The purpose of group life is to commune in consciousness and overcome the separativity of the personality. All activity in a group life is intended for such a purpose. We shall have to tune up with the soul consciousness and continuously remember that each one of us is a soul. Everyone shall recollect himself as the soul and interact with others as the soul. This recollection enables the realization of brotherhood, which would result in integration with the One Soul that prevails in the group. Our personalities can be parked outside, and we shall live inside as souls. In three days of group life, normally a temple is built. On the dawn of the fourth day the temple should be constructed. Three nights and three days, by the conclusion of it, the Temple shall be built if each one of us contributes a brick to it. We shall have to recollect ourselves as souls; this recollection itself transforms ourselves as the bricks. The angles of the personality drop off the moment we recollect ourselves as souls. There is no such thing as time when we recollect the soul consciousness. The time concept disappears when the stone is transformed into the brick. That is how we can quickly transform ourselves into bricks and become part of the Temple. When once this Temple is built, the “ONE about whom not much can be spoken”, decides to reside within. Let that be the approach to group life.

A group life is not the meeting of personalities; it is the meeting of the souls. That should be kept in mind to get the best out of a group living. If we remain as personalities we may collect something in the name of wisdom, but if we make an effort to realize ourselves as souls, we carry with us the experience of the soul consciousness. When we can realize the soul consciousness, the light of the soul is always there as wisdom. There is no need to make an extra-effort to learn wisdom, because the light carries its own illumination. The soul is the source of light. The source, the light and its illumination are inseparable. That is how wisdom is realized from within than gathered from outside. One is unfoldment from within, the other is gathering things together. There is a big difference between the two. If we collect the petals of a lotus and tie them up together, it is a kind of lotus, but if we see a lotus unfolding itself from within outside, it is natural, more radiant, more fragrant. That is how the unfoldment of wisdom should be from the soul level to the buddhic level. Recollection of the soul consciousness is the only continuous work one has to do, so that from within the light shines forth. The light descends up to the physical body called the Earth. We need to recollect the soul every moment. By recollection we stand in IT. Otherwise, we remain “otherwise”, i.e., other than wise.

Basically the cross represents the fourfold existence. It continuously reminds us: “Man, you are fourfold. Fortunately we have the sacred cross displayed everywhere on the planet. Thanks to the missionary work of the Christian fathers, who have made the cross available all over the planet. Although they think that it is the cross of crucifixion, the cross exists even since the existence of the Creation. Every time the Creation is to happen, it is the very foundation of the Temple of the Universe.

It is one of the cosmic symbols. The Cosmic Mind is represented by the fourfold cross. It speaks of the fourfold existence at all planes. Each time we look at it we must get the recollection of our own fourfold existence, then the purpose is well served. When we look at the cross, if we only remember the event of the crucifixion of the Initiate called Jesus, then it only helps us to have an event recollected, the pain and the suffering Jesus went through. Many times the event relating to crucifixion stimulates the emotional centres in us. The cross should not recollect to us the event of the crucifixion of Jesus. The cross has a much grander significance; it is called “CHATUR BHUJA” in the Vedic system, meaning, “the four armed one”. Its original form is (Fig. 1).

when it is degenerated to (Fig. 2),

the unity aspect of the 4 hands, represented by the circle, and the inter-relationship represented by the rhombus, is lost!

THE FOUR ASPECTS OF EXISTENCE

Every angel or deva in the orient is depicted as four-armed, so that any deva we look at we only recollect the four aspects.

The four aspects of our existence are (Fig. 3)

The first aspect is PURE EXISTENCE without awareness. Even awareness is absorbed into it. That is why it is called Pure Existence. When there is only one and there is no second, there is no such thing as observing. That is how each one of us exists in sleep. Our sleep is an inference relating to the Pure Existence. Everything “is” but there is no awareness about it. The awareness of existence springs up in the morning when we wake up. There is no knowledge of Existence while we are existing in that state. That is why it is called “Apragnyata” in Sanskrit, or lack of awareness relating to Existence, while existence “is”. It is Be-ness. It is undefinable, because there is no awareness to define. It is nameless, formless and unspeakable. It is beyond thought. Thought, name, form, speech are in it and are not yet manifest. In the Vedas it is called “IT” or “THAT”. It is not even I AM consciousness, for consciousness or awareness springs up from “IT”. It is also called the “God beyond Creation”, “The light beyond darkness”. Time is not yet, space, potential is not yet, force is not yet and even subtle nature is not yet. All these exist as potentials for future manifestation -just as the seed has all the details, the plan and the pattern for manifestation.

The second aspect is AWARENESS. This awareness we call the Universal Soul, or God in Creation. Existence is within and outside the Creation. In it, the concept of within and outside does not exist. Awareness is the awakening within a circumference. Each one of us, as we are awakened, has a circumference of our own activity. So also every planet, every solar system, etc. Each has its own sphere of activity. A universe too is a sphere or a globe and its awareness pervades its space globe. Likewise an ant or a mosquito! Everyone's awareness spreads up to his or its sphere of activity. This awareness is called I AM Consciousness.

The third aspect is THOUGHT. There can be no thought without awareness, there can be no awareness without Existence. Thus, Existence transforms into awareness, awareness transforms into thought. One is a happening upon the preceding state. The preceding state is the basis for the succeeding state.

With thought as the basis we have the fourth aspect: SPEECH and ACTION. These are the four states of our Existence. We are very well connected with speech and action, with which we interact in the material world.

The fourth step speaks of the material world (square). The third state represents the phenomenal world (triangle), the second state represents the “noumenal” or spiritual world (circle with a central point). The first state is Pure Existence into which all others merge and from which the other three emerge. These four states are recollected to us each time we look at the cross.

Everything in Creation is fourfold. Time is fourfold as Kali Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, Treta Yuga and Krita Yuga. These are the four Yugas into which time is classified. The knowledge or wisdom is classified in the fourfold fashion as four Vedas. In tune with the fourfold classification of the Vedas, the disciples of Jesus tried to build up the New Testament into four Gospels -in tune with the fourfold aspect.

Thus, time is fourfold, wisdom is fourfold, and our existence is fourfold. We can see the fourfold aspects of time every day and every month as:

Likewise we can see the year in its fourfold fashion:

THE FOURFOLD HUMAN BEING

Man's activity is also fourfold. There is a part in man, which is:

I) THE MASTERLY PART He sees the unitary existence of the ONE SELF as all. He sees the Self in him and around him. He sees no other. 'Others' do not exist as others. They exist as the Self enveloped by the qualities of Nature. It is perceiving the imperceptible electricity through all electrical machines and apparatus. He sees not two but one in all as all this is called 'Advaita'- the basic Vedic philosophy which accepts no other than the Atman, the Self, the undefinable, the infinity, also called as It or as That. In modern terminology this Self is called the Master - Master of each unit of existence, and the Master of the Universe, different from successive manifestations from it as creator, preserver, destroyer - the holy trinity. It is Pure Existence in all as all. This part in the human is the Master. Whoever functions from this part is called the Master. He works for the benefit of others only, dealing with the welfare of all, keeping in tune with the knowledge of Time and Space. He is tuned up to the Universal Consciousness and keeps functioning for the general welfare. He knows when it is dawn, when it is noon, when it is dusk and when it is midnight. He does not try to conduct the activities of the dawn during the night hours, nor the activity of dusk during the dawn hours, or the activity of midnight during the noon hours. He knows what has to be done, when, how it has to be done and where. He is in tune with Time and Space. Generally he conducts the Plan as it exists in the system. That part is hidden in an average human being.

II) THE SEMI-HUMAN & SEMI-DIVINE - THE DISCIPLE He protects and takes care of the fellow beings. His concern about fellow being is so high, that he forgets about himself. Those are the ones who have no personality and they function at all levels impersonally. There is no such thing as personal motive or personal desire in them. There is a part in the human being that works in this fashion. He serves everyone as his brother. To him the brotherhood of beings (not only of the human beings) is a reality. He sees the brother in the other and serves with love. He is beyond malice and is filled with white thoughts. The white thoughts represent the awareness at the Buddhic and Manasic plane (the Light of the Soul). His actions carry the pure motive of goodwill. He has no personal motive or interests in doing things. He looks not for profit or fame from that which he does. He demonstrates light in actions. Riches, fame, profits, could be incidental but not aspired for. He is the disciple on the Path. He is proximate to the world. He lives in the world of material as others but is not of the world. He floats over and does not sink into personality. He is the link between the divine beings and the mundane beings. This part in the human is called the disciple.

III) THE HUMAN He works on the basis of mutuality, “I help and I expect help”, “I do benefit and I look for benefit”. That is what is called transaction in life. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction expected. This is the third state, which is also fair enough, where man serves and gets served. But in the preceding steps man serves and does not look for reciprocation of service. In the third state he serves and expects to be served.

IV) THE ANIMAL MAN Here man only intends getting served all the time. He only looks for what he should get from the surroundings. He is unconcerned of others' views, others' feelings. He knows only what he wants and does not see that others too need, that others too have views and that others too have feelings. He is just selfish.

We carry our existence in all these four ways. According to the status of existence we maintain, we have the revelation of wisdom. Wisdom is a dead letter to the one who is in the fourth part. That means he has no understanding, not even an approach to any Scripture or works of goodwill.

For the one who is in the third state there is some interest developed about wisdom, but the right means are closed. He is around the Temple and has no entry even into the Hall of Learning. These are the ones who move around and around and around the Temple. They cannot ignore the Temple, because they know that inside the temple there is something valuable, which makes them cling to it. But the doors are not open for them. It is because they have not yet overcome the commercialism in them, which carries expectation on the basis of doing. Thinking that the Master would be pleased we do a lot of works of goodwill. That means, by nature we do not carry the conviction relating to the acts of goodwill. It is only to please a Master, like a student in the classroom who behaves well only when the teacher is present. When the teacher is present the student is disciplined, but if the teacher is not there, the student is undisciplined. If we have office work during the week, we get up early. If it is a holiday we do not get up early. Can we say that we are habituated to get up early, especially when we have no compulsion to get up early? For instance, in this group life we get up early to carry out the meditation at 6 o'clock. Can we call it voluntary? If it is voluntary even when there is no such compulsion, one should be able to do it. That which is done voluntarily is natural; that, which is done with some expectations or compulsion, is not natural. In this third state works of goodwill are done with expectation. Unless they become voluntary, the main door to the Temple is not opened. Suppose one is habituated to drink alcohol, and for 40 days he is imprisoned in a place where there is no alcohol available. The non-availability of alcohol made him to live 40 days without alcohol. Can we say that he has overcome the habit of alcohol? Can we say that? We cannot, because lack of opportunity has enabled him to hold on. If alcohol is available and we do not drink, then we can say that we are not alcoholics. When alcohol is not available and hence we do not drink, it cannot be said that we are non-alcoholic. Suppose a man is left in the wilderness, where there is no woman. Can we call him a celibate? Celibacy should be put to test amidst beautiful women. Alcoholism should be put to test while we are amidst alcoholics. Goodwill should be put to test when we are not observed by any. That means, we behave in one fashion when we are not under observation, and we behave in another fashion when we are under observation. Such people cannot be given entrance into the Temple. That is why they move around and around the Temple.

In the second state they are within the Temple and in the first state verily they are with the deity in the Sanctum Sanctorum. He is verily the deity i.e., identified with the Universal Soul. In the second state he is the soul, in the third step he is on the path, and in the fourth step he is a worldly aspirant. This is how the four steps relating to discipleship remain in the cross.

CRUCIFIXION

When one is an aspirant, he only looks for himself even in the spiritual world. The concern is for himself and not for others. Daily he does some meditations, studies and some service, and then looks back in the evening to see how much he has gained. Each time he looks at the picture of the Master and asks: “Have I gained something?” The understanding of the aspirant is that through spiritual practices he gains, but in truth the spiritual practices are meant to lose and not to gain.

If we are prepared to lose certain things that we are carrying with us, we better think of such high souls as Master Djwhal Khul, Lord Maitreya, Master Morya, Master Koot Hoomi. If we want to gain something, then, they are not the ones we should think of. We are already heavy, gaining many undesirable things; so, what more are we to gain? To get rid of the heaviness of life, are we to gain or to lose? We get into spirituality to become light. Becoming light means shedding weight. What is the weight we carry? It is the weight of materiality, of individuality, and the weight of personality. These are the big blocks we carry on either side of our shoulders. The Masters of Wisdom want us to put them off, but we want to hold on to them, and we further ask them to give us some more! We think we are wise!!

The first trick in spirituality is that we shall lose, it is not that we shall gain. There is nothing for us to gain. We have everything in us but we also have something unrequired around us. We have 'that' which is required and we also have that which is not required. The latter one is the “witch” that hides 'that'. What is to be done to remain light? The unrequired shall have to be removed. The unrequired part in us is our personality views and our individualistic attitudes, which do not enable us to make the entry into the Temple. The Temple's door is very narrow, like the eye of a needle. We cannot walk through the eye of the needle with all our personality and individuality. It is said in the Scriptures that an elephant cannot walk through the needle's eye. But the soul of the elephant can. The process of taking upon ourselves the cross is to overcome the individuality and personality, and sacrifice them. That is crucifixion. Crucifixion is inevitable for everyone who walks on the path of light. Jesus was not the only Initiate that carried the cross. There is a point in the travel where we have to voluntarily pick up the cross and put it onto our shoulders. Till we pick up the cross, we can be in any way we like, but once we pick it up we cannot be otherwise.

The voluntary picking up of the cross by Jesus is a clue to discipleship, because Jesus had no cause to be crucified; he was not guilty. Not even Pilatus could find him guilty. Jesus could have very easily argued out his case. That means, we can live in the objective world engrossed in the material. We can carry our own logic. We can carry our own reasoning, our own rationality, our own intellect, our own mind, our own attitudes, our own viewpoints, and our own bohemian ways of living. Nobody insists that we should pick up the cross; it is voluntarily. If we don't wish to, we need not do it. If we wish to, we may. But if we do, there are some self-regulations relating to it.

THE PROCESS OF SELF-CHISELLING

Picking up the cross means, slowly peeling away certain things undesirable, from us. When we are peeled like an orange, we feel the pain; then we don't want the cross. So, we can wait. But again we will pick it up, because we have something in us which is interested to pick it up. Each time we pick it up, we are peeled a little. How can we enjoy an orange unless we peel off the layers? If we eat the orange along with the peels it tastes bitter. We want the orange but we do not want it to be peeled. When these examples are realized we see how much we resist to our own progress. We want to progress but we ourselves are the obstruction to our own progress. Each time we want to progress there is the help coming from the Nature or the Masters, to eliminate certain things from us. But since we do not want it, Nature waits. That is how the block of stone is gradually carved into a beautiful human being. The block that is around shall have to be chiselled. To chisel we have an instrument, sharp at the end and heavy at the base. The stony attachment can only be removed with the sharpness of the chisel. Unless the chisel carries a heavy base and a sharp end, it doesn't work to remove the unnecessary stone.

We are only removing the unnecessary stone to make the sculpture; we are not breaking the beautiful figure inside. When a person picks up some virtues and works with it, it is a process of self-chiselling. If someone says: “What do I gain if I stop drinking?”, it is like saying: “What do I gain if I lose a part of the stone?” What we gain is beauty and radiance. Radiance is gained when we work with it. What is required is to become beautiful within our own being. There are certain instructions given in the Scriptures to make ourselves beautiful. We cannot say: “I have stopped drinking alcohol; now, what will you do for me, Master Djwhal Khul?” It is not a benefit to him but a benefit to ourselves. Or if we say: “I have done a work of goodwill; what will I get in return?” Many times we pick up our own activities and say that we are working for Master Djwhal Khul. It may not be so, or it may be so; it is better not to speak of it and quietly continue to conduct our work, for our beautification.

In spirituality, elimination is the process. It is not a process of gaining something extra. When we eliminate certain things in us, clairvoyance happens. It means, that we have cleared many things for the vision to progress or shine forth. Many people think that they must get clairvoyance. They don't get clairvoyance, but if they get more and more clear in their vision, clairvoyance results. People want clairaudience, telepathy. How can we have clairaudience when we don't listen to our own neighbour? Clairaudience means clear listening. When we don't listen properly to the proximate one, where is the question of listening far? It means that there are some blockages inside. We remove the blockages through the practice of virtues. That is how, as we keep removing, we make our existence from step four to step three, from step three to step two and from step two to step one.

Master CVV gave one statement in this regard: “If you come to Me you shall lose”. “If you come to Me with a view to gain, you shall get utterly disappointed”. This is an age-old statement, which is true with every Master. Master CVV said: “I do not respond to your desires”. This will be the last thing to do by a well-wisher. He said: “I shall respond to your requirements but not to your desires. The requirement is to make you a beautiful one”. That means, it requires elimination of certain things from the being. Elimination of the impurities of individuality and personality. The personality and the individuality remain, but they are like a crystal enabling the soul to shine through. The alchemy of spiritualism is to see that we shine through.

