Theos-Talk Archives (August 1994 Message tl00001)

   It may be helpful to the discussion to provide everyone with
the cast of characters at the front of The Masters Revealed.
When I make references to the Masters, or generalize about
them, they are based inductively on what facts I know about
these individuals.  When others read my comments in light of
the way Theosophists have approached the subject in the past,
they will likely think in terms of deductive statements based
on CONCEPTS of Mastership.  Hence, talking past one another.
So I hope this helps communication:

                     THE MASTERS
PART 1, ADEPTS

PRINCE PAVEL DOLGORUKII, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's (HPB)
great-grandfather, a prominent Rosicrucian Freemason in whose
library she began her occult quest.

PRINCE ALEKSANDR GOLITSYN, Russian occultist and Freemason who
encouraged HPB to travel abroad in search of ancient wisdom.

ALBERT RAWSON, American artist, author, explorer, HPB's travel
companion in the 1850s; an influential early Theosophist.

PAOLOS METAMON, Coptic magician with whom HPB and Rawson studied in
Cairo, "Master Serapis Bey" of Theosophical lore.

AGARDI METROVITCH, Hungarian opera singer, member of the radical
Carbonari, HPB's travel companion in Eastern and Southern Europe
during the 1860s.

GIUSEPPE MAZZINI, prophet of Italian nationalism, mentor of HPB,
Metrovitch and Sotheran.

LOUIS MAXIMILIEN BIMSTEIN, Polish Kabbalist, son of a rabbi,
associated with HPB in Cairo; later an occult teacher in Algerian
under the name "Max Theon."

JAMAL AD-DIN AL-AFGHANI, Persian political organizer, religious
reformer, leader of subversive movements throughout the Muslim
world, whose travels paralleled those of HPB for thirty years.

JAMES SANUA, Egyptian playwright and journalist, exiled to Paris
where he spent most of his life; disciple of Afghani.

LYDIA PASHKOV, HPB's Russian friend, a fellow writer and explorer,
closely linked to Sanua.

OOTON LIATTO, Cypriot magician who visited HPB in New York and
aided her literary career; "the Master Hilarion."

MARIE, COUNTESS OF CAITHNESS, Parisian Spiritualist leader whose
financial support was crucial to French Theosophy.

SIR RICHARD BURTON, British explorer, linguist, writer, who was
initiated into many occult traditions and became a Theosophist in
his later years.

ABDELKADER, Algerian emir exiled to Damascus, Sufi sheikh and
Freemason, close friend of Burton.

RAPHAEL BORG, British diplomat in Egypt, involved with Afghani in a
Cairo Masonic lodge, in communication with Theosophical Society
(TS) founders in the 1870s and 1880s.

JAMES PEEBLES, American Spiritualist traveling lecturer who
introduced TS founders to leaders of the Arya Samaj and Sinhalese
Buddhism.

CHARLES SOTHERAN, English immigrant to New York, journalist,
Socialist, prominent Mason and Rosicrucian, lifelong associate of
Rawson, founding member of the TS.

MIKHAIL KATKOV, Moscow journalist, publisher of HPB's Russian
writings, political conspirator with French support and interest in
Indian revolution.

PART 2: MAHATMAS

SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASVATI, founder of the Arya Samaj, a Hindu
reform organization with which the TS was briefly allied.

SHYAMAJI KRISHNAVARMA, prominent Arya Samaj intellectual who went
to Oxford and later became an extremist political leader.

RANBIR SINGH, Maharaja of Kashmir, Vedanta scholar, sponsor of TS
founders' travels to and in India, "Master Morya."

SIRDAR THAKAR SINGH SANDHANWALIA, founder of the Singh Sabha,
Punjabi ally of the TS, "Master Koot Hoomi."

MAHARAJA HOLKAR OF INDORE, ruler of a central Indian state, in
secret alliance with the TS before founders' departure from New
York.

BHAI GURMUKH SINGH, co-founder of the Singh Sabha and leading
Punjabi Sikh intellectual.

BABA KHEM SINGH BEDI, Sikh hereditary guru, "The Chohan," involved
in anti-British conspiracies with Thakar Singh.

SIRDAR DAYAL SINGH MAJITHIA, Punjabi Sikh philanthropist,
journalist, political leader, "Master Djual Kul."

SURENDRANATH BANERJEA, Bengali political reformer inspired by
Mazzini, creator of the Indian Association, involved with Olcott in
founding the Indian National Congress.

SUMANGALA UNNANSE, High Priest of Sinhalese Buddhists, Honorary
Vice-President of the TS.

SARAT CHANDRA DAS, Bengali explorer of Tibet, expert on Buddhist
literature, very friendly with Olcott.

UGYEN GYATSO, Buddhist lama from Sikkim who accompied Das on his
Tibetan journeys, "Ten-dub Ughien."

SENGCHEN TULKU, Prime Minister of the Panchen Lama and host of
Das's visit to Tashilhunpo monastery, executed after Das was
revealed to be a British agent, "the Chohan Lama of Shigatse."

SWAMI SANKARACHARYA OF MYSORE, greatly respected guru of Advaita
Vedantists of South India, regarded as an initiate adept by both TS
founders.

(PART 3, SECRET MESSAGES, examines new evidence of HPB's political
involvements.)