Theosophy and Life's Deeper Problems: Being the Four Convention Lectures Delivered in Bombay at the Fortieth Anniversary of the Theosophical Society, December, 1915Besant, Annie
Religion
Theosophy and Life's Deeper Problems: Being the Four Convention Lectures Delivered in Bombay at the Fortieth Anniversary of the Theosophical Society, December, 1915
Besant, Annie
Theosophy
Now the Western will tell you that all these Ḍevas of yours are the
personifications of the elements; that Agni is not a being, but is the
Fire personified. You must turn that right upside down, if you want to
make it true. Agni is not a personification of the element Fire; but
Fire, the element, is the material expression of Agni, his body, his
vehicle, by which he shows himself in the world. And that is your key.
Ignorance personifies an Element. Knowledge sees a Being whose material
expression is an Element. Ignorance sees the physical. Knowledge sees
in everything physical a manifestation of the One Self, showing Himself
in a limited form for the helping of His world. And so the higher
Occultist may address Agni, the Ḍevarāja of Fire, and, below Agni,
countless hosts of those who are called Fire Ḍevas, or Fire Elementals,
all expressions of his nature, all using a special type of matter in
the world. Hence you hear that when the world was built, the elements
came forth, and each had the Life-principle within it. Fire came forth,
but Agni, the Ḍevarāja, was the Life-principle within the fire-matter,
and so with Varuṇa for water, and so with Kubera for earth. You have
within every Element, nay, within everything that you call a law in
nature, you have a Life-principle, a Ḍeva, or Angel, call him what you
will, names matter not, provided that you realise that the Self which
works in you as man, works in all these Beings in ascending ranks of
hierarchical power; but they all are expressions of the one Divine
Will, and the One works in all of them, and "the wise see the One,
although they call Him by many names".
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account