A base human being is transformed into light. The base metal is transformed into a precious metal. Hence the process is one of intense functioning with fire. These steps shall have to be regular, from four to three, from three to two, and from two to one. That is why it is said that the Temple has three layers, and beyond the third layer there is the Sanctum Sanctorum (Fig. 4)

The centre is the Deity or the God Unnamable, Unspeakable, Unthinkable, which we are as Spirit. The first encirclement or circumscription is the soul aspect, the second circumscription is the personality aspect, and the third circumscription is the individuality aspect.

The first encirclement around the centre is the Light (the Soul) itself, whose illumination is called Buddhi, Buddhic Body or the Body of Light. Nothing needs to be done to purify the Light. Next comes the personality, which is under the control of the Buddhi (the higher mind) or of the Manas (the lower mind), depending upon the evolution of the person. Mind needs to be purified from the impurities of thoughts, up to such purity that the thought becomes transparent. The thought becomes transparent when it is not inflicted by motive or desire. When the thought prevails without any personal motive or desire, the layers of mind gain the required degree of transparency.

The next transparency is related to the body. When the Light of the Soul shines through the body, then the person is said to be radiant and magnetic. Such a person affects the environment and is not affected by it. These are the three steps to remain with the One.

TEN - THE PERFECT CREATION

The cross is also symbolically presented in another manner: (Fig. 5)

The first state of Existence, Spirit, is depicted by one dot. The soul aspect is represented by two dots, the personality is depicted by three dots, and when it comes to the fourth step, where we have the physical plane, it is depicted by four dots. This is the method of presentation that has become popular through Pythagoras. It is not an invention of Pythagoras, but it got externalized through him.

Please remember that wisdom is eternal and that no man has ever invented wisdom. According to the purity of the being, wisdom dawns in him. According to the degree of illumination, the measure of wisdom prevails. All those whom we see as Masters and Grand Masters, are illumined and more illumined beings, and hence they are able to reflect wisdom through them. The clearer is the instrument, the better is the reflection. This figure (fig. 5) is called the Pythagorean Decad. All the dots put together give number ten, which is said to be the perfect number. It is said to be a perfect state of being. That means, Existence transforming into Awareness, and Awareness functioning through clear mind and body. When Awareness (consciousness) prevails over mind and body, it is called the perfect situation.

The body prevails over the consciousness, which is the case with a normal human being. The body decides the programme instead of the consciousness. The consciousness proposes: “Get up at four o'clock in the morning, so that you can attune and experience the beauty of the dawn”. First attuning and then experiencing. To attune and experience the dawn, the consciousness proposes to get up early two hours before the dawn. But during the dawn hours, the body and the mind prevail, and say: “You better sleep, you did not sleep enough”. Likewise sometimes the consciousness prevails over the mind or the body. Where awareness prevails over mind and body, there is the perfect situation. Where mind or body prevail over consciousness it is an imperfect situation.

When we fall into an imperfect situation, we degenerate from number 10 to number 12. We fall into the pairs, and then we are thrown out of the Temple. An average human being is thrown out of the Temple, which is guarded by the two pillars. He gets himself thrown out; nobody throws him out. In so far as he lives in the world of cause and effect, trying to see causes for effects and effects for causes, he weaves a very complicate web around himself, getting hopelessly imprisoned in the objective world.

The process of discipleship is to remain as number 10 and not to degenerate into number 12. For those who have studied the book “The Secret Doctrine”, written by Madame Blavatsky, it must be very clear, that in the beginning it was only 10, which got degenerated into number 12. The formation of Libra, causing a separation between Virgo and Scorpio, resulted in an imperfect Creation. When we are born, we have only 10 zodiacal signs. Slowly as we become seven years of age, between the 7^th and the 14^th year, the differentiation of sex happens through the formation of Libra. As Libra is formed, the single sign Virgo-Scorpio assumes two signs as Virgo and Scorpio - as female and male.

The ten zodiacal signs are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo-Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. There is no Libra, and Virgo-Scorpio together are one sign; that makes it 10. This is the perfect zodiac. Thereafter there is the fall. The fall is represented by Libra. Libra stands for passion, and when we are passionate we fall. Adam and Eve got into passion, and hence the snake climbed down the tree. The snake in the Scriptures represents the Time aspect.

The fall of man into the dense physical, through passion, is what is intended by the story of Adam and Eve, the apple and the snake. In our case also, when we are born, we only had 10 sun signs; there was no Libra. Libra is formed in us from the 7^th to the 14^th year. Up to the 7^th year, the male and the female child are just the same as energy system. From the 7^th to 14^th year, the energy system gains a different formation. Even later in the old age, when all the emotional flood gates are closed, when the rivers are all dried up, we will once again get back to number 10. The beauty is to conduct ourselves as number 10, while we are in 12. A 90-year-old man may not have passion, a 3-year-old boy has no passion, but during the passionate time we have the opportunity to be dispassionate.

There are only 10 sun signs that represent the perfect Creation. The Creation is perfect to those who live with 10 sun signs. To those who have fallen, the Creation appears to be imperfect. Because they have become passionate, they find everything passionate in Creation. The fall into 12 is through motives and desires. That is how 10 becomes 12. Number 12 is called Mandala in Sanskrit. The Mandala Wisdom is for those who have overcome motives and desires. That is what was shown to Madame Blavatsky as she was taken to the Ashram. She writes: “For some mysterious and unknown reason the author has been shown this symbol”. The mystery is that she is above passion, desire and motives. If we have overcome motives and desires, we are also entitled to be shown this symbol, and the wisdom relating thereto. It is the wisdom of Mandala, whose numerical potency is 10. The centre represents number 1 and the circumference represents zero. (Fig. 6)

That is how wisdom contains in itself the potency of 10 and unfolds as (Fig. 7)

Pythagoras further said: “Wisdom is fourfold. It is grouped into four. The groups are 1,2,3,4. Again the groups are 1,3,6,10. Think it over! When the disciples decoded his statement, he said: “It is also in groups of ten!”, to put the disciples to further ponder. His teaching was not “spoon feeding”. He was putting the disciples' mind to think and to think deep. It enabled the disciples to dip-deep into their Buddhi from the superficial layers of the mind.

Number 10 is also presented in another system as “Sephirothal Tree”, with number one as a vertical line within the circle. (Fig. 8)

Call it cross, or Mandala, or Pythagorean Decad, or Sephirothal Tree, we are speaking of the same wisdom, whether it is in the East or in the West. According to the time and place it is spoken in a language suitable for that time and that place. This is a dimension of the symbolism.

So, the cross has four arms, the Spirit, the Soul, the Mind and the Body, and we are existing in all the four planes. We shall have to work out all the four sides. In recent times the cross is further distorted with the prolonged lower arm, indicating excessive growth into matter (Fig. 9)

as against its original forms of (Fig. 10)

When the lower arm is so much projected, the symbol loses its sanctity. This is what is now worshipped in Kali Yuga by the West, and the consequent fall into the material world. Of course its contagion reached the East too in recent centuries. When the four sides of the cross are built, the Temple is said to be complete. The construction of the Temple means, realization of all the four aspects. It is a Temple that is constructed through Time. Time has change as its constant. To give us an idea of the change of Time, that it moves in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction, the same cross is shown in the East as a Swastica (Fig. 11)

Swastica means Su Astica, which in Sanskrit means 'well resided'. The man is residing in all his four aspects. Swastica is also one of the original aspects of the cross, besides the other symbols. Some systems explain it through number ten, some other system explain it through number four, still other systems explain it through the groups of one, three, six and ten, and the whole symbolism is explained with the Time Key as the basis.

THE AQUARIAN CROSS

It includes the four zodiacal signs with Taurus and Scorpio forming one axis, and Leo and Aquarius forming the other axis. These are the four energies relating to the Aquarian Cross. In the Aquarian Age this is the Cross that we have to mount upon. It means that we shall have to function with the energies of Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, and Aquarius. Aquarius is the Universal Soul - that is the first step, Leo is the Individual Soul (that is already the Master), Scorpio is the Disciple, and Taurus is the Aspirant. (Fig. 12).

THE VULCAN ENERGY

The Taurus energy carries in it the aspirational energies. Aspirations have their own positives and negatives. They work in the field of pairs. While making an effort to make an entry into the Temple they hit the two pillars of duality at the entrance of the Temple. They want to make an entry, but by doing so they hit one pillar or the other. It is like a bull hitting the pillars. Taurus, even by the symbol, is represented by a bull.

The bull has brutal power; less head and more physical strength. The chisel is not sharpened; it is more a hammer than a chisel. The hammer cannot chisel; it should carry the power of wisdom, because wisdom only sharpens the power. Power without wisdom is like a big bull, like a stud bull left to wander in the streets. The aspirant thus keeps hitting the two pillars of the Temple while he thinks of entering.

The intention is good, but the means are very damaging. Each time he tries to enter into the Temple, he keeps hitting either of the two pillars. The aspirant thus not only damages himself but also the pillars of the Temple, which are part of his subtle body. That is how the entry of the apprentice is. It is the bull work -more expending of energies and less effective.

But the work of the bull has its own beauty. It is full of will. Without that, nothing can happen in discipleship. This will comes to us on account of the stimulation of the Vulcan Centre in us. Vulcan represents the will aspect, which is functioning actively on the planet, even to transform the metals. So, it is not difficult for Vulcan to transform a human being. The Centre of Vulcan is situated in the human being just below the Throat Centre. Until and unless this centre is invoked and evoked, there cannot be the transformation of the bull into anything. It represents the power of heat that transforms the gross material into subtle material, which in turn enables permeation of Light. The power of heat is on as long as the will is at work.

Thepower of the bull shall have to be directed. It should be made into a direct energy, otherwise it moves wild in the field of spirituality. They are deeply motivated but they are not wise. They carry the will but they don't carry the direction. They have aspiration but they do not see the hidden side of things. They only see the form side, which is the fourth state and nothing else. They are in a way blind to the subtle world and its functioning. Their understanding is just physical. Even if they try to imagine and make inferences, they invariably err, for there is not enough Light in them. They just carry physical sight, which through the Vulcan energy slowly and gradually transforms into insight.

THE ROAR OF THE BULL

The Word in its fourth state is the form. In the beginning we are there, and from out of us an idea comes. That is the second state: we and our idea. The idea is transformed into language, which is the third state, and in the fourth state it is uttered out. Taurus represents the fourth state. That is why, when a man has a big voice we call him a bull. In the masonic terminology it is said that “the bull roars”. The roar of the bull is nothing but the expression of the form side. While the bull roars, he does not carry the understanding that it has three preceding steps. It means that the happenings in the objective planes are taken as such. They only have sight, but not insight. That is why they are called the bulls. The aspirants are mostly bulls!

The bull only sees what it wants to see; it does not see what is there. Seeing what is, is different from seeing what we want to see. Consequently it carries a very narrow understanding and an unlimited physical power. It is not even mental power; it is the physical power. To achieve its own ends it has all the motives and desires, which are used for the personal fulfilment. Even entering into the ashram of a Master is a personal desire. That is why many people wait outside the Temple. When we seek anything for ourselves, we are pulled back. When we desire for others, we are pushed ahead. Those who push others ahead and remain behind are the greatest of the servers.

A good shepherd walks behind the sheep. He makes sure that every sheep is well directed. If the shepherd walks ahead of the sheep, how can he really lead the sheep? To lead, one has to remain behind, so that he can see how each one of the sheep is behaving, and even if they are deviating he can bring them into order. We have one 'good shepherd' and one 'cowherd boy'. A good shepherd in the West and a cowherd boy in the East have taken good care of the cows and the sheep by remaining behind, and not running ahead. With the desire of being leaders, people inverse themselves. The real leader is the one who does not feel himself to be a leader. The very feeling of leadership puts him in the inversion; thus he is pulled back each time he pushes himself forward.

Thus, the bull pushes himself with its own personal desire or will. His will is a personal will that carries competitiveness in it. Don't we see in spiritual groups some persons with competitive spirit and a feeling that they are superior, with an urge to forge ahead of others? Is it not selfish for anyone of us to go into the ashram, leaving so many behind?

The best bull on the planet, the king among the bulls, the Bull among the bulls, is Gautama Buddha, who was also born in the month of the bull. He is the Bull that has fully transformed himself. Even while he was offered entry into supra-planetary ashrams, he said: “No, I shall stay here, and I will make sure that everyone of my brothers walk up to me and even ahead of me, before I walk into Your ashram”. That is the Bull among the bulls. He is called “The Sacred Bull among the men”, because he worked hard, achieved, got illumined and preferred to stay back to work for humanity. The Sacred Bull is Nandi, which we find as the vehicle of Lord Siva.

WORKING FOR OTHERS

There are three parts within each zodiacal sign: one part relates to the man, another part relates to the disciple and the third part relates to the Master. In every sun sign, these are the three parts. Here we are speaking of that part of Taurus, which represents the Light of the aspirant. It is not limited to those who are born in the month of Taurus. Every aspirant represents Taurus. As he enters into the esoteric kingdom, the first thing he brings with him is working for himself, because in the objective world he developed the habit of working for himself.

In the world of materiality everyone believes in working for himself. Even when he enters in the arena of the Temple, the habit of working for himself remains with him. Thus, he looks for his personal illumination and his personal initiations. Hence he stays where he is, till he understands, that he does not get initiated unless he works for others. The clue for getting initiated is working for others. According to the purity of the service to others, the service is measured. Thus, purity is the scale with which the service is measured. It is not measured through quantity but through quality. In the Inner Temple the Masters have a different measure. Slowly the bull has to work to transform himself in terms of the understanding of others. Normally an aspirant looks for others' understanding of him, but he seldom understands others. He only carries his own viewpoint. He does not understand that others too have their own viewpoints, as strong and as stubborn as his. Discipleship demands “understanding of others' needs, others' conditions of life, ability to spare the feelings of the ignorant and to soothe the desperate, as also the ability to appreciate others' labour”, says Master Morya.

The aspirant should develop a direction, from out of the will that he carries. Direction comes to one when he is not after his own shadows. If we are after our shadow, we cannot reach the light. The shadow is nothing but our own personality. In so far as we continue to fulfil our personality needs, we are only running after our shadow. “When we are running after our own shadow we have no direction”, says Pythagoras.

When a horse is to be used for work, his side-looks are prevented, so that all his sight is made to converge into the path. In the case of human beings, this kind of prevention of the side-looks through screens enables him not to see the shadow. Even for the horse, the eyeshades are given to see that it is not disturbed by its own shadow. The horse is nothing but a ray of light. A man is nothing but a ray of light. Thus, if the ray of light, - the man, or the horse, is to progress on the path, it should limit its vision to the path, and should not get sideways or diverged.

When there is divergence there is the attraction of the shadows; consequently he cannot progress. As he is set on the path, he is face to face with a service. When one is face to face with service, then only he is on the road, otherwise he is not. There are many who love the Masters of Wisdom and praise them. There are many who worship and praise the Lord. The Lord is not pleased by the worships that we make to him. The Lord is well pleased when we work for the creatures of the Creation, because the Creation is his child, and in so far as we work for his children, He is happy. It is easy to please the Father by pleasing his children. If we want to please a father, take care of his children. Suppose a child was about to be involved in an accident, we have risked our life and saved the child. Imagine how much the father of the child will appreciate us! We don't even have to worship the Father; on the contrary, the Father admires us, the Father glorifies us. That is how the Father glorified Jesus, the Son of God!

This is the hard truth of discipleship, but it has to be taken. It is bitter to swallow, but we have to swallow it and work. To set oneself onto the path and work for others, the Taurus in us should be put to work. If a bull starts functioning in the right direction, the turnout is very high. It can produce quite a lot through the contribution of its direct energy.

SET ON THE PATH

when a man is set on the path, it is said that “the bull is yoked”; he is set to responsibilities. In India, when a marriage is conducted, the bull of the bridegroom is yoked. He is put to responsibility through marriage. Till that time he can be a freelance. There is a specific part in the ritual of marriage, where the priest tells the bridegroom: “Look here, my dear young man, by the power of God I now yoke you. You shall be the bull that shall function for the family, deriving the co-operation from the cow, and work for the society”. It is a kind of companionship, conferred to work with responsibilities. Thus, a freely moving bull is yoked.

In the path of wisdom this has its own symbolism. We have set upon our shoulders a big work, that work is to cultivate. The bulls are used for the cultivation of the land. Cultivation means transformation of the field and sowing the seeds, making the seeds sprout. Thereafter the bull starts functioning.

Likewise in an aspirant who has been hither and thither till now, is now put to a path or a work, a definite work, and is therefore said to be “set on the path”. Even while he is set on the path, on account of the old habits, he sets himself out of the path and comes again into the path. That is what is called 'to touch and go'. He keeps coming into the path and keeps going away from the path. Thus, the practice of the aspirant is inconsistent and irregular. There are times when he does well and there are times when he does not so well.

