All the talks this month are given by our visiting lecturer, Dr. N. C. Ramanujachary.

Forgotten Factors of Life and Consciousness: Unity and Brotherhood

Endrossed in mundane activity, humanity has forgotten about the basic factors of Life, “Radical Unity of the Ultimate essence of each constituent part of compounds in Nature” is the one fundamental law in Occult Science. Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without any distinction whatsoever, is the pragmatic corollary and an approach road to the concept of Oneness.

Study Class on Viveka-Chudâmani

5th to 9th September 2005 at 7:30 p.m.*

Conducted by Dr. N. C. Ramanujachary

Viveka-Chudâmani is one of the important and Original Texts of Sri Sankaracharya on Vedanta (Occult Science) running over to 581 Slokas (verses) in Sanskrit. Viveka-Chudâmani was translated for the Theosophist by Mohini M. Chatterji, one of the early members of the T. S., as “Crest Jewel of Wisdom” in 1886. To understand the importance of Viveka-Chudâmani one has to realize the significance of its author, Sri Sankaracharya.

Of Sri Sankaracharya, the greatest Vedântic teacher of India, H. P. B. writes in the Secret Doctrine (Vol. I, p. 271):

Sri Sankaracharya, the greatest Initiate living in the historical ages, wrote many a Bhâshya on the Upanishads. But his original treatises, as there are reasons to suppose, have not yet fallen into the hands of the Philistines, for they are too jealously preserved in his maths (monasteries, mathams). And there are still weightier reasons to believe that the priceless Bhâshyas (Commentaries) on the esoteric doctrine of the Brahmins, by their greatest expounder, will remain for ages yet a dead letter to most of the Hindus, except the Smârtava Brahmins.  This sect, founded by Sankaracharya, (which is still very powerful in Southern India) is now almost the only one to produce students who have preserved sufficient knowledge to comprehend the dead letter of the Bhashyas.  The reason of this is that they alone, I am informed, have occasionally real Initiates at their head in their mathams, as for instance, in the “Sringa-giri,” in the Western Ghauts of Mysore. 

On the other hand, there is no sect in that desperately exclusive caste of the Brahmins, more exclusive than is the Smârtava; and the reticence of its followers to say what they may know of the Occult sciences and the esoteric doctrine, is only equalled by their pride and learning.

Sri Sankaracharya was an exponent and commentator of the three basic presentations of Vedanta viz. Brahma-sutras, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita; and one who revived Sanatana Dharma (Ancient Wisdom-Religion). He is esteemly considered in Hindu tradition as a descendant of Sanatana, the third associate of Sanat-Kumara who arrived on the Earth globe from that of Venus taking upon himself a sacred vow to remain here till the last of the human-souls is redeemed or liberated. Thus, the Occult Science came to be known as Sanatana-Vidya of Aryavarta. He was the disciple of Govinda Yati, a name according to immemorial custom, assumed by Patanjali at the time of his Initiation into the Monastic Order.

Few realize how lofty a Being is being alluded to here. The occult tradition talks of him as the incarnation of one of the four Kumâras—Sanat Kumâra, Sananda, Sanaka, and Sanâtana. These august Beings have been called the “Lords of the Flame” and the “Children of the Fire-mist”, and They have produced a wonderful effect upon our evolution. They are also referred to as the King and His three pupils. The King, of course, refers to the current Lord of World, Sanat Kumâra. We are told that there are three Lords of the World in a World Period and that our current Lord of the World is the third for this World Period and His three pupils will be the Lords of the World for the next World Period, i.e. the next globe.

According to Tibetan and Indian Initiates, Sri Sankaracharya was born in 510 B.C. 51 years and 2 months after the Lord Buddha’s entrance into Nirvana, in a south Indian state now known as Kerala. After his work was accomplished, Sri Sankaracharya retired to a cave in the Himālayas, permitting none of his disciples to follow him, and disappeared therein forever from the sight of the profane. To know more about Sri Sankaracharya and his interrelation with the Lord Buddha, you may wish to read The Mystery of Buddha (H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings, Volume XIV, pp. 388-399).

Sri Sankara details Discrimination and Dispassion (Viveka and Vairagya ) as the two wings of a Human-soul-bird. Viveka, meaning Discrimination, is the first step on the Path leading to Wisdom; the first step is also the last step. The import of the Teaching can be epitomized thus: Human being has 3 distinct stages in the course of Spiritual Journey, viz. Individualization, Growing into Aspiration to Divinity and Attaining the Association of The Great Ones. It provides an opportunity to an aspirant in treading the Path of Holiness; in carefully understanding the nature of the Individual Soul, Supreme or Universal Soul and the Proper Preparation needed for Ultimate Realization.

A comprehensive understanding of the Text becomes possible, to an aspirant in the modern age, by enriching him/herself with the theosophical philosophy. This philosophy asserts that practices of Viveka and Vairagya lead one to the Path Proper, forming a bridge between Humanity and Divinity.

The text taken for presentation by Dr. N. C. Ramanujachary in a series of 5 talks, viz.

Introduction

Growing into Awakening: Stages of Human evolution

Overpowering of Ignorance—Obstacles transformed into means for development

Consciousness—Root-Base of Humanity

Approaches to Higher Life: Ultimate of Discipline

Many Facets of Theosophical Understanding

Understanding is at once both verbal and practical. Cosmic evolution and the special place for the human being in its center is the main theme of Theosophy. It is Science, Philosophy, Religion; and an integration of all approaches to find out Truth. Behavior and Belief are fused. Theosophical view of Life is the safe and steady path for one.

Significance of Theosophical Psychology (Intellect and Intuition)

Being the fifth and sixth Principles of Human Consciousness, Intellect and Intuition are commonly alluded to Mind and Heart (Manas and Buddhi). Both need integration to invite Divinity to dawn , when Buddhi becomes the vehicle of the Ultimate principle. Theosophical philosophy elaborates the inter-relationship and inter-dependence of the two. The effort of the aspirant is to grow into an awakening of the new faculty by incessant effort coupled with Divine Grace.

Occult Philosophy of T. Subba Row

T. Subba Row was one of the earliest members of the Theosophical Society in India. He contributed a lot to the formulation of theosophical philosophy. His exposition as to the classification of Principles, Cosmic and Human, happens to be the basic foundation of modern study. He was the first in the Theosophical Society to lay stress upon the method of studying Bhagavad-Gita and bringing up the factors of Occult Knowledge inbedded therein.