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Sutra number 21 is the continuation of the argument given in the previous sutra that Puruṣa and Citta are different and the confusion and the identification of the both is the problem and even if one Citta identifies with the various other Cittas even by the existence of many Cittas but the perceiver and the cognizer is only one, the Puruṣaḥ, if it is not true, what will happen? And that is the argument given here means reiterating that there is only one Puruṣa as the perceiver, the reflector, the enlightener even though there may be very innumerable many Cittas in the minds. So this particular sutra says that
चि॒त्ता॒न्तरदृ॒श्ये बु॒द्धिबु॒द्धेर॒ति॒प्रसङ्गः स्मृ॒तिस॑ङ्कर॒श्च ॥ ४.२१॥
Cittāntara-dṛśye buddhi-buddheratiprasaṅgaḥ smṛti-saṅkaraś ca
Cittāntara means various Cittas, variations in Cittas, different Cittas, Dṛśyeḥ being perceived, cognized, Buddhiḥ intelligence, Buddheḥ cognition. One perceives one, cognizing the other. One cognizer perceiving the other cognizer Buddhi-buddheḥ. Atiprasaṅgaḥ it's a redundant, observe, Atiprasaṅgaḥ excessive arguments, superfluous arguments, stretching the circumstances superfluously. Smṛti is memory, Saṅkara is the mixture, confusion and the confusion out of mixture, confusion out of confusion, Saṅkaraḥ, of course ca. Saṅkaraś ca, Ca is the and, and it means, the and itself suggests that this is another argument, continuation of the earlier arguments.
So the rough meaning is the perception of one Citta by another different Cittas, if it is there it will become observer because cognition of the cognitions, memories of the memories, there will be confusion, this is the meaning of the sutra which is very practical, very clear that if each Citta, every mind cognizes the other mind, every mind perceives the other mind, every mind enlightens the other mind, the innumerable number of memories in each one, the Karmāśayas, the memories, each one will be affected by the other, each one will be clashing with the other, each memory of the each Citta, every memory of the every Citta, each one will be interacting, cognizing, perceiving, receiving, affecting, there will be huge confusion of memories, Smṛti-saṅkara it is. It will never happen, it is not happening, it is very simple, common experience, hundreds, thousands, millions of people are there each one of us has our own mind, our own Citta, you can just imagine if all these Cittas will start interacting which is not happening and if it happens, there will be confusion, Smṛti-saṅkara and each one will be memorizing, each one will be having the memory of the previous lives, previous experiences and each one will be having the future experiences with them, the Karmāśayas and all will be getting interacted, it is an absurd, Smṛti-saṅkara, it is not happening, not happening is the proof, not happening is the confirmation, not happening is the reiteration that the perceiver is only one, the Puruṣaḥ and not the Cittas. That is the beauty of this particular sutra. And another cognizing mind being assumed, there will be no end to such assumptions and the confusion of memory. Just imagine that there is another mind which cognizes the first one, there will have something which cognizes that and these two will be cognized by the third and again the third will be cognized by the fourth and all the four are cognized by the fifth, there will be confusion in the entire storehouse of memory Saṃskārāśaya, Karmāśaya and entire Smṛtis. It is possible to assume multiplicity of instruments for obtaining knowledge or experience but there cannot be a multiplicity which coordinates, which understands, the understanding principle, the coordinating principle is the one even within oneself and one among the many. Various thoughts, various ideas, various perceptions come to us but at the background, the coordinating principle, at the background the perceiver is the same. For each experience, different perceivers, it is impossible, it is not there because this synchronizing principle within us coming to a conclusion by putting various different things and at the end one single perception, one single decisive result is expressed, means the perceiver is the one, the Puruṣaḥ. Otherwise there would have been, there will be an absurd admixture of the memories. That is what the sutra puts it Smṛti-saṅkaraḥ.
Besides this difficulty, another will be the confusion of memories also, if there are a number of minds, each with its own set of memories and there are also many independent Buddhis - Buddhi buddheḥ and the coordinating agency which integrates all these memories into one harmonious whole will be absent. Each Buddhi, each intelligence will be perceiving, dissecting the other and the harmonizing principle, the integrating agency will be absent. It is not absent. Shows that there will be an absurdity and the result must be a chaos in the mind, a chaotic mind. The most remarkable fact with regard to our mind is the existence of perfect coordination and harmonization in the midst of the most complicated multifarious mental phenomena and experiences. And this remarkable fact of perfect coordination, harmonizing, integration within ourselves is the proof that the Puruṣaḥ is one. It's not the many. And the confusion that mixing of the Puruṣaḥ with the Citta, that identification which is the Avidyā has to be removed and this sutra reiterates that. And that is the beauty of this particular sutra, number 21, which talks about the importance, reiterating that the principle synthesizer, the principle coordinating agency which integrates, harmonizes is the one and there is no chaos because of this particular dimension. Very practical, very simple and very clear sutra emphasizing that the Puruṣaḥ is one. Let us see the further sutras.
Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः||
To Be Continued.. ---------------------------------------
These are transcription of session delivered by Vice-President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, Sri M. Hanumantha Rao Ji.
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मुक्तसंग्ङोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित:।
सिद्धयसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥
Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26