The life of personality and individuality is very strong. There is also a slight awakening of the soul, but the personality has been strong and hence the aspirant moves away from the path, and keeps coming back now and then. It is said in the Scriptures: “He is like an elephant”. An elephant takes a shower in the lake, comes out, and again puts a lot of mud and dust on the body. When it is disgusted with the dust and the mud, it once again goes into the lake for a shower. It is a process of getting into the lake to clean up and getting out of the lake to get muddy. The dust of the personality keeps accumulating on the soul of the aspirant, and hence he keeps coming now and then for group life or service. There is the dusting and the brushing, which keeps happening alternatingly for long periods.

When there is some regularity in conducting the duties set on the path, the aspirant is said to have mounted upon the Fixed Cross or the Aquarian Cross. The Fixed Cross is the Cross of Discipleship. It is the Path. Fixed Cross means that the aspirant is now fixed to the Path of Light. Now there is somewhat continuity in his approach to Light, while there is still a lot of personality and individuality.

Thus, the aspirant is set on the path and fixed on the cross. Once a person fixes himself upon regularity, he is said to have taken upon himself the Fixed Cross. Hereafter, since he took up the cross, the cross takes itself upon him, and the heaviness of the cross does not leave him. In the story of Jesus also, symbolically, sometimes he puts off the cross and again takes it. When once regularity is fairly gained, then the cross remains. The heaviness of the cross slowly mounts upon him. The heaviness of the cross is the feeling of the heaviness of the responsibilities relating to the work.

In the beginning the aspirant feels the responsibility while working in service. In service there is more the feeling of responsibility than responsibility. To be responsible is one thing; to entertain the feeling of responsibility is another thing. The feeling of responsibility is glamour; it is the smoky path. He does little and feels more by thinking: “Oh, so much service I am doing. I don't have time for a shower, or a shave. I have no more time for the family”. Like that, slowly the aspirant gets into the smoky path when he feels the responsibilities instead of being responsible.

Kindly make note of the difference between 'to be responsible' and to 'feel responsible'. There is a big difference between the two. The first is like speaking truth; the second is like speaking about truth. Speaking about truth is easy; speaking truth is difficult. To be responsible is difficult; to live in the feeling relating to responsibility is easy. When we fall into the feeling, we fall into self-pity, thinking: “I am doing so much!”. The spirant thinks that he is doing so much, but in truth he is not doing much, he is only feeling much. Too much feeling and too little work. These are all the layers of thought the aspirant goes through.

Everyone experiences this on the path. There will always be a senior on the path, who will give us a little pat on the shoulders, saying: “My dear brother, don't sleep in feelings, be awake in action”. Like that, the aspirant is put into action because now he has set himself upon the path. When we have mounted upon the Fixed Cross we find our associates, our colleagues and our seniors there. The seniors set the example for the juniors, and they do not allow the juniors to remain in the feelings. The seniors are more with responsibilities than with feelings and they slowly help the juniors to overcome the feelings and walk into responsibilities. When the juniors walk into greater responsibilities of work, the habit of the 'elephant shower' disappears.

The elephant shower is one stage on the path. We have seen how the stud bull was moving as a freelance in the beginning, and then it was yoked. After yoking, his movements are to go into it and out of it. The movement into the path and out of the path is like the shower of the elephant. Thereafter, he becomes a donkey, assuming greater responsibilities. By doing so, he assumes responsibilities which are not his, and that is another problem. In the beginning he was not assuming responsibilities and was living in feelings. Now he feels responsibilities more than required. Unrequired, he picks up others' duties. He does what is entrusted to him and also what is not entrusted to him. I am entrusted with some work in the group living, so I must do that without feeling, and I must not do anything more than what is entrusted to me, if not I will be assuming unnecessary responsibilities. We should not pick up the work of other people. This is all arising out of over-enthusiasm. Over-enthusiasm leads to problems.

THE STORY OF THE DONKEY AND THE DOG

Once upon a time there was a donkey in the house of a washerman. The donkey was used by the washerman to take the dirty linen to the riverside daily. After washing the linen, the washerman used to dry it, put it on the donkey's back and bring it home. The work of the donkey was to carry the dirty linen to the river and bring back the cleaned ones. The donkey was very responsible, it was helping the owner, never giving a problem to him, and hence it was well fed by the owner. There was also a dog in the house, whose job was to guard the house during the night and also during the day, when the owner was away with the donkey at the riverside. So, the dog had its own duty.

The owner gives very clearly the duties to each one of us. Each one has to perform his duty, and not others' duty. In such a way the system runs well.

One day, in the evening hours, the donkey and the dog had a meeting. They were exchanging views, about who was doing how much work. The donkey claimed that he was doing more work, but the dog said: “You don't know how much work I am doing when you are not here”. The donkey replied: “What work? You are just sitting at home”. Then the dog said: “Yes, you do not know how much work there is sitting at home. You happily go out and come back, and by doing so you see the town, the fields and the river, but I am always at home taking care of the house; I have never been beyond the compound”. The donkey said: “Oh, your work is not a big work”. The dog thought: “I will teach a lesson to this donkey”, and was waiting for the right time. It so happened that one night, during the midnight hours, a stranger was entering into the compound of the owner. The donkey saw the stranger; the dog also saw the stranger, but kept quiet. The donkey said to the dog: “A stranger is coming, why don't you bark?” The dog pretended as if it was in deep sleep, while the stranger was approaching the house. The donkey felt: “the dog is not doing its duty, so I must do his duty”. The donkey started braying in such a fashion that the owner got up. Normally the owner expects the dog to bark if there is a thief or anyone. But during the midnight hours, while the donkey was braying, the owner felt disturbed. He came out and hit the donkey with a stick saying: “Keep quiet, don't disturb my sleep”. The donkey was surprised and thought: “I tried to help this man and he is giving me beatings on my back”. Then the dog told the donkey: “It is my job. See, if I do it, the owner will wake up and look around, but if you do it, you will receive beatings”.

OVER-ENTHUSIASM

Thus, everyone is entrusted with a duty, and each one should perform the duty as it is given. If we assume others' responsibilities, what happens? We receive the kind of beatings like the donkey. That is why Pythagoras said: “Only donkeys assume additional responsibilities”. It is a phase on the path that we will have to go through: the bull, the elephant, and the donkey that learnt the lessons from the dog. The dog knows its job and he does not interfere into the donkey's work.

Thus, the over-enthusiastic aspirant, feeling more responsibilities than required, dabbles into others' work and consequently incurs consequences. The story of the dog and the donkey is very explicit about this aspect. In the same situation there is also an occult utterance coming from the Masonic realms: “The E. A. in his functioning forgets to serve his own people and serves others”. It is another inversion. To serve others does not mean not to serve our own people. Serve ours and also others. There is a Greek philosopher who said: “The one who serves others but does not serve his own people, is a great fool”. Only a fool attempts to serve others ignoring his own people. These are all statements given by great Initiates, because they have filtered and seen the human psychology. The great fool serves others more than his own people. He will be recognized when he serves others, and people around will say: “Oh, he is a good server”. Thus, he would like to be recognized as a server, and serves others like a dog, ignoring his own people. This means that he is diabolic. His concept of service is not natural. When we serve at home, who appreciates us? Nobody. On the contrary, they will say: “you have forgotten to do this and that…”

THE DESIRE FOR RECOGNITION

At home when we serve, we are not recognized or appreciated. Every time when the mother serves the child, does the child appreciate the mother? But if the mother does the same thing to other children she is recognized as a social worker. So, forget the children at home and keep serving the children outside. This is one of the inversions that people suffer in service. They have to serve their own as they serve others. The first step is to serve the people at home, and then serve others. While serving others don't forget the people at home. The one who serves others ignoring the people at home, is called a fool. If there is a greater fool, there must be a fool before! The fool before is the one who serves only his own people. The man who exclusively serves his own people is called a fool, from the esoteric standpoint.

Man feeds his own people thinking that they are his own, but they are not his 'own'. This he will realize much later. That is why it is said that serving is the truth. Serving, thinking that they are our people, is becoming a fool, serving in the outer, forgetting to serve at home, is the situation of a greater fool. The one who is caught in this glamour, indulges in setting others in harmony, while in his own house there is disharmony (conflict). The basis in which he is living is in conflict and he thinks of serving a larger whole. In spiritual mathematics he is called an obtuse angle. Sitting on an unstable platform, he speaks of stability, poise, yoga etc.

He is trying to overact, forgetting the very cardinal principles of action. That is how he works, because the desire functions as the desire for recognition. In this desire for recognition he goes on overdoing things. If something is not well at the family level, I am not supposed to move out from my house. If everything is well at home, we have done our duties; then we can move out and incur additional responsibilities. In the name of 'the world service' the family cannot be neglected. That is the principle relating to the Path. When we clean houses outside we are considered as a server. If we clean our own house, no one considers us as a server. So, for recognition of being a server we don't clean our own house and keep cleaning others' houses. I don't cook at home, I never gave food to my children cooking with my own hands, but in the group living I assume the cooking responsibilities. That means that there is something not natural in my being.

That is how the desire for recognition puts them away from the natural unfoldment. They gain little understanding of the Plan. Little understanding means no understanding, but they speak about the Plan much. The Plan works from where he is and spreads into the surroundings. We don't have to go anywhere to fulfil the Plan. The Plan comes to us and we keep responding. The Plan comes to those who are neck deep in their own duties, because the dutiful ones are needed for the Plan but not the speculative ones. The desire of recognition arises out of the basic desire nature in the aspirant. Remember the beautiful statement coming from Master D.K.: “Out of small duties properly performed, will emerge larger responsibilities, culminating in the World Service”. Follow the order and its sequence, then you are a soul on the Path.

BHAKTI - DEVOTION, BUT NOT EMOTION

The aspirant is very much female in his attitude. Though he appears to be a male, he is more a woman than a man. It is a mystical presentation: “More woman than man”. That is how two Brothers speak, in a symbolic language, when they look at an aspirant. “More woman” means, more desire oriented. Though the aspirant appears to be a man, he is full of desires, the desire to gain. On the Path there is no such thing as gaining or desiring; there is only functioning with responsibility. As he functions more and more with responsibility, with devotion towards whatever duty is given, slowly he shifts from sixth ray into seventh ray. The Taurus energy is basically sixth ray that has to be processed through 'Bhakti'.

Bhakti is continuous application to a service with the same degree of interest on the first day as it is after five years. It means the enthusiasm with which we take up a work in the beginning, should continue throughout. Many people think that the sixth ray is not required, because Master Djwhal Khul has written in the book that the sixth ray is disappearing. But when he speaks, he speaks for a cycle of thousands of years.

People are very emotional till date. In so far as man continues to carry emotions, he needs the sixth ray. Sixth ray gives veneration to the service. Veneration enables regularity and continuity, and as a consequence, it leads to the seventh ray. A rhythm of functioning comes to the one who has veneration to service. A man who has no veneration, who has no respect for the work he is handling, cannot handle it well, and cannot handle it continuously with good interest in it. That is why in the sixth ray the devotional work is given to start with. Do not confuse devotion with emotion. The sixth ray is devotion. But when devotion is polluted with selfish desire, it becomes emotion. The sunray carries the sixth ray; can we say that the sun is emotional? No. But he is devotional. When the Master said: “The sixth ray is disappearing”, he did not mean the ray as a whole, but the emotional part of it. We are too quick to understand the subtle message of a Master's utterance. We are generally deaf. We listen what we want to listen. We do not listen what is said and intended. Better not evoke the Masters until we have gained the subtle understanding of the Word.

If we observe in a group living there is the functioning of many rays. The preparation of the altar has the sixth and the seventh ray in it. The functioning of the kitchen and the dinning hall also has sixth and seventh ray. If these things are not done, the whole group living becomes casual. The senses get converged into one when there is the veneration of the sixth ray. If the five senses are dispersed in five routes, not much can be done by the mind.

The purpose of the sixth ray is that the senses are made to converge. When the senses are converged the mind is gathered together. A gathered mind is like a chariot with five horses moving in the same direction. If the five horses pull in five directions, the chariot breaks into five pieces. So, with a broken mind, what is the activity we can conduct? To gather the mind is the first step for any sensible activity, because the mind carries the plan of work.

“Mind is the plan of work”; that is how it is said in the occult schools. The mind shall have to be well gathered through the co-operation of the five senses. When mind is thus gathered through an act of veneration, the work which is intended can be done better. When we arrange an altar, we bring our physical into action, when we light an incense stick we are converging the sense of smell to the place we are working, when we light a candle we are converging the sense of sight into the same place, when we are offering flowers we are converging the sense of touch to the same place, when we are invoking OM we are putting the sense of hearing to a sacred work. This is how, simultaneously all the senses are brought together before we enter into any contemplation or meditation. It is not just rushingly coming by car, run out of the car into the house, and suddenly taking a seat and trying to meditate. In that case there is no preparation. Where there is the preparation of bringing all the five senses together, the meditation becomes effortless. Without such preparation no meditation is possible, because the mind is not gathered.

The seventh ray is an orderly way of working. While functioning with the sixth ray, the senses gain interest more and more with what is being done. The desire is oriented towards the altar. Slowly the desire pattern changes when this kind of sixth ray activity is attended to. People are very much in desires and very much in emotion today; hence they cannot do away with the working of the sixth ray. The wilderness in the person is totally moulded through the sixth ray. It is very easy for a person of sixth ray to walk into the seventh ray, because the wild nature, the indifferent nature, is tamed and is slowly put to death. If we gather many things at the mind without organizing the senses, the senses do not allow the mind to experience anything.

BEAUTY WITHOUT FORM

That is how, slowly the aspirant ascends from the sixth ray of Bhakti to the seventh ray. The desire gets more and more purified, and at that point of time he comes into contact with a group which works with sound, because the major functioning of Taurus is through voice.

Taurus rules the voice, while Gemini rules the vocal cords. The voice is slowly put to transformation. Now the roar of the bull is put to some kind of regulation. By the utterance of sacred sounds slowly the voice is moulded. That is the work of Mercury on one side, and the sixth ray functioning is the work of Mars on another side. The Will that he carries to progress on the path is worked out by Vulcan. All three of them are initially put to the work of veneration, called Bhakti; that means working with Venus.

Arranging an altar in a beautiful fashion is the work of Venus. Venus teaches us beauty in the form, and gradually transforms us into a state where we realize beauty without form. First we see the beauty in the form, and gradually we see the beauty without the form. A young man loves a young woman, seeing the beauty in the form; that is how the game starts. The coming together is on the basis of the beauty of the form. As this couple advances in age, the beauty is no more based on the form. They don't care for the form but they care for the beauty of comprehension, understanding and belonging, which have no form but are felt. We tend to see more beautiful things in the form than the form as such. When the behaviour is beautiful we don't care so much for the beauty of the form. The beauty of behaviour is more attractive than the beauty of the form. That is how we start to see hidden things other than the form. This is what Master Djwhal Khul puts as: “The bull of desire slowly becomes the bull-divine”. The bull of desire is the one who sees beauty in the form; the bull of the divine is the one who sees the beauty without the form. The form is disregarded and the inner beauty is accepted. A beautiful person, who is very bad in his behaviour, is not acceptable. If the behaviour is beautiful, even if the person who is not beautiful, (he or she) is acceptable. That is how, slowly the transformation takes place.

THE DIVINE TONGUE

As he starts functioning with the voice, the voice is put to utterance of sacred words. A voice, which tastes sacred things, does not utter other things. Once we are put to a higher taste, the lower taste drops off. That is the beauty of functioning in spirituality. In spirituality they don't say: “get rid of the bad habits”; the “donots” do not exist. The attention is drawn to something divine. The more and more the interest is developed towards the divine, the other things fall off. The interest in other things falls off. That is how we all gather for group living. It is not that we have or do not have other things to do. Every one of us has other things to do, but we have preferred to keep them aside and make a group living, because there is some taste developed for something divine which enables us to disregard our discomfort, disregard the expenses, disregard the inconveniences, and gather for a higher purpose. The form is overtaken by the spirit of being together and to commune in consciousness. The desire to commune in consciousness has replaced the desire for personality. See how it is worked out naturally in our life. That is how, when we develop the taste for the higher things, the lower gradually drop.

A throat that is put to the utterance of mantras, in due course of time forgets to speak filthy language. Filthy language cannot spring up from a throat that is put to divine utterance. First, the filthy language drops off, then, speaking more drops off, being critical about others drops off, discussing things drops off, judging others drops off, misrepresenting facts, unconsciously drops off. That is how, when we work with sacred sounds, the non-sacred utterances drop off.

It is then said to be the cow mooing than the bull bellowing. The bull has a voice, which is not regulated. When we listen to the voice of the bull and the voice of the cow, the voice of the cow carries music, tenderness and softness. The voice of an Initiate is said to be the voice of the cow. The voice of a non-Initiate is said to be the voice of the bull. From unregulated speech to sacred speech, there is the transformation happening in the Throat Centre through expression. Expression is not only of speech but also of work. In both ways the expression becomes more and more pure.

