he was really learned, why does he not remember anything?"-people pose this question. They say, "He poses himself as very learned, but he cannot say anything; now, what sort of learning is this?" So, they repudiate the very learning of a person merely because of the absence of memory in that person. If we have strong memory power, whatever we speak will carry conviction. People listen to such a person, not to the other one who calls himself learned but cannot remember anything. So the personality is ultimately rooted in chitta, the capacity of remembering, which retains in itself all that is valuable in the form of one's learning or in the form of any type of experience in life. "Therefore, O Narada, you have to hold that chitta, memory, is superior to will. So contemplate the content of the chitta which is superior to will. Let this be the object of your meditation."

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Mantram-3.

"Sa yas-cittam brahmety-upaste, cittan vai sa lokan dhruvan dhruvah pratisthitan pratisthito'vyathamanan avyathamano'bhisidhyati, yavat cittasya gatam, tatrasya yatha kamacaro bhavati, yas-cittam brahety-upaste, asti, bhagavah, cittadbhuya iti, citted vava bhuyo'stiti, tan-me, bhagavan, bravitviti."

The expansiveness of memory is larger than the content of will. Therefore, one who meditates on the content of memory attains all those realms which are capable of being reached by the operation of memory, and then enjoys identity of oneself with those realms. One becomes free and successful to the extent of the operation of one's memory. "Therefore let that be your meditation; this is the stage to which you have reached now by way of analysis and practice," says Sanatkumara. Narada is highly satisfied, but puts a question again, "Is there anything beyond chitta?" Sanatkumara answers, "There is something beyond that also." Though chitta is superior to the other functions, viz., name, speech, mind and will, already mentioned, it is inferior to something beyond that. Narada now wants to know what that is.

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NEXT-SECTION 14: HOPE

To be continued 

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