Theos-Talk Archives (February 1996 Message tl00063)

Nicholas,
I thought this was a real good quote. until I came to the last sentence.
That last sentence negates the whole quote. To me, anyone who doesn't have a
sense of humor & can't joke about serious things isn't too spiritual. Sorry
to contradict you, but ...
Liesel
...........................................................................

>
>
>Pandit Bhavani Shankar (1859-1936) was a disciple of Koot Hoomi. KH
>wrote of him: "Bhavani Shankar...is stronger and fitter in many a
>way more than Damodar and even our mutual `female' friend... [HPB].
>Bhavani Shankar has seen me in my own physical body and he can
>point out the way to others. He has been working unselfishly for
>his fellowmen through the T.S..." [~Mahatma Letters~, 274 &
>~Letters from the Masters~, vol. 1, 29]
>
>The following quotes on the Occult Brotherhood and Avataras are from
>lectures he gave in Calcutta in 1914. These lectures are in book form
>under the title ~The Doctrine of the Bhagavad Gita~. This book may still
>be in print from Concord Grove Press in Santa Barbara, California.
>
>"The brotherhood of adepts or Jivanmuktas is as strictly a product
>of Nature as a tree. It has definite and indispensable purpose and
>function in the development of the human race, and this function is
>to keep open the upward path through which descend light and
>leading. If, on account of increase of materialism and Adharma
>[vice], this spiritual connection stops, then Bhagavan Himself [the
>Avatar] takes up the work of the Brotherhood and provides for the
>spiritual welfare of humanity..."
>
>"The mergence of the Jivanmukta into Ishwara [divine spirit in man]
>may be likened to what may happen in the case of the sun when a
>comet falls upon it; there is in the case of the sun as accession
>of heat and light; so also, whenever any particular individual
>reaches the highest state of spiritual culture, develops in himself
>all the virtues that alone entitle him to a union with Ishwara and
>finally unites his soul with Ishwara, there is, as it were, a sort
>of reaction emanating from Ishwara for the good of humanity; and in
>particular cases an impulse is generated in Ishwara to incarnate
>for the good of humanity. This is the highest consumation of human
>aspiration and endeavour.
>Even in the earlier stages of his spiritual life, an aspirant for
>the higher life becomes a participator of the grand silent work in
>the spiritual enlightenment of his race -- the current of the
>living moral and spiritual energy flowing from his heart being his
>humble contribution. As he progresses on the path his contribution
>increases till by inconceivably arduous tapas [meditation] and
>renunciation he succeeds in bringing down the great Ishwara Himself
>to do this work. This is one aspect of the doctrine about Avatara.
>The subject is a profound one and touches one of the most jealously
>guarded secrets of Brahma-Vidya [spiritual wisdom]. If the latter-
>day Theosophical teachers had even the faintest idea of the
>sanctity and solemnity of the subject, we would have been spared so
>much blasphemous talk of preparations for an Avatara and such
>flippant prattle about sacred things. We see the wisdom of the
>ancients in drawing the veil of secrecy on these high subjects;
>for, when sacred things are bandied about light-heartedly,
>spiritual degradation is the result."
>
>--
>Nicholas <> am455@lafn.org <> Los Angeles
>   First of all, love truth for its own sake, for otherwise no recognition of
>     it will follow.  HP Blavatsky
>
>