Thus, the bull of Taurus is replaced by the cow of Taurus. This is another symbolic expression. The cow is the one who gets impregnated; that means, the voice of the Initiate is the voice arising out of the impregnation from Higher Centres, while the voice of the bull is just an utterance coming from the lower centres. There is the impregnation of the voice of an Initiate, which is called in the Christian theology the “appearance of the tongues of fire”. The tongues appeared on the Pentecost day upon the heads of the disciples. When they were speaking, wisdom was flowing. This is also symbolic; it means the Divine Tongue replaces the animal tongue.

A tongue, which is irresponsible, is replaced by a tongue, which is very responsible in utterance. In the case of an Initiate, his utterances are divine utterances. Such a tongue does not indulge in non-sacred utterances. At the point of aspiration on the Path, the aspirant is initiated into the sacred word. Even exoterically, it is an initiation into the Sound. As he continuously expresses himself purely, the pure expression causes purity in the lower vehicles; then he is said to be “the Moon in Taurus than the Sun in Taurus”. The bull is the Sun in Taurus and the cow is the Moon in Taurus.

Expression has reached the divine state at the voice; the voice has become a channel for the higher centres and the voice ceases to be a channel for expression of emotions and viewpoints. Mercury, the Lord of speech, can be a channel for the lower centres and also a channel for the higher centres. The throat can be a channel of expression for the higher centres and a channel of expression for the lower centres as well. Mercury is a neutral planet. When in association with the lower centres, the speaker is just clever, intelligent, and diabolic. He does jugglery of words to impress others and gain profit. He does not mean what he speaks. He makes others believe his words. He creates a 'make-believe world' through cheap magic of speech. But when Mercury is in association with the higher centres, he inspires through speech in the right manner. He permeates in consciousness as he speaks. He transacts in consciousness and elevates the listeners into the Buddhic Plane.

In this fashion, when the channel (that is, the voice) is put to mere sacred expression, both in terms of speech and action, it draws the attention of a Master - i.e., Jupiter.

THREAD THE NOSE

Jupiter starts making an approach towards the aspirant. The “Look of the Master” gives birth to a baby within the aspirant. It is the spiritual baby which is born, who becomes a Kumara in due course of time. In this case it is still a baby, upon whom the “Look of the Master” has just bestowed some blessing. The “Look of the Master” is like the “look of the fish”. It is called “Piscean Look”. The fish gives birth through looks to its children and nourishes them from a distance. Likewise the eyes of a Master of Wisdom enable to give birth to a spiritual baby in an aspirant. The look awakens the consciousness as a point of Light, and that point of Light grows as the aspirant works in tune with the Law.

The bull functions with some precision. This step is symbolically expressed as “Threading the Nose” of the bull. The aspirant develops self-restrain in some measure. The precision leads him to enter into the work of goodwill, and gradually the attachment to the form weakens. When the attachment to the form weakens, in the Ashram it is said: “Gold is replaced by golden light”, meaning that the aspirant cares more for the golden light than for gold. The craving for personality progress ceases, and there is no more a further growth of personality, which was hitherto the main programme. Outward growth loses emphasis, and the aspirant realizes the futility of growing in terms of personality. He shifts his emphasis for inner growth in preference to outer growth. The golden light born within the heart is more attractive. The inner attraction causes the outer detachment. Mere practicing of detachment, as the impractical priests do, is preaching in vain. The teaching differs from preaching. The teaching is practical and the teacher is a scientist in contrast to the vague, impractical preacher. The effort is to grow inside. It does not mean that the outer (personality) does not grow. It may grow, it may not grow. The aspirant does not care. He realizes that the personality is the shadow that waxes and vanes through cycles of time. He does not attach himself to it. He is more inclined to the inner work.

Please remember the Satan in the story of Jesus, who tempts. The personality in you is the Satan, which keeps tempting you even after the 3^rd Initiation. It is only at a very advanced stage of discipleship that the soul infuses the personality.

REVERSING THE WHEEL

Sacrificing the attachment to personality (but not personality as such) is the next step. In Scorpio there is a process of recession taking place in the aspirant. It is 'retracing the path' which was made before, it is returning home, it is called 'Reversing the Wheel'.

From the centre we have expanded into cycles, and now we stop expanding further into objectivity. Now the whole cycle has to be worked back. Whatever we have woven around us is put to sacrifice (relinquishment) which comes in the second arm of the cross. It means that man has decided to return. Sacrifice and relinquishment become a natural part of him. While sacrifice and relinquishment are demonstrated in daily life, there is no feeling relating to such acts, for it has become natural to be so. To the onlookers it appears that the advanced aspirant is sacrificing. But it is not so for the aspirant.

In the spiritual activity there is no such thing as growing into objectivity. It is a question of receding from the objectivity. Until man realizes the soul, whatever work done in spirituality (in the objectivity) only tends to contribute to personality growth but not to soul expression. Until one learns how to function as the soul, the spiritual activity should be a hidden practice; meaning that one has to work in secrecy and in silence. Otherwise man is known as spiritual amongst the mediocre and gets conditioned by the related name and fame. So the advanced aspirant stands firm and decides to recede. While receding he gets naturally detached to the name and the fame. The urge to be recognized is reduced, and the urge to seek recognition is also gradually reduced. It is called “Standing on the Rock”.

Standing on the rock means that the aspirant is “rock-steady”; he cannot be any more enticed or enchanted by the outer. This is because he had the experience of the 'look-divine' of a Master. We find similar symbolical presentation in the New Testament -Jesus kneeling down by the side of the rock receiving a ray of light into him. It means that the Path is made definite. The bull is totally tamed; it shall get into more intense work to realize the soul. That is how it is said: “Standing on the Rock”. When we stand on the rock like this, and we are disenchanted with the personality growth, there is the reversal of the path, and the retracing of the soul.

The bull, which is functioning in the field, recedes into the nether regions, meaning that it gets hidden. The work of a bull can be seen, because it is a surface work. It is functioning on the planes. Thereafter the aspirant withdraws from the planes into the valley of death. He is only seeking the death of personality, because the Person never dies. What is required is the death of individuality and personality. Thus, from the planes he recedes into the valley, searching for caves, so that he can be totally secretive and hidden. Thereafter his practices are not known to the outer world.

Nobody knows what a serpent does inside the hole, but what a bull does on the field is known to all. It is more an internal functioning than an external one. Becoming more a man than a woman. Woman means the dynamic energy, whose movement is perceptible; man means the static energy, which is imperceptible. From perceptible planes of functioning the advanced aspirant enters into the imperceptible plane of functioning. There is more a happening within than happening outside.

From outside nobody can see the changes happening inside. The aspirant remains the same for all the outer purposes, but internally there is a process of alchemy switched on. The people around feel him the same, but inside he is not the same. The outside appearance is the same. Outwardly he seems to be static, but inwardly there is a continuous process of change for the better. The preparation is within the cave or within the egg. The preparation happens secretly, in silence, in secret and in simplicity for the birth of the Kumara. For that purpose it is said that he is withdrawn from the hubbub of activity. He no more does things for recognition, he no more does things for his self; there is no such thing as gaining either objectively or subjectively in doing things. This is what is symbolically expressed as “Withdrawing into the valley of death”.

He is practically dead to all the glittering things to which others are attracted. He has taken up the chisel and the hammer and starts to chisel himself. He is embarking upon the second arm of the cross, to die and to be reborn again. This death is necessary before the birth of the soul. The aspirant has withdrawn into unknown regions or the nether regions. He has become totally hidden to all external purposes and keeps changing within, without being noticed even by the proximate persons. What is happening within him is only known to him and to his Master; even his own wife, who sleeps with him, may not know. That is the utter secrecy in which the transformation happens.

The 'Death in Scorpio' is a very interesting concept. This is a short explanation of the life of an aspirant who is very stubborn, carrying strong will, who keeps approaching the Light with stubbornness. The stubborn bull is gradually transformed into a softened version of the bull, useful for the people, but still the personality aspect is quite high, which is 'the dweller on the threshold' to the aspirants. They need to overcome this.

MOBILE ASHRAMS

Seeking for name and fame is high. The seeking for property in the name of ashrams is also very high. Many semi-prepared aspirants turn themselves to be gurus by building ashrams. By constructing ashrams one gets conditioned to the ashram, meaning that he has prepared his own graveyard for the soul. An ashram is the last thing to be built when you think of retiring. Building an ashram in brick and mortar should be the last thing. Building an ashram in Light is the necessary step.

Many semi-prepared teachers or semi-prepared aspirants, retire by building some ashrams, and get conditioned by them.

The real ashram is first to be built in the etheric plane within, and one should continue to live in that ashram. To build an ashram of brick and mortar has its own limitation; it should be done in so far as it is inevitable to train some people into aspirants. The Masters live in ashrams for hundred of thousands of years, but their ashrams are mobile ashrams; they can be moved according to the need (of time and of place). The ashrams do exist all over the globe and at times of emergency they are all withdrawn into the Himalayas, to be dispersed again when the related etheric purity prevails.

For instance, if we build an ashram on the physical plane we are stuck with it for life. Thus, the semi-prepared aspirants believe in building something in brick and mortar. This is arising out of their urge for matter. Instead of acquiring property personally, the aspirant starts acquiring properties constituting trusts and foundations. The personality's urge to express is very high still, and yet he is very much linked to a sacred thought. Exoterically he does a lot of work, but all his work is exoteric, with no understanding of esotericism. Because the third step of the word is not realized, the residence is only at the fourth step; that means, working in the objectivity is well realized but working in the subjectivity is not yet realized. There is more exhibition and less realization. There is more marketing and less qualitative production. The products are sold more due to advertisement than due to their inherent worth. He creates a make-believe world and becomes the cause for a new cult. He is no more occult!

It indicates, that the aspirant is yet to turn inward, but even if he closes his eyes he remains outward. That is why for many people, meditation is mostly living outside while closing the eyes.

The process of reversing the wheel, the second arm of the cross, is related to Scorpio, and not so much to Taurus. The preceding preparation relates to Taurus.

We will try to walk into the mysteries of Scorpio. Entering into Scorpio is a big event in the journey of the soul. It is like saying: “I will rise and go back to my Father”.

FACE TO FACE

To go back we have to really work hard. People think it is difficult to work in the objectivity, but it is much more difficult to work in the subjectivity. When we are on our return journey, we will face all that which we have messed up in our onward journey. On our way back we shall have to clean up ourselves all that which we have “cooked”, that which we have precipitated. It is to be 'face to face with ourselves'. It is face to face with our own karma. As we turn back, all that which we have built up with indifference, with negligence, with reckless-ness, with hatred, with jealousy, and with so many other things, shall have to be faced by us.

We are face to face with ourselves. It is easy to handle others, but it is very difficult to handle ourselves. Handling the outer situations is easier compared to handling the inner situations. There are many things, which we will find inside. To face ourselves is the biggest test. That is why the path of Scorpio is one of test, of trial, and ultimate triumph, because the will is well established. Man can be successful many times by being manipulative in the outer world. But to straighten the manipulative tendencies within is difficult.

THE WATERS OF EMOTION

To feel emotional about miss-happenings is an obstruction. Emotion obstructs the progress. Many things do happen in the return journey, many things fall. Each time something falls, there is the emotion raising, because we are walking from matter to water. In Taurus we worked with matter, in Scorpio we work with water, the waters of emotion. We are made to shed tears frequently, till such time that the eyes dry up. Because each time we shed tears, it is a repayment to the earlier acts of ignorance, where we have made others to shed tears on account of our bohemian behaviour. The shedding of tears through events is a process of neutralizing previous acts, where, on account of us, others had to shed tears.

The waters of emotion are frequently put to boiling. There is a disturbance in the emotional plane and a continuous boiling process is put on. Master Djwhal Khul calls it: “The war is on”. There is a declaration of war inside. There is declaration of war outside from us where we keep fighting with others for rights. Now, it is a declaration of war by us with our behaviour. The self as soul and the self as personality enter into the field of war and the fight is on. It is called: “the fight between the Sons of Light and the Sons of mine”, or “the Sons of the Light and the Sons of the Blind”.

Personality grows in blindness or in darkness and identifies with “mine”. Ignorantly man gathers things around him; he gathers his own reasoning, which is not common sense. Common sense is different from one's own reasoning. He disillusions himself thinking that his reasoning is common sense, and thereby he starts feeling his rights. Through his own reasoning, he develops his own personality, picking up desire, hatred, jealousy, competition, anger, miserliness, possessiveness, which are all the virtues of the Sons of the Blind. This is how we grow into the objective life with our personality. To sum up the darkness of self-pride and egoism overshadowing the Light.

When we face it, we meet with our own deficiencies or emotions. We are cornered to re-think about our reasoning. Our emotions are put to constant boiling with one adverse situation or the other. Through some source we continuously get troubled. One has to sustain himself to live in troubled situations. One has to sustain himself to live in troubled situations. The ability to survive while there is tribulation around, is what is to be gained, and hence, frequently, the personality life of a disciple is in shambles. Something or the other keeps burning in the personality. It can be about his own family members, about his vocation, about his own health or about his name. Continuously the personality is put to revolution and convulsion.

In Taurus, spirituality is a fashion. We can move about with all our personality, showing off ourselves as big initiates. We see many things and speak irresponsibly about them, we keep listening to many things and keep talking about them irresponsibly. As if the Hierarchy is not enough, people get into such indulgence as saying that they are a channel for Sirius. Because Sirius is so far, it is known to be the highest for us, so why not “hit at the bull's eye” and say: “I am channelling for Sirius” There are enough ignorants who join around such a person, making a kind of fashionable spiritual activity.

In so far as we are not put to inconvenience, we keep functioning in spirituality. That is the case of a bull. A slight discomfort in the daily routine transforms the face of such a person into such an ugly expression that it is very difficult even to look at. There is no scope to speak too, because the discomfort is very much scribed upon the screen of the face.

Those people are not the ones who can get into Scorpio. Don't think that those who are born in the month of Scorpio are all able to enter into the Scorpio energy. It is a question of progressing oneself by turning inward. It is a process of returning; it is the path of return to meet one's own personality and work with it. It is a process of returning from the fields into the caves. That is why the astrologers say that Scorpio represents the underground activities, caves and deep valleys.

THE CAVE OF THE HEART

From the showy path of spiritualism man returns into the path of being lonely. It is not some physical retirement into some forests, it is the return into the deep valleys, finding comfort in settling in the cave of the heart. It is said that the Initiates live in the caves, but what are those caves? It is the cave of the heart, in which they live, and when the objectivity demands they come out, work and go back into the cave.

They live in the caves, which are called their Temples. That is how the Cave Temples become their habitations. If we start searching for the Cave Temples in the exoteric plane we will not find them. There are many people who would like to find the Ashrams in the Himalayas, or the Alps or in some other mountain range. The Cave Temples very much exist. We can reach the Cave Temple in so far as we have reached our own cave, to start with. We have to “cave in”, instead of “craving out”.

Spirituality at one point of time should enable us to cave in. The path of return is the path of “caving in”. Caving in is from objectivity to subjectivity. There is no speaking about it; it is only a silent withdrawal in secrecy. It is a secret, sacred, and silent withdrawal in simplicity. These are the four aspects of the withdrawal. If any of the four is missing, the disciple is thrown out. He has to feel sacred with what he is doing, keep it as a secret, and proceed silently with all simplicity. That is how one is expected to withdraw into a Masonic temple.

SIMPLICITY

The Heart Centre is the Masonic temple into which one has to withdraw. The path of light or the path of masonry are no different, but unfortunately we do everything exoterically or on the objective side, without realizing the importance of being simple. How simple are we, is the question. To many people, to remain simple is very costly.

To be simple need not be costly. “Mister Kumar wants to be simple but there is too much cost to keep him simple. To keep him simple, too many things are required”; that means, he is not simple. He needs many things because he wants to be simple; how can it happen? There are many people who in the name of simplicity cause nuisance to the people around. Simplicity means, it should not cause even a small ripple to the neighbour.

One time there was a simple saint in India. He was so simple that he ate only in his own dish. He did not drink cow milk, only goat milk. He had a system of feeding the goats to get the milk. He did not drink goat milk coming form any goat. He fed sacred things to the goat, to get the sacred milk from it. He collected sacred vegetables cooking them in vessels that are sacred, eating them in the plates that were exclusively for him. Thus, whenever he moved, his kitchen also moved with him, his goats also moved with him. Can we call such a saint simple?

If a person is not simple he cannot be an Initiate. In the name of being sacred, simplicity is given a go by.

SILENCE

The person should remain sacred while being simple, remaining silent about all, and maintaining secrecy. That is what is demanded. To be silent and to be secretive itself is difficult. To be silent is very difficult. The moment the class is over, we must speak. The moment the prayer is over, we must speak. That means that there is a lot of speech in the thought and in the vocal level, which does not enable us to make an entry into the Cave Temple.

