Esotericism now classes these seven variations, with their four great divisions, into only three distinct primeval Races—as it does not take into consideration the First Race, which had neither type nor colour, and a hardly objective, though colossal, form. The evolution of these Races, their formation and development, proceeded on parallel lines with the evolution, formation, and development of three geological strata, from which the human complexion was as much derived as it was determined by the climates of these zones. The Esoteric Teaching names three great divisions, namely, the _red‐yellow_, the _black_, and the _brown‐ white_.(573) The Âryan races, for instance, now varying from dark brown, almost black, red‐brown‐yellow, down to the whitest creamy colour, are nevertheless all of one and the same stock, the Fifth Root‐Race, and spring from one single Progenitor, called in Hindû _exotericism_ by the generic name of Vaivasvata Manu; the latter, remember, being that Generic Personage, the Sage, who is said to have lived over 18,000,000 years ago, and also 850,000 years ago—at the time of the sinking of the last remnants of the Great Continent of Atlantis,(574) and who is said to live even now in his mankind.(575) The light yellow is the colour of the first _solid_ human race, which appeared after the middle of the Third Root‐Race—after its fall into generation, as just explained—bringing on the final changes. For, it is only at that period that the last transformation took place, which brought forth man as he is now, only on a magnified scale. This Race gave birth to the Fourth Race; “Shiva” gradually transforming that portion of Humanity which became “black with sin” into red‐yellow, of which the red Indians and the Mongolians are the descendants, and finally into brown‐white races—which now, together with the yellow races, form the great bulk of Humanity. The allegory in _Linga Purâna_ is curious, as showing the great ethnological knowledge of the ancients.