The speaking tongue that keeps on speaking throughout the day, should be “pulled out and cut”. That is what they try to do, not physically but symbolically. If a tongue is speaking more than required, it is a clear message that we are not into the Temple but only in the outer compound. The one who is in the Temple has a different tongue, because even before he enters into the Temple his “throat is cut, and the tongue is pulled out”. Only then he can enter into the Temple. How many masons enter into the Temple like that? If one enters like that into the Temple, he is a real “entrant into the Temple”. Thus, the tongue has to be pulled out, meaning that we have to become silent. The throat is cut, so that the urge of speech is also not there. Are we prepared? If we are prepared we can enter into Scorpio. If we are not prepared we better take a holiday. That is the beauty of Scorpio.

We are our own “dweller on the threshold”. We don't allow ourselves to enter. We go to the door to make an entry but we find ourselves as an obstruction for our entry, which we see as an obstruction at the door. Any obstruction in the outer is nothing but an obstruction in the inner. To the Initiate of a high degree, even the wall is not an obstruction. They walk through the wall because they don't feel any obstruction. They don't feel the wall as an obstruction, because there is no such thing as obstruction inside; hence they walk through the walls.

SACRED AND SECRETIVE

But now look at our situation, we cannot even walk through the door! Because we obstruct ourselves so much. In so far as we have gained the step to be silent, simple, and yet remain sacred and secretive -which is called “the key of the four S”, there is the entry into the “Temple of divine Wisdom”. When we have entered into this Temple there is the process of disappearance. Madame Blavatsky disappeared, nobody knew where she was, because she was accepted into the Cave Temple somewhere. Jesus disappeared from his twelfth year up to his thirtieth year. Moses disappeared from the kingdom of Egypt, and when he reappeared he was different. But we are never different, because we don't disappear. The disappearance is called death. We disappear to die. But the disappearance in this context is for reappearance. Death to what? Death to objectivity, death to personality, death to our own emotional behaviour, death to our own intellect, death to our own reasoning, death to all our concepts; that is the death without dying physically.

When this death happens there is a different person born. The process of dying has three steps in it. They are considered as the three tests of Scorpio, which include in it three triangles. Each triangle consists of three tests. So there are nine tests, of which one puts oneself to it. If we have overcome the nine tests, then the process of death is complete. The death to objectivity is complete, the death to personality is complete, and to live as soul only remains.

THE NINE RUFFIANS

The soul has Light, Love and Wisdom as its qualities. (Fig. 13)

We are all souls; hence, we naturally carry Light, Love and Wisdom. There is no need for us to acquire them; the only effort that needs to be done is to allow them to function through. We have certain impediments for their functioning, which are accumulated over the soul.

There are certain accumulations over the Light, Love and Wisdom of the soul. It is like the accumulation of carbon. When there is more carbon accumulation, the light remains very dim. That is the status of a non-initiate. Basically he is illumination but the illumination is covered by layers of impurities or carbon, and hence the soul is not allowed to function through the body.

The “corpus” or body has become so very thick that it does not allow the Light of the soul to pass through. There is a triangle of the body also, which is normally shown as an inverted triangle; it is the triangle of the three bodies - mental, emotional and physical. (Fig. 14)

The triangle of the soul is rested in the triangle of the bodies (Fig. 15)

In the triangle of the bodies, the triangular quality of the soul sets. It is well seated in the body. We are not the body, we are given the three bodies, and these three bodies are represented by the inverted triangle. One is the mental body, the second is the emotional or astral body, and the third is the physical body. In that triple body, the soul with its Love, Light and Wisdom gets incorporated.

We are within the “corpus” and hence we are “incorporated”, we are incarnated. When we are in it, there are two ways of living in the house of the body; one is living with ease and the other is living with discomfort. What happens when we do not know how to live in the house? We get stuck in it. An average human being is stuck in his own house. The house conditions the dweller of the house.

The body is like a triangle, and each point of the triangle develops his own triangle again. (Fig. 16)

It develops three other triangles that totally hold grip over the soul. In the case of an Initiate he has the grip over the body; in the case of a non-initiate the body has the grip over the soul. It is just the opposite. Do we have mastery over the body or are we lost into the body?

If the body has the grip over the soul we become prisoners. If we have the grip over the body we are the Masters. When we do not make a proper use of the threefold body, each point develops its own individual triangle. The moment we are forgetful of how we should be in the triple body, this body develops its own ruffians. The physical body develops three ruffians, the emotional body develops three ruffians, and the mental body develops three ruffians. These nine ruffians will totally take charge of the soul.

“The nine ruffians have to be killed on the way”, so that our path is clear.

The first triangle of ruffians (of the physical body) is: (Fig. 17)

COMFORT

The first ruffian is called physical comfort. Do we care for physical comfort or we don't care for it? Do we crave for comfort or we don't crave for it? A person who craves for physical comfort has produced the first ruffian in him. Already the physical body started showing up its indifference to the soul. Many of us have not crossed the state of physical comfort and the lack of it. The physical comfort and discomfort exist as a pair to us.

If we look at the lives of the Initiates, they don't care for the kind of physical comfort that we care for; they just do not care for any comfort. To them the purpose of the soul is more important than the comfort of the physical body. The physical body shall have to work in subordination to the soul. If it starts demanding comforts it means it is not in good terms with the soul. If there is a comfort, the physical body can enjoy it; if there is no comfort, the physical body should be able to put up with it, because we are working at the soul level.

The whole life, people struggle to arrange comforts. Thus, craving for comfort, closes one door. It means that 1/3 of our physical body can decide our soul life. Physical comfort decides whether we should do something or not. That is not the way to decide the doing or not doing a thing.

Suppose that today we can fly comfortably by airplane from Buenos Aires to Bombay, and tomorrow we are travelling upon a muddy road on a bullock cart. Today we are in a beautiful place to live, tomorrow we will be somewhere where we have to take our shower on the road. Today we have an air-conditioner in the room, tomorrow we may be totally under the hot sun. Today we have a feast of things, tomorrow we have to fast.

Are we prepared for it, or do we have complaints? If we have complaints, the first ruffian has won over us. If we are conditioned by physical comforts, then we are very far away from the Temple. Physical comforts cannot be given priority if we wish to walk towards the Light. It means that we are very much conditioned by the material path. That is why the first test is about comfort.

Lack of things should not disturb us, and presence of comfortable things should not put us to attachment. Today we may be sleeping on a soft bed, tomorrow we may be asked to sleep on the road. If we have reservations about it, we have no entry into the Temple. We should be prepared for both; we cannot say: “No, no, I am a saint, I don't sleep on soft beds”. We don't have to deny comforts to ourselves, but the lack of comfort should not make us weep. That is how, physical comfort itself can put us to terrible imbalance.

Suppose one of our children is dangerously sick and has to be admitted in the hospital. There, they have attached him to drips and tubes, and the doctor says that his life is very uncertain. As a parent we stay with the child, we would even sleep on the floor to stay with the child. If someone comes and asks: “Why don't you go home and sleep on your cushioned bed?”, then we will think that the person who questioned us is a fool. Why? Because of our love for the child. It is the quality of the soul. Where the soul functions there is no question of comfort on the physical level. Where the soul is kept to sleep, we only look for comforts everywhere.

When there is lack of comfort, all equilibrium is lost. Let us see how far we are fit to enter into the Temple. Likewise we seek emotional and mental comforts too!

MONEY

Do we handle money or does money handle us? Who handles whom? Do we shrink from doing good things if it means spending money? Do we wastefully spend away money for purposeless acts? There are (so called) developed countries on this planet; developed in the sense that they have money. It is a wrong understanding. Where there is more human value, that is a developed country, not a place where there is a lot of currency money. This categorization is done by man because he gives predominant importance to money. Let us see how the so called developed countries use money. Master Djwhal Khul says that 10% of the money which is wasted by the developed countries, if used for the undeveloped countries, there would be no poverty on the planet. They don't have to get rid of all their wasteful activity; only 10% of it! This means that the developed countries do not know how to function with money, and the underdeveloped countries do not know how to function with money because they don't have it.

From the national level let us come down to the individual level. People who squander away their money, who have no concern for people who do not have, are also like the so called developed people. At least, if they use 10% of that which they squander, for other individuals, this ruffian will not develop inside.

Today the individuals, the groups, and the nations are governed by money and power. Instead of man guiding the money energy, the latter guides man. The Law of Economy, the 3^rd Cosmic Law, is binding the human being like a python. Men are made money-making machines. Money is an important tool or medium for life experience and for exchange of goods and facilities. It is the man's invention for social facility. It is a tool of service. The servant should remain the servant and the master should remain the master. But in recent centuries, the master is devoured by the servant, who became the monster. The monster too is born due to the ignorance of the master -the man. We have developed a system and became prisoners of our own system. How intelligent (or foolish) are we! The individual, the groups, the nations, are bound by lack of knowledge and the noose of the energy of money is tightening the grip around their neck. The python is tightening the grip. Man has become helpless. The modern business too helped to worsen the situation by making the commoner believe that he needs many things. The theory of economics also turned upside down. Earlier the supply of goods and services was as per the human demand. The human demand was responded to by the business community. But today the business prepare goods and services as per their choice, create demand through bombarding advertisements techniques, and make man believe that he needs many more things than he usually needs. The business lost its social responsibility. They prepare and supply unhealthy foods (chemicals, stored foods, fast foods, artificial drinks, unhealthy drinks) on one hand, and also prepare and supply medicines, full of poison (antibiotics, cortisone, etc.) on the other hand, and flourish at the cost of the society. The commoner is put in the 'make-believe world'. He feels unrequired things as required and also feels always short of money! To overcome the shortage of money in this 2^nd half of the century, the credit system has been invented. You can borrow and buy a car, a house, a flat, and all domestic requirements, and thus mortgage your life for the next 20 years and thereby lose freedom!! What a trick and how quickly people fall into the trap. Amazing!!! People have no time to think, to discriminate and to decide. The advertisement decides all. Your life is decided by someone else. What a pity! The sufferers of late are trying to break this spell of black magic and live free. But they are seen as the mad ones.

While we can not right away help at the global level, we can start at the individual level, organizing life in simplicity and avoiding accumulations, using the money found in surplus due to simplicity to help the poor and needy. Let there be saving as a habit, not to hoard, but to help. Save and help regularly, continuously and constantly. This inculcates in you the habit of giving and sharing. This is the path to liberation from the conditioning of material. People gather and get imprisoned by that which they gather. The wise ones distribute that which is gathered around them -not only money but also all that gathers around them, such as food, clothing, intelligence, strength, peace, power, and wisdom. Remember to share that which you have with others. That is the way to gain mastery, once again, over money.

SEX

The whole humanity is totally conditioned today by money and sex. Master E.K. always used to say that at the end of the 21^st century, man will look back to the man of the 20^th century and in the history books he will write: “the man of the 20^th century was a slave of sex and money, painting a black border around it, so to say that though in life, he was totally dead”.

The 20^th century man mostly wasted away his life because he was dead to the two things. To satiate the sexual impulse, man used all his ingenuity -just for that. He is not satisfied with his ingenuity, he even goes to the extent of defining that Tantra is the best way to sex, or sex is the best means to Tantra. That is the worst thing he could do about sex. It is like the devil quoting the Scriptures. In the occident, Tantra mostly means only sex. Many groups are formed under the spiritual guise to indulge in unrestricted sex activity. This licenciousness is not Tantra; it is black magic in the name of Tantra. Tantra means procedure. Mantra means sound formula. Yantra means the symbol. When a Mantra is applied upon a Yantra according to a Tantra (procedure) it enables manifestation of divinity unto the physical. Such works are done for human welfare, social welfare, and global welfare. Tantra requires the presence of a female energy; that is all. No tantric Master ever touches a woman. To the tantric Master the whole feminine principle is motherhood in Creation. That is the status of a tantric Initiate. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is the grand Master of Tantra in recent times. He lived in and with the presence of Mother Sarada, his wife, with whom he had an agreement for living together as companions for life and not for conjugal love. We need to be respectful and humble whenever we think and speak of Tantra. It is also part of goodwill work to throw light on this subject, which is highly distorted, like the word 'Yoga' and 'meditation'.

The third ruffian that causes havoc with us is sex. When we have a desire for the other sex in an unlawful manner, the advanced disciple too falls. The fall is certain when man looks for unlawful avenues to satiate his sex impulse.

There is the man in woman and the woman in man. As long as the man and the woman in oneself are not balanced (Adonai, Ardhanari, Androgynous, Hermaphrodite) there is the urge of the man for a woman and the urge of the woman for a man. It is a deficient situation. It is a deficient situation. The deficiency is replenished in discipleship, not by supply of sex from the objectivity but a supply from within the man. Firstly he is given to understand that the lady whom he chooses and marries is her life partner and that he is not only ethically, morally and socially bound to her (and vice-versa), but also spiritually. She is the lady through whom Nature supplies the necessary help and training too. Changing spouses is unknown for discipleship. The modern fashion of a “spiritual wife” in addition to the wife is a farce and a mockery of womanhood. From the ethical and even from the spiritual standpoint she is considered a 'concubine' and the man is considered a debauch. Please, do not mistake me for being harsh. It is the hard reality of spirituality - there are no bending of rules for individual conveniences.

Living together in harmony with the spouse would enable adjustments at psychological, psychic and physical levels, and the biological needs are satiated on either side. Not only that; the living together in harmony also leads to proffering bodies to incarnating souls, to whom healthy and harmonious bodies can be given, which is in itself a grand ritual. When the progeny, in due course, works for the welfare in general, the ritual is fulfilled. Such is the first step.

The second step is experiencing companion-ship, more than sex -female/male companionship. Whereby man slowly raises from the emotional state to the devotional state, in the sense, each one is really devoted to the other in the heart. It is the beginning of a sublime companionship, where the man finds his woman in his heart and the woman feels her man in the heart. There is no need felt for the other woman, when this companionship is gradually realized. The feminine aspect is more felt in the heart by the man and vice-versa. At this stage man is recommended to contemplate upon the Divinity as female deity, while the woman is recommended to contemplate upon the Divinity as male deity. Many male aspirants turned into the Path of Discipleship in India by meditating upon Lalitha, Durga, Lakshmi or Parvathi. Likewise many, very many woman tuned into the Divinity by contemplating upon Lord Krishna. The innumerable Gopis, Meera Bai, Sakku Bai are outstanding examples. In Lord Krishna there is such completeness of male-female energy that even many men turned into the path of discipleship by contemplating upon him. He is considered by the Indians as the World Teacher of all the Worlds. “KRISHNAM SAKALA JAGAD GURUHU” is the saying of the yogis of all times. Such is the magical music of His flute.

Contemplation upon the divinity enables man/woman, to lift up from the earthy symbols to the etheric form of the same symbols in the heart, where the form is radiant with a golden hue, instead of the material outer symbol. The aspirant rises from the physical concept of male/female to the etheric concept, where he finds in him/her the female/male. He then starts tending to be androgynous. The outer material forms no longer interest him. The inner forms of Light engage him and even engross him. He experiences the Divinity more inside himself than outside. He gradually winds up outer experiences and closes the Libra activity, thus ascending from the state of being 12 to the state of being 10. (Fig.18)

Such is the work relating to reversing the involutionary path towards the evolutionary path. Venus, the planetary principle contains all the details relating to this. (Please refer to the book “Venus, the Path to Immortality”, for further details).

All Initiates are androgynous. Depending upon the purpose of their incarnation, sometimes they are in family life and at other times they are unmarried. Please do not try to distinguish them as those who needed woman/man physically and the others as those who did not need. The yogis of all times demonstrated either way. No one is greater than the other for this reason.

In this context, it would also be worthwhile to mention that sex relates to the sensation of touch. The one who overcomes the urge to touch is the one who is no more conditioned by the objectivity.

“Touch and taste bind every soul to earth. The one who overcomes their conditioning is the liberated one from the earth”, says Lord Krishna. Please, ponder upon this noble statement from the spiritual standpoint.

The second triangle of ruffians (of the emotional body) is: (Fig.19)

AMBITION

Ambition is a faculty of craving for something more, even after we had that which is required. We have eaten enough at the breakfast table. We start thinking about tomorrow's breakfast. Thinking about tomorrow is called ambition. We miss today when we think of tomorrow, today. There are people who think six months ahead!

Mostly people live in the future; that is what is called ambition. How much we should have, how much property we should have, how much money we should have, what fame and reputation we should have? All this makes man live more in feelings than in reality, craving for that which is not now required.

An ambitious person has four pieces of bread in his plate at the breakfast, and looking anxiously at the buffet, sees if there is enough bread for him to eat after the four pieces. He wants to know how much is there. He is happy if he sees a heap of bread on the buffet table. An ambitious person finds satisfaction in sumptuousness, but he misses one point. Nature gives if we are not anxious and ambitious. Our anxiety about our ambition makes us lose that which is in the present. See how ambitious were Alexander the Great, and Napoleon. Theirs was a wasted life. Jesus never thought of annexation of other's land, but the beauty is that he has conquered the planet. He never physically conquered the planet, but Alexander and Napoleon wanted to do that. Many nations on this globe think of spreading their wings over others, not to protect them but to posses them. There are also spiritual leaders who posses people. They want more and more people, and if one fellow goes out of their group, they develop hatred towards him. Possessing other's money, property, places and even persons, is arising out of such vice as ambition. Earlier, powerful nations possessed other nations, their wealth and even their persons. Man evolved, and consequently colonialism died, except in a few cases where the old habit continues. But now there is economic colonialism emerging in the second half of the century. “The Colas” replace the coconuts of the natives. The “Jeans” replace the environmentally suitable clothing. There is another kind of invasion, which cuts into the very values of human life.

Science, technology, and the information system have been abused to cut man away from being natural. He is filled inside (through food) and outside with chemicals. The result is a poisonous man, who tends to be venomous towards the fellow beings. What for all this? For a few over-ambitious members of the human society who rejoice at the cost of entire species on the Globe. Such is the work of ambition both at the individual and national levels. The so-called 'advanced' man of the 20^th century should stop and think a while. Discipleship, therefore, recommends contentment as an antidote to ambition. Ambition always hints at what one still needs to possess. Contentment hints at what one has for his need. The latter puts man out of the wheel of hyper-activity. His hunger and thirst for things and persons ceases. He is a satiated person. He remains grateful to life for what is given. He looks out to help others instead of restlessly looking for himself, his needs and desires. Contentment also leads to cessation of excessive external activity. It is said in Srimad Bhagavatha that a contented man is richer than the richest, powerful than the king, and wiser than the wise; that he is venerated in all the three worlds, that auspiciousness is around him all the time; that people gather around him in utter confidence. In Scorpio, the urge for 'achievement' gets replaced by the urge for 'being' “The sense of achievement is Rajas (Dynamism) and the sense of 'being' is Satwa (Poise), says Master D.K. Man tends to gain mastery over his life if he proposes towards contentment and falls into misery and slavery of his life if he tends to be over-ambitious. Please, remember that here ambition refers not to the urge for progress, but to the urge for avarice (over-ambition).

HATRED

Hatred is the twin brother of ambition. Where there is ambition there is hatred. When our ambitions are not fulfilled, we hate people who stand in the way of our ambition. Where there is no ambition there is no hatred.

2000 years ago there was a rumor that a child would be born and would become the “King of Kings”, the King emperor. That kind of a rumor made the then existing kings feel hatred towards that child. If someone is greater than himself, an Initiate would feel appreciative, but an ambitious fellow feels sick and does not mind killing the newly born child, just to see that nobody remains greater than him. They kill those who come in their way out of hatred. The priests, as also the governors of the time thus developed hatred towards that great Initiate called Jesus. Their hatred propelled them so very restlessly that they all had to conspire to put to death the One who was not proved guilty. Don't we see such plays against the righteous by the ones possessed of hatred? Hatred demands extinction of the persons towards whom it is directed. It is an anti-life energy - contrary to all norms of free-flow of life. To live and let others live is the fundamental tenet of human life. To kill others for supporting oneself is inhuman. To rob others, to deprive others, to suppress others, to exploit others, to sling mad on others, to speak ill of others, to play down other's virtues, they are all the common demonstrations of hatred. To conspire against others is the worst of them.

Discipleship suggests 'friendliness' as anti-dote to hatred. All aspirants are taught to cultivate friendliness as an attitude, regardless other's attitude towards them. Love for love and hate for hate is the quality of the ordinary human quality. Friendliness towards all is what we see in the lives of the Initiates. They are the guides to the aspirants to gain the path of discipleship. The study of the lives of the Initiates is therefore of great importance for the necessary impact. Remember Lord Maitreya. He is the Friend of the World. Mitra is the root-word for Mitreya. Mitra in Sanskrit means 'friend'. He is called Mitreya because he is friendly to all beings - regardless their behaviour. Let friendliness be our quality of life - whether or not others are friendly towards us!

FEAR

A fear that someone may take away our place, a fear that someone may take away our possessions, a fear that we may not have all this in the future, a fear that something may be stolen, a fear that some people may injure us, hurt us, and ultimately the fear that we may die! Through hatred also we reach fear. Those who hate, fear those whom they hate.

I will give an example of how we land up in fear through hatred. The priests of Jerusalem hated Jesus Christ. They could only hate him, they could not do anything about him. He was giving a far superior teaching, a live teaching, a refreshing one. He was also demonstrating a far superior healing, and he was giving a far superior inspiration; hence the priests were unhappy. They started hating him. Their hatred reached such heights, that it resulted in planning for his murder. But they had no guts to go and face him and kill him. They took shelter under the local administrator of Rome, Poncius Pilatus.

They were gripped by fear that they may not survive if Jesus survives. Jesus was not afraid of them. Pilatus was informed about Jesus. In the beginning he did not worry so much about Jesus, but the priests were clever, and told Pilatus: “He is not only a danger to us, he is also a danger to you”. The priests had to inject hatred about him, and said: “He is said to be the king of kings; one day he will dethrone the Roman Emperor. You better get rid of him right now; if not he will be a problem”.

Thus, Jesus was brought into the court. He had no fear nor hatred, because he had no ambition at all. Pilatus asked Jesus: “The people say that you are a king, is it so?”, Jesus replied: “Yes I am”. That was enough for Pilatus, who said: “Then the rumors I hear are true”, but Jesus answered: “The kingdom that I rule is different from that of yours. My kingdom is not of this earth. I have not come to rule the earth, I have come to rule the hearts”. All this was too much for Pilatus to understand, and thought that Jesus was mad.

Even among his group of disciples there was one who was planning for his crucifixion. It is like carrying a cobra in our pocket, which can strike at any moment. But Jesus just puts his arms around Judas' shoulders, and was moving along with him, fully conscious of what Judas would do to him in a day or two. Jesus was absolutely fearless, because he had no hatred, because he had no ambition.

If we have ambition it leads us to hatred, and if we have hatred it leads us to constant fear. It is a very important triangle which very few can overcome. Once the triangle is set, these three ruffians keep rotating, and we cannot say which one is bigger. It becomes a vicious circle in which one keeps helping the other, so that the ruffians become stronger and stronger. That is how this triangle holds people. We have to cut it somewhere, but we cannot cut it at fear, because if we get up in the morning and say: “from today I don't fear”, it does not help. We shall have to start at the right end, and get rid of ambition. The way to get rid of ambition is to be contented.

The third triangle of ruffians (of the mental body) is: (Fig. 20)

PREJUDICE

In the third triangle one of the ruffians we meet is prejudice. Prejudice arises out of concretized concepts. We concretize the concept and anything seemingly opposing is considered bad, incorrect, unjust, unfair, foul play, etc. This is so because we are stuck with a viewpoint. Viewpoints narrow down the vision. “Vision is the completed viewpoints”, says Master D.K. East feels that the West is wrong. West feels that the East is impractical. But the truth is that there is something wrong and something right on both sides. If only we carry the open mind we can see through and meet the positives. “The seeming opposites are complementary to each other”, says Pythagoras. In wisdom there is always agreement -meaning, from the Buddhic Plane of awareness all is seen in its own fitness but at the mental plane we have only the ability to be analytical and even critical.

There are intellectuals, well reputed, who got stuck in their own concepts of right and wrong. They analyse to the extent of hair splitting to prove their views. But what is the use? One may intellectually win over the other. The vanquished awaits an opportunity to win over the victory. The solution is not so much in analysis but is in synthesis. To see the fitness of things and interact. To be inclusive but not to be exclusive. To think in the heart more than in the head.

Today the prejudice based on age-old “isms”, religions, and rivalries is so deep-rooted in humanity, their suspicion rules over every act. The racial disputes too wage very high. There are language-based prejudices, tradition-based prejudices, cultural prejudices and so on. Man is more and more divided through innumerable concepts that he is split into bits and pieces. Even the families split on account of prejudice. There is an urgent need at the macro and micro level not to allow any more division.

Discipleship demands setting at rest all prejudices and to be open to receive and synthesize the various viewpoints to fit to the one canvas of Truth. There is a bit of truth in every concept. The intelligent service is to bring the pieces of truth together to realize the Truth comprehensively and holistically. The varieties of yoga are but the branches of the one yoga. The variety of teachings from ancient times till date too, are varied in presentation but not in content. Such an approach helps the aspirant to transform. There is no wasteful thing in Creation. There can only be wasted things in Creation due to man's ignorance. Not to ignore but to include is the beginning towards ending the ruffian called 'prejudice'.

PRIDE

Pride is a problem relating to the mental body. It tops the list. The separative attitude, the snobbish attitude, is arising out of pride. Any person who is proud separates himself from others. Any person who feels special about himself excludes himself from the rest. See how special was Jesus Christ. He was really special; undoubtedly he was special, but he said: “I am one among you. I am one among you. I am your brother. Don't think that I have just come down from the sky. You are as much a son of God as I am”. He was willing to work with all categories of people. He could even go to a countryside tavern and drink with the people. An aspirant normally thinks twice before entering a place that is not full of good vibrations. Jesus walked together with a prostitute, a tax collector, two fishermen. There were people from every strata around him and he was willing to work with them all. He should have felt very special and exclusive for all that he knew! The real special ones do not feel special about themselves. Only the pseudo ones feel so.

When we are in some spiritual group we already feel the pride of it, even without knowing anything about spiritualism. But here is a man who knew everything; he could rise the dead to life, he could give sight to the blind, he could multiply bread, he did so many things which could have given him enough reasons to feel special, but he only demonstrated to be normal and common. No speciality, no separativeness. Though uncommon, he remained a commoner.

We want some special meetings with important people in exclusiveness, but why in exclusive-ness? Because we want to gain more than others. They say: “No, no, we don't want to be in the group living; we would like to see you alone when you are at leisure”, but why? Because they want to gain more. But they lose, because in the group life there is a greater presence of the Spirit. The soul is present in manifold ways in a group life. What can be experienced in the conscious plane during group living cannot be explained, because it is supra-conscious presence or higher consciousness, and hence we cannot comprehend. A well thought out group living does much good at all the three levels: physical, emotional and mental, and even beyond. There are individuals, groups, races and nations that feel special and thus are cut out from the general stream of life and of consciousness. They feel exclusive and, as a consequence, they are excluded.

CRUELTY

The antidote to cruelty is 'Ahimsa', harmless-ness, emphasized by all the world Scriptures of all times, and particularly worked out as a mission by Lord Buddha. Let no one be at pain on our account -not only the human but the other species too. The teaching is known over 2500 years, but is yet to be realized by humanity. Harmlessness is the jewel of all virtues that one can possess. Discipleship strongly demands this quality, without which the whole scheme of walking upon the Path to Truth falls like an edifice.

Harmlessness is the keynote of discipleship. “Practise harmlessness with zest and understanding”, says Master D.K.. Harmlessness is the fundamental teaching of Lord Buddha. Achieving harmlessness definitely leads one to knock at the door of the Temple for initiation. Watch daily your conduct, if you harm anyone through thought, through speech and through action, and how harmless are the effects of your conduct in the 3 worlds.

Harmlessness straightaway puts you to the change - a change for the better. If you are producing harmonious conditions, you are in the practice of the virtue. If you are the cause for conflict, you are in practice of harmfulness. Harmlessness dislodges you from being selfish and from the egocentric tendencies; it leads you to realize your omnipresence as soul. Its method is inclusive, for it enables one to see all forms as veils of the One Being. When harmlessness is accomplished, all is forgiven in the desire to help and aid.

“Ahimsa Paramo Dharmaha”, says the Veda, meaning that there is no higher Dharma than Ahimsa - Harmlessness. It is not easy to speak exhaustively of the virtue of harmlessness. It is better we pick up and work with it.

THE HEART LOTUS

This is how the nine ruffians within us, starting from comfort and ending up with cruelty, block the consciousness. But when there are so many ruffians around the soul, what can the soul do? The soul happily sleeps for that life; it remains dormant. That is what is depicted by the heart lotus, which has 12 petals. (Fig. 21).

Twelve petals mean four triangles. We have the triangle of the soul, of which the inner three petals represent the three qualities of the soul. We have another three petals of the mind, which relate to the three ruffians, we have another three covering it through the three ruffians of the emotional nature, and at the physical level we have three more petals. Hence, we remain a closed bud in the heart - a bud not yet unfolded.

When the three ruffians of comfort, money and sex relating to the physical plane, are well worked out, then the first three petals open up themselves. When the second set of three ruffians, hatred, ambition and fear relating to the emotional plane, are worked out, another set of three petals opens. Six petals are thus opened. When we have worked out the three ruffians of the mental plane, that is, pride, prejudice and cruelty, then the third set of petals is also opened.

When the ruffians are all worked out, nine petals of the heart lotus are opened. Only then, the 10^th, 11th and 12th petals of Light, Love and Power, have a possibility to open. How can the inner petals open when the outer are not open? The internal petals cannot open when the external petals are strongly bound. Petal by petal, through a systematic functioning, we should unfold. We must see if we have any of these nine ruffians in us and simultaneously work to burn them. Fire is the best way to burn them.

BURNING THE RUFFIANS

We desire to work for the Plan. No one can work for the Plan unless he triumphs through trial. See the trials of Moses, the trials of Madame Blavatsky, or the trials of Jesus (which are not recorded in the New Testament, because they wanted to make a God out of him). They have conveniently hidden the preparation part of Jesus the Christ. From the 12th year to the 30^th year, Jesus disappeared for 18 years. This disappearance was to die. One has to disappear to die, and again come back with full life, called “the soul consciousness”.

Those who wish to work for the Plan, those who wish to co-operate with the Masters of Wisdom, have to face the “ruffians” and kill them. It is mystically called “burning the ruffians”, meaning, eliminate the seeds relating to the 9 ruffians with the help of the fire of the will. In so far as the fire is kept on, it is not difficult to burn the ruffians. That is how it is said mystically, “burn the ruffians”.

There is an occult statement, which says: “O Mystic Fire, I burn one ruffian with your aid”, which means, burning the ruffian with the aid of the Divine Will.

INTERNAL WAR

Burning the ruffians within oneself is an internal war, a cold war. It is working with oneself all the time with unwavering will. When there is a cold war inside with all these ruffians, we cannot complain outside. How can we speak ill of ourselves? Can anyone tell the other: “I have prejudice, I am cruel, I am proud, I have fear, I hate people?”. We hate people inside ourselves but we try to show a kind of love outside. There is much darkness on the path towards the Cave Temple. It should be put to thorough cleaning. Before cleaning it should be separated from the general activity. It is a separativity proposed in the interior but not in the exterior.

In a bamboo forest, a bamboo is plucked out (uprooted), and it is cut to size on either side. Then the stick of bamboo is cleaned inside so that there is no more stuff inside. After that, seven holes are made, so that the Lord can play with it. It is symbolic that we shall have to mentally separate from the objective success, uproot ourselves from the routine values, cut ourselves to size, meaning not promoting our personality by ourselves, start working within to cleanse the unwanted stuff of personality, experience the seven etheric centres of our existence as consciousness, and get recruited into the plan, i.e. to be a magic flute in the hands of the Lord.

THE CUT-OFF

While we remain in the thick of things, we should stand free. Master Tibetan says in his book: “stand free while surrounded”. We should not run away to stand free; we remain where we are and stand free. Even while we are surrounded by many, we can stand free. Even while we are surrounded by many, we can stand for ourselves and work within. The working within, need not be known by the people around, including the most proximate persons, namely your own spouse even! We have to cut out while we are within. This is what is called the cut-off.

The cut-off is a subjective process but not an explicit process. It is not informing the kith and kin: “from today I am cut off”. This would be the way of the bull or Taurus, but a Scorpio, while he is attempting to cut off inside, he does not enable anyone to know that he is at it. He does not express the pain of his internal detachment to the surrounding people. That is the subtle way of functioning. It is not creating an atmosphere of hurt and injury, and much less, he publicizes.

Any hurt that happens in the outer is a blockage for the inner process. It does not enable us to proceed. That is how the story of the bamboo stick is given. Unless the bamboo is cut out, and the interior cleansed, made empty, the flute cannot have holes. The seven holes in the flute are symbolic for the seven etheric centres in the vertebral column. We may fancy that our Ajña centre is working, or our Heart centre. The seven centres in the body function when the inner is totally cleaned, meaning the personality is made transparent. Thus, each time we see a flute in the hands of the Grand Master whom we call the Father, we get the message that we shall have to overcome the inner ruffians if we wish to be a channel of the Divine.

THE RECOLLECTION OF I AM CONSCIOUSNESS

We take up one ruffian after the other and work with him. But there is an easier way to work with it, that is, burning three ruffians at a time. Thus, by burning three times, all the 9 ruffians are gone by invoking the Fire of Consciousness in us. The recollection of the Soul Consciousness continuously for long years, will enable us to overcome the ruffians.

When we are in recollection of the I AM Consciousness, the ruffians wait; they don't touch us. If we forget the I AM Consciousness, the ruffians devour us and make use of us. If we hold a light in our hands the darkness does not surround us. If the light is put off, we are hovered by darkness. The best way to keep the ruffians away is to invoke the Light of the Soul by recollecting the name of the Lord, which is called I AM.

I AM THAT I AM, I AM THE WAY, so it is said by the Initiates. Instead of remembering the I AM we remember the names of the Initiates. The original name of everyone of us is I AM. By just holding onto I AM, we will be able to weaken these ruffians. Instead of fighting with the 9 ruffians, we invoke light into us continuously. Insofar that we carry light in us the ruffians do not disturb us. We keep walking, and even if there is a ruffian waiting for us, we walk with the light within us. We reach the point where the ruffian is, and he remains neutral. It means that the ruffian is not willing to combat us since we carry the light in us. Is it not a betterfacility that the ruffians do not obstruct us, so that we don't have to fight with them? They give way to us. As we reach them, they say: “Please, pass over”, only because we carry the light in us.

The best is to recollect the I AM in every walk of life in all the three planes. When we function like this, the entry into the Cave Temple becomes easier. The moment we forget the I AM Consciousness we are over-powered by the ruffians. When we carry the “Friend” with us, then the ruffians stay away. That friend is the I AM Consciousness. He is called MITRA in the Bhagavata -the Mitra Maitreya. At all times let us walk with Him. When we walk hand in hand with the light of the soul, we have no obstructions on the way. When we find hatred in us, we recollect the I AM. When we find terrible desire in us, we recollect the I AM, and the intensity of hatred or desire in us gets neutralized. When there is fright in us, we recollect the I AM and the fear disappears. In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says: “Recollect Me in all the inner planes; the thoughts and the emotions disappear. Only 'I' remain as yourself, as Light”. With everyone of the nine ruffians it is so. They are called ruffians number one, two, three, four, five, six, seven eight and nine.

THE GIANT SAMBARA AND THE LORD

Ruffian n. 1 COMFORT is 9 times more powerful than us

Ruffian n. 2 MONEY is 99 ” ”

Ruffian n. 3 SEX is 999 ” “

Ruffian n. 4 AMBITION is 9999 ” “

Ruffian n. 5 HARTRED is 99999 ” “

Ruffian n. 6 FEAR is 999999 ” “

Ruffian n. 7 PREJUDICE is 9999999 ” “

Ruffian n. 8 PRIDE is 99999999 ” “

Ruffian n. 9 CRUELTY is 999999999 ” “

One ruffian is ten times more powerful than the other in this order. This is the wisdom coming through the numbers. There is a number key, it is called in Vishnu Suktas of the Rig Veda as the Giant Sambara. He multiplies in strength from petal to petal (of the heart lotus) from 9 to 999999999, and makes the path impermeable for the seeker of the Self (or the Light). He grows in strength as the seeker progresses inward. He cannot be devoured by any personal strength. The personal strength is inadequate to meet him. It is therefore suggested that we invoke the Lord Vishnu - the permeating light, whose number is one. Each time number 1 touches number 9 it becomes ten, or hundred or thousand. The Giant disappears and the perfect state of 10, 100, 1000 etc. remains. The message of the Sukta is “recollection of I AM Consciousness - the Universal Soul or the Light in all that is within and without. Only Light remains; nothing else. If you forget to recollect, many appear on your mind's screen.

Now we carry with us the light or I AM Consciousness, whose number potency is 1. When we are walking into a dark cave with light, what happens? The darkness transforms into light. Thus, when we walk towards the cave with the light of I AM, which is number 1, we meet the first ruffian. The ruffian is rounded up. When one touches nine it becomes ten. Only one remains; everything else is rounded up. We remain as the light, and the ruffian gets rounded up.

Ruffian n.1 COMFORT 9 + 1 I AM or LIGHT gets absorbed into 1

Ruffian n. 2 MONEY 99 + 1 I AM = 100

Ruffian n. 3 SEX 999 + 1 I AM = 1000

Ruffian n. 4 AMBITION 9999 + 1 I AM = 10000

Ruffian n. 5 HATRED 99999 + 1 I AM = 100000

Ruffian n. 6 FEAR 999999 + 1 I AM = 1000000

Ruffian n. 7 PREJUDICE 9999999 + 1 I AM = 10000000

Ruffian n. 8 PRIDE 99999999 + 1 I AM = 100000000

Ruffian n. 9 CRUELTY 999999999 + 1 I AM = 1000000000

Just see how one light can transform any degree of darkness. Everything is reduced to zero and only the Light remains. Even we don't remain, because we are the Light! We remain as Light and everything is rounded up. This is how it is said in the Rig Veda: “The descent of the Lord rounds up the ruffians”. Is it not unwise to fight the ruffians by ourselves? Even in the worst situation there is the key to wisdom. We should carry the key. If we walk towards the door without key, the door laughs at us and asks: “Where is the key, my boy?” We reply: “The key? We don't have any key”. The door says: “If you don't have any key, you better go back from where you have come”.

Thus the single key is the Soul. It is within us, as our self. Recollection enables the availability of the Magical Key. If we search for the key in the objectivity, we don't get it. It is in our pocket; how can you find it outside? There are crazy people who search for Truth outside, in the mountain ranges. The search shall have to be within, not outside. The key is Smrithi, which means recollection in Sanskrit. Patanjali says: “Recollection is a marvellous key to TRUTH. The Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata repeatedly say so.

If we don't carry the key we cannot think of working with wisdom. Lord Krishna said it in the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita: “Your acrobatics in the field of knowledge is a waste, if you do not carry “ME” with you”. This “ME” signifies I AM. We want to fight with a man nine times more powerful than us; are we able to fight with the ruffian called comfort, or money, or sex? Impossible! But if we carry the I AM Consciousness, we already have become more powerful than the ruffians. That is the beauty of the key explained by the Bhagavata, which in the modern age is called “Agni Yoga”.

The names are new but the concepts are age-old. If we ask anyone to read the Bhagavata, the feeling is: “Oh, it is old stuff”. Hence a new name is given as “Agni”; then the feeling is: “Oh, very interesting”. It is the same wisdom coming from the age-old times: recollection of the ONE in all. That is the same key used by the Initiates of all times, including Jesus. Jesus worked with Agni Yoga, like all the Initiates before him, and all the Initiates after him. There is no other way. 'I AM' is the only way, the only key.

THE DEATH IN SCORPIO

Thus, hold on to I AM and walk into the Cave Temple, then we will approach death. Once we have made an entry into our own heart or Cave, we will see the objectivity as the husk. We don't need the husk, we need the grain. The man who enters into the Cave realizes that all the objective hectic activity is like the husk; comparatively it has not much value in it; it has not much that can nourish him. Thus, he wakes up from a dream for the first time. People who are engrossed in objectivity are living in dreams according to the ones who live in subjectivity. The Initiates see how much we are in dreams. We are after lifeless things, thinking that there is much life in them. We are cooking and eating husk, leaving the grains. How intelligent are we? From the standpoint of an Initiate, the mere intellectuals who do not contribute anything of value to the society, appear like husk. The intellectual takes pride in the husk, the man of objectivity takes pride in the husk thinking that he is after the grains. That is why his hunger for happiness is never satisfied.

The hunger is satisfied if we eat the grains, but not the husk. The Initiate carries with him the grains of life, and the man of the mundane world carries with him the husk of the grain. When once we have tasted the grain, do we think of tasting the husk? The man who is accustomed to eating husk, will not go any more for the husk if he is put to the taste of the grain. That means, he is dead to the husk. That is the death happening to the disciple. That which is so valuable to the objective man is nothing to the Initiate. The Initiate has the grains that can reproduce, that can create. He has not only the generative power but also the creative power in him.

The death in Scorpio is threefold. The threefold personality, with its mundane values held strong at the mental, emotional and physical plane, gives way to the threefold quality of the soul, namely the Will, the Love and the Light. The mundane values gradually vanish, which is akin to the elimination of the pulp within the bamboo stick. The 'I am' of the personality gradually vanishes (dies) and the 'I AM', the consciousness, permeates and prevails. The disciple no more feels his previous mundane identity, and proportionately gains the eternal identity. He no more carries in his awareness any identity other than being the 'Son', the Kumara. He realizes that he is the part of the whole, inseparable from the whole.

His values of life seem inverse to the ordinary people. To him the worldly values look inversed. The people seem upside down in the thoughts, comprehensions and actions. The people too see him as cut out from the routine of social standards. The personality transforms and gradually gets infused by the soul. He thus becomes a channel for soul's transmission of the triple activity of Love, Light and Power. Such is the disappearance of the mundane personality called esoterically 'the death', which leads to the birth of the soul up to perceptible layers. Scorpio also speaks of the death as is commonly understood, which relates to the apparent disappearance of the Soul with the excessive growth of the personality. This subtle process is referred to in the Scriptures as the death of the 'Son of Man' for the birth of the 'Son of God'. In other words, the man in God surrenders to the God in man. It is the process of incubation where the changes happen secretively, silently and simply. It is seen as sacrifice by the objective world. There is not even the iota of feeling of sacrifice for the one who is into the process.

The process is very similar to the caterpillar becoming a butterfly through the period of incubation. Could one ever imagine that the butterfly, which is so beautiful, so light, capable of flight and of other's delight, was once a caterpillar? Thus the man too, hitherto mundane, transforms in utter secrecy and silence through the internal triumph and gains the Light, the flight and the delight of Life.

Scorpio is thus enough for us to make an understanding, because for those who really wish to walk upon the Path, Scorpio presents the syllabus. Let us work with the syllabus, write examinations, and score marks for ourselves. No one else evaluates our papers. Our own operations make an evaluation of our own understanding. That is the beauty of working with oneself. That is the beauty of the cold war. We will get into more details of its working from many angles, so that we carry a deeper impression and start working with ourselves.

STANDING FREE WHILE SURROUNDED

The aspirant now ceased to be attached to the activities of the 3 planes. He has not ceased to function, but he has no attachment while functioning. There is a difference between the two. In the name of walking into the Cave, the normal duties of life are forgotten. The normal duties are attended to, but with dispassion. Earlier the aspirant was serving the family and the society with passion, with a view to gain something in the objectivity. Now he continues to serve the family and the society, but without looking for personal gain and without passion. This is what is called, “standing free while surrounded”, as said by Master D.K.

It is generally believed that functioning with the Light makes one impractical in the objectivity. It is not so in the Path. The practicality in the outer world is retained but the deep passion with which the family and the vocation are conducted undergoes a change. The passion dies but the duty remains; the duty does not die. If the duty dies the aspirant becomes impractical. While being active in the domestic and social life, a gradual withdrawal is made into his own being. It is a fine withdrawal, which is carried out with much skill and diligence. The aspirant turns out to be more balanced and more practical than the ordinary people, and even more radiant and magnetic.

In this junction normally the confused aspirant makes mistakes. He neglects his normal domestic duties, on account of his bias for the spiritual functioning. Instead of gaining in spirituality, he loses in materiality. There is no gain in the subjective life but there is loss in the objective life. This is one loophole that has to be overcome. What is stabilized should not be disturbed through additional activity. The objective life, which is hitherto stabilized, should continue to be stable, while there is a gradual withdrawal into the subjective life. The awareness towards duty should not be averted. On the contrary, the passion relating to it gets avoided.

SCORPIO - THE EIGHTH HOUSE

Scorpio represents the 8^th house in the zodiacal signs. Scorpio is number eight. Number eight stands for death. There are two kinds of death that take place in Scorpio. When there is the involution of the Spirit into the matter, there is the death of Spirit and the birth of matter in Scorpio. That is how the snake goes down into the snake hole. The consciousness is covered by matter. That is what is indicated by the snake entering into the snake hole.

There is also a snake within, which we call “Kundalini”. It is within, but buried deep in the material. The act of rising the Kundalini is asking the snake to come up. This eighth house, in the process of involution, causes death to consciousness. The divine man is dead, and the material man is alive. That is how the divine man is sacrificed for the material man to live. It means that God sacrifices himself to be the beings, and it is experienced as a loss of consciousness. It is called the loophole of awareness. Scorpio is said to create death for the consciousness. Thus, there is the death of consciousness and the birth of personality. That is what happens normally when there is the involution. The consciousness dies and the personality springs up into life. Like a fountain, the personality springs up for objective life. We live as mobile tombs. The matter is heavy and the consciousness is buried.

VANQUISHING THE SERPENT

Now, during the evolutionary process, death happens to the personality and birth happens to the soul. There is the death of personality and the birth of consciousness in the Cave Temple. There is thus once again the springing back into consciousness. When consciousness, represented by the bird or the eagle, died for the sake of the material, the 'winged bird' became a 'crawling serpent', going down deep into the earth. The symbolism is very well related. Man buries himself more and more into matter in the objective life, and proportionately the consciousness is put to death. But now, through the process of discipleship, the earlier process is reversed. The snake once again becomes a winged bird. This is called “Vanquishing the serpent”. Hercules, Krishna, Apollo, were said to have vanquished serpents. In truth every disciple has to vanquish the serpent on his path to Truth. The Initiates and Avatars demonstrate it for others. It is not killing the serpent in the objectivity as the poisonous man now does. It is vanquishing one's own poisonous (harmful) inner attitudes, to enable awakening of inner consciousness from the material centre (the lower base centre) to the spiritual centre (the eyebrow centre).

There is an occult statement that says: “He vanquished the serpent and is carried away by the eagle”. It is to say that the man has become divine, and is able to move with divine wings in the air. Death is to the material, to the personality, to the individual thoughts, to the emotions and to the attachment to objectivity. He lives in awareness, works dispassionately in the objectivity, and with great interest progresses into the Cave Temple to reach the Sanctum Sanctorum.

There, in the Cave Temples he studies the Scriptures. There are also libraries in the Cave Temple, which are well guarded by Scorpio. These libraries are guarded by snakes, which carry gems on their hoods. The one who is friendly to the snake is allowed to function in the library. That is how Madame Blavatsky was allowed to read the Scriptures in the Cave Temples. This is also what is expressed as “Victory over the serpent”.

There is a serpent called Hydra, which has nine hoods. Hercules has won over the serpent. What are the nine hoods? They are the nine ruffians. The moment we overcome the nine ruffians, the serpent with the nine hoods, Hydra, becomes our friend. Hercules is said to have won over the serpent. It relates to the story of Scorpio. We have similar stories where Apollo dances upon the hood of a serpent. We have a story in the Bhagavata, where Krishna dances upon the hood of a serpent. The victory over the ruffians is symbolized by the dance over the hood of the serpent. Then the serpent co-operates with us, enabling us to dance over it.

Normally it dances over us, but here is the case where we are allowed to dance upon the hood of the serpent. It is a great ritual where the serpent turns out into an eagle, or where man dances upon the hood of a serpent, or where the downward trend is reversed for an upward trend. All these are revelations that happen in Scorpio. This is an important concept that has to be remembered.

When man gets into the Cave Temple and vanquishes the serpent of the nine hoods, then he is dead to the outer, and is alive to the inner. The way he looks to the objective life is different from the way others look at it. When he is gaining in the subjectivity, he gains the dimensions relating to truth.

THE DAY OF THE YOGI IS THE NIGHT OF THE AVERAGE MAN

People in the outer world think of such Initiates in the making as cranky, that something is wrong with them and say: “He could have become very important in the society, but he is after some mysterious things, denying all fame and name and denying prosperity”. When a man on the verge of success limits that objective success and gets into subjectivity, then the society thinks that he is wrong. It takes a few hundred years for the society to understand that he was right.

The work of an Initiate cannot be seen by the contemporary man, because their measurement of success is different from the measurement of the Initiates. That is how the Initiate works with the objectivity. To him the objectivity is the night; to us the objectivity is the day. For a normal human being, the success in the outer world is all that matters. The more and more he gains in the objectivity, it makes him think that he is successful. He becomes more and more passionate to achieve still more. All that rat race to gain more seems to be a crazy activity for the one who has turned inward, but for those who are in the rat race, the one who turned inward looks to be a 'mad chap'.

The society looks at an “Initiate in the process” as a mad man, and the Initiate looks at the society as a group of “know-nots”. Because what the Initiate starts seeing, the society does not see, and what the society sees, the Initiate realizes it to be husk. That is why he smiles at people who smile at him. The society smiles at him thinking that he is a loser, but the Initiate smiles at the society because they are the real losers. What is life to an average human being is nothing for the Initiate, and what is life for the Initiate, is total darkness to the human being. This is how the day for the one is the night for the other. There is a statement given in the Bhagavad Gita, where it is said: “The day of a Yogi is the night for an average man. The day of an average man is the night of a Yogi”. This is how the inversions are held.

The Initiate has reversed one inversion: seeing the light where the average man cannot see it. All these things that the average man sees, the Initiate does not see. An Initiate does not look at the form, he looks at the light within the form and if required he looks at the form. His normal look is at the light of the form. The look of the Initiate measures the light in the form. The average man measures the form; there is no such thing as even seeing the light. The average man measures the tomb; the Initiate measures the light in the tomb. That is the difference between the two.

THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE WATERS

The Initiate gains creativity because he ceases to be reproductive. An average man has six channels for reproduction and all his reproduction is into objectivity. The energy flows out in the form of desire for the outer things that have been seen, heard, tasted, touched and smelt. Apart from the five senses for the external flow of energies, there is the sixth one, which makes a tremendous outflow of energies, and that is what is called sex. Man flows out through all these six channels, when he is a prisoner of the objectivity. That is how he gets squeezed out like a squeezed orange, totally squeezed and nothing left inside; all has gone out, and he looks very dry, very dull and debilitated. This is on account of the flow out of the energies, which is represented by the downward flow of waters. The flow is from above downwards, from the centre to the circumference, from subtle to gross. Consequently man is lost through time, but through the process of reversal, - which the aspirant has taken upon himself, he converges the five sensations and the reproductive instinct.

Now the energies converge into him instead of diverging from him. Consequently there is the upsurge of the energy into the higher planes. That is how there is the movement of waters in an upward direction. That is why so much is spoken about the regulation of the senses and of sex. It is a matter of utilizing the energy waters in us. It is said that in so far as we allow the waters to flow out, to that extent we have not been wise. Wisdom enables man to make a right use of the energies. The right use of waters is to make a barrage of the outflow and divert it into the inner fields for cultivation. The field is the body, which gets cultivated and made vital, instead of letting the flow out through all the six channels. It is said that in so far as the river waters are allowed to join the sea, that far man has wasted his natural resources. The river has to be put to use for cultivating the fields. The dams and the barrages that are constructed are meant to regulate the waters towards the fields. The reservoirs of water that are collected are utilized for cultivation, so also the energies conserved through a process of regulating the senses, enable man to make use of the waters for the upward movement.

When the energies move up on account of convergence, there is the upward movement of energy to the Throat Centre, and even beyond, up to the point of the Centre in the Eyebrow, which is below the Ajña Centre, forming itself into a two-petaled lotus and awaiting the glands of grace (pineal) to descend through secretion.

The moment the bud of the two-petaled lotus is formed, there is the descent of the luminous fluids of grace enabling the marriage between the heavenly man and the earthy man. So much is worked out in Scorpio through a process of dying to the outer and living to the inner, functioning through the dark layers of material and reaching the Light of the Soul. The process is represented as a spirallic path. There is the spirit getting condensed into matter through a cyclic process, and similarly through the same spirallic path one can liberate himself from the matter into the spirit. That is how the symbol of the conch has come to stay in the field of wisdom.

Apart from the symbol of the serpent and the eagle, there is the symbol of the conch, where we find the head very wide and the tail very narrow. The tail of the conch represents the spirit becoming matter, and the consequent loss of consciousness into matter represented by the narrowing down of the circles of the conch at the tail, through the downward spirallic path. But if we reverse the direction of the spirallic path, it is the same path that leads to the Spirit, successively widening the circles representing the liberation of the Spirit from the matter.

The sublime concept of the spirallic path and the related rituals are enacted in the 17^th constellation of the zodiac, called the “Spiral Ritual”. Its original name in Sanskrit is “Anuradha”. The constellation is located in the 2^nd half of Scorpio, where “the tables are turned” or “the wheels are reversed” - meaning the path of return of man to the heavenly man. Many are indeed the mysteries of Scorpio.

Please remember that the 2^nd half of Scorpio and the 1st half of Virgo form one sun-sign of the perfect zodiac of 10 sun-signs, the Mandala. Libra (the symbol of passion) separates the two halves of the one sun-sign 'Virgo-Scorpio' and thus builds 60 more degrees into the circle, viz. 15 degrees of 2^nd half of Virgo, 30 degrees of Libra and 15 degrees of the 1st half of Scorpio. (Fig. 23)

The 1st half of Scorpio is therefore considered mundane, while the 2^nd half is considered divine.

Esoterically all the Temples (not Lodges) are therefore closed in the 1st half of Scorpio, to be reopened in the 2^nd half of Scorpio. The ritualistic year commences in the latter part of Scorpio, to be closed in the 1st half of Scorpio. The esoteric temples, the esoteric grand lodges of the White Brotherhood, function in total tune with the Time cycles and the keys relating to them are hidden in the mysteries of Scorpio-Sagittarius. Such is the depth of secrecy of Scorpio.

SACRIFICE AND RITUAL

Taurus is the first arm of the Fixed Cross, where objectivity is put to order. Scorpio is the second arm of the Fixed Cross, where the functioning in subjectivity is put to order, and where death happens to individuality and personality. The whole work of death takes place through one tool called sacrifice.

The more and more we sacrifice, the more and more we are liberated from personality. The path of Scorpio is the path of sacrifice. It is the selfless and unconditional sacrifice in all the three planes. Sacrifice on the physical plane (of properties, money, comforts and resources for others' benefit). Sacrifice in the emotional (of passion towards persons, places, languages, customs, traditions, “isms” etc.) towards achieving an ideal. All resources are directed to the realization of an ideal. Even the individual viewpoints and the individual reasoning are also sacrificed at the mental plane at the altar of wisdom. That is what is called Yaja in Sanskrit, or sacrifice. One puts himself and his resources in the three planes to sacrifice. It is not asking others to sacrifice for that which we do. When a man is working at the level of Taurus, he wants the society to make donations and sacrifices for his good work, he does not sacrifice anything, because he is just intelligent but not wise. His intelligence tells him to keep his things to himself and ask people to contribute. That does not enable him to walk into the Temple and realize the mysteries of the Cave Temple (the Heart). Unless one sacrifices all that he has and himself, there is no such thing as entering into the Temple. Death is through sacrifice. It is the sacrifice of all that one has. It means that one is ripped off of all things. “He is divested of all metals”; only then he has the ability to enter into the temple. We cannot hold millions of dollars in the bank and arrange two persons to say that “this man is divested of all metals. He deserves entry into the Temple”.

In the Masonic temple it is reported: “Venerable Master, this man is found on the streets; he has nothing, not even a copper, not even a good dress, nothing to eat; he has lost everything. He deserves entry into the Temple. We two recommend him”. This does not mean that he is such an ignorant person to have lost everything, but he has voluntarily sacrificed everything to be eligible to stand before the Master of the Temple. If we are entering into the Temple without sacrifice we are only deceiving ourselves. The need to sacrifice is very high if we have to make an entry into the Temple of real life. The sacrifice has to be of all that we have. In Scorpio it is the sacrifice of all that one has.

When we reach the next step in Leo, we have not only sacrificed all that we have but we sacrifice ourselves. Sacrificing that which is ours in one aspect, sacrificing oneself is another aspect that enables the realization of the soul. In Scorpio what is demanded is the sacrifice of the personality, the thoughts which we think as our own, the logic which we think as our own. The religion that we hold very dear to us is also to be sacrificed, because it is also a thought and a belief. We cannot bring with us the frames of our own thoughts, because we will be given better frames inside.

We do not carry anything relating to us, be it thought, emotion or property. The only thing with which we are allowed to enter is with our name, which will be changed inside the Temple. When we enter into the Temple we have one name, which will be changed inside the Temple. When we enter into the Temple we have one name; within the Temple we have another name. We are recollected the original name in the Temple; thereafter we function with two names!

In all Temple activities we have one name, and we have another name for the objective working. That is how we gain a spiritual name for the spiritual activities. For example, the name we know as Master Djwhal Khul is known among those who know the spiritual side of Master Djwhal Khul. In all the work that he is doing on the planet in relation to the Plan, he is very well known as Master Djwhal Khul or Master D.K., but he is living somewhere on the planet on the physical plane, and there his name is different. The people who know him physically do not know him to be Master Djwhal Khul, and the people who know him as Master Djwhal Khul do not know him physically. That is the arrangement!

That is the beauty of the functioning of an Initiate. Where people are around him physically, he does not give out his spiritual identity. Though people are interacting with him, they don't know that they are interacting with Master Djwhal Khul. Every Master functions in that way. For all domestic, social and economic life, they have another name, which is changing from birth to birth, but within the Temple it is one name all the time. Through series of cycles of birth and death, the Initiate knows himself by this name, while for all outer purposes, he has different names for different incarnations. Except the name, nothing is allowed into the Temple. Likewise, Madame Blavatsky has her own name in the Temple. We hear that her name in the Temple is Upasika, while for all outer purposes she is HPB. Likewise, the one whom we know as the Tibetan, his spiritual name is Djwhal Khul. He may have many other names in many other cycles of time, but he continues to carry the name Djwhal Khul. Likewise, the one who has worked out the labours in Scorpio realizes his name within the Temple.

When we speak of Scorpio it is inevitable that we speak of Temples, and it is inevitable that we touch upon the sacred concepts of masonry, because Scorpio stands for secretive ritualism. It is all the alchemy that is initiated inside the being. It is an aspect of the functioning with the 7^th Ray and the 4^th Ray. These two rays become the implements in the hands of the disciple. As he starts functioning with his own personality, he is in terrible conflict with himself. All the conflict shall have to be worked out through a process of service and sacrifice. The disciple encounters the 4^th Ray energy within himself, and very often he gets defeated. To overcome one's own defeats while functioning within, we have to hold on very firmly to the 7^th Ray. The 7^th Ray functioning enables one to gain strength to survive in conflicting situations.

The work of Scorpio is working with crisis after crisis. It produces moments of crisis every now and then. We encounter very dangerous situations; consequently, to meet the movements of crisis we need to hold on to the 7^th Ray energy. The 7^th Ray energy means a ritualistic functioning. Ritualistic functioning and sacrifice as the keynote, go together. The ritual without sacrifice means nothing. Every ritual is a sacrifice, and every sacrifice is a ritual. If we separate the ritual from the sacrifice, then the ritual is a mockery.

See how HPB laughs at Masonry in the book “Isis Unveiled”. She laughs aloud, heckles and makes mockery of masonry only to cut open the mass of ignorance and to stimulate the right action. HPB demolished many age-old concepts. She tried to stimulate Masonry, she tried to stimulate Christianity, she tried to stimulate science and she tried to show a dimension, which is eternally true. In that process she has incurred the wrath of the people. Even while we function in the path of discipleship, the kind of activity which we embark upon, sometimes puts us to criticism, scandal and ridicule. There is no Initiate born without rising opposition. An Initiate is known for his abilities to rise opposition in the contemporary society, stricken with superstition, concretized ideas of tradition and even of the then science, of the dead rituals etc.

See how frequently Jesus rises tremendous opposition of the priests because he breaks into pieces their dogma. An Initiate rises opposition in the society. Did not Moses rise opposition in Egypt? A glamorous life turned out to be a life of crisis, when he stepped on the Path.

Moses' Rod, incidentally, is a crawling serpent, but it is Aaron's Rod when it is vertical with the two arcs producing the necessary phenomena. Each one of us carries the Aaron's Rod in so far as the crawling serpent rises vertically. Because Moses carries the power of the Rod with him, he challenges the Egyptian Pharaoh. It was not a joke to challenge the Pharaoh of Egypt, it requires the necessary power which is worked out in him when he was expelled from the kingdom. When he came back after the preparation, he fought. Such is the power of the Scorpio principle relating to the inner preparation.

Such is the work of Jesus. Between his 12th and 30^th year he prepares his Aaron's Rod, which is the light in the cerebro-spinal system. With the light in the head switched on, he returned once again to the banks of the river Jordan. He worked to break the ignorant concepts of the priests, and tried to break the evil in the society. So is the case with HPB. She also retired into the Cave and returned into the society as an Initiate. Many people who worked with her, fancied that they were as good as her. She did not deny it but she continued her work. She showed how she was different from others by virtue of her works.

There is the preparation that takes place within the Cave Temples, and that preparation is a ritualistic preparation, which demands sacrifice of the personality, and only then it works out. In that process, the working with the 7^th Ray becomes very important. The moments of crisis in life should not put off our ritualistic practices. If not, we get disarmed. In moments of crisis we should hold on more to the energy of the 7^th Ray.

This is how the functioning in Scorpio is. It is called the ritual of the “Dying God”. The Scorpio month is used in two ways: one is God dying as the Creation, the second way is the man dying to be reborn as God. This is a ritual carried out from the ancient-most times. The man is directed to take to the posture of a baby in the womb. The ritualistic temple is constructed strictly according to the formula of the mother's womb. The man is guided to take to that constricted posture and live within the prepared womb of the Temple. He will have not even a centimetre space to move around his limbs. Everything around him is closed in such a fashion that he has to remain immobile. Just like the baby in the womb is connected through the umbilical cord, there is a pipe connecting to the mouth, through which liquid food is supplied. While staying in that posture, he is asked to retrace his memory under the guidance of a Guru or Teacher who knows the ritual. This is called the process of retracing, to die as a man and to be reborn as an Initiate.

When once man goes through this ritual, for three days and three nights, he comes out with the recollection of his original name. This is one of the advanced rituals conducted in the Temples. There is the ritual of Hercules being enacted, where Hydra, the serpent, has to be overcome. In the East there is the ritual of Savitri, which is conducted to realize the concept of death.

Sri Aurobindo, one of the great Initiates of this century, has done a great contribution to the planet. He has given out in English the Vedic concepts of Savitri, which is a Scripture of the 20^th century. If “The Secret Doctrine” is the Scripture of the 19^th century, “Savitri”, written by Sri Aurobindo, is the Scripture of the 20^th century. These Scriptures survive the cycles of time and serve the people who are trying to walk on the Path of Truth. The ritual of Savitri, in short, is that a man weds a lady called Savitri. The man is called Truth-Bearer, and it is prophesied that the man would die within one year. It means that the Truth-Bearer will lose the Truth. When we lose the Truth, we are dead.

In fact, we are all dead though we think that we are alive. We are alive when we carry the Truth with us, otherwise we are the living dead. It is prophesied that this man will die, meaning that he will lose the Truth and therefore die. It came to pass that he died - death means, buried in matter. The Lord of Pluto takes him to the Netherworld, which is a process of digging very deep into our own grave, but his spouse Savitri follows him. It means that the consciousness in us, which is a called Savitur - which we invoke every morning through Gayatri mantra, the light of the soul, also follows the soul who is buried deep into the matter. Even while we are buried deep in our objective life, the consciousness is very much with us. The consciousness is identified with the World Mother in the Eastern Scriptures, while the Absolute God is identified as male. The Lady Consciousness is following us even while we are dead to life. Savitri follows the Truth-Bearer and through cycles of time she brings him up once again into light. Consequently the man finds the truth once again and bears it. The Truth-Bearer lost the truth and found it again on account of the continuous companionship of consciousness.

Every day when the sun sets, even after the sun is set, there is the light. Once the sun-ball is set, disappearing at the horizon from our eyes, there is the beautiful light, and that light is called Savitri. The light which is prevailing after the sunset promises to us: “don't worry that you are getting into darkness; in a few hours from now, I will bring back the one who has gone down deep”. Every dusk is a promise of a dawn. So, the light which prevails after the sunset communicates to the beings: “I am here; do not worry about the darkness that comes up. I will bring back the light to you”. That is why the Mother is called “The Mother that marks the light in darkness” or Savitri. Every moment of darkness is followed by the dawn. Everyone who is in darkness has the assistance of the Mother Savitri, whose other name is Gayatri in the Vedas. The ritual of Gayatri is one of the Vedic rituals. Like this, throughout the planet, the Truth is enacted as a ritual and it is all the work of Scorpio.

SATURN, MARS, AND VULCAN

Saturn as a planet is the Master that guides us in matters of functioning with Scorpio. Saturn helps us to overcome our limitations, offering through time many events, which we dislike. Dislikes, disappointments and delay are presented to us as complementary, and we are made to wait. Waiting is the worst thing for a person. Until one accepts waiting, Saturn functions. The same happens with disappointment; where there is expectation there is disappointment. Saturn does not want us to suffer from the limitation of expectation. Thus, the planetary function in Scorpio is of Saturn, and he works on our limitations. When we accept our limitations and try to work with them by ourselves, either under the guidance of the Teacher or by self-guidance, Saturn yields. When Saturn yields, the matter yields the conditioning and the soul breaths the air of liberation for the first time. That is why a real Teacher in the East plays the role of Saturn in the beginning, and gives the path to the sublime experience of Venus, when the disciple is totally self-governing. Master CVV therefore says symbolically: “I work with Saturn first and Venus next”. It is true with every true teacher.

As we continue to work with Saturn, the function of Mars also joins, because he conducts the war within, with its fiery will. With the will as the tool, the limitations are broken. Thus, the 7^th Ray, Saturn, the 1st Ray, Mars, and Vulcan function when we are in the path of discipleship. The work of Vulcan is to ignite, the work of Mars is the continuous application of the fire of will, and the work of Saturn is to present our own limitations to us. As we break one limitation, he presents us with another limitation. This is what happens within the Temple, till man becomes self-supporting.

There are no such things as external supports. The disciple cannot depend on external supports, he has to support himself by himself, drawing confidence from within himself. Only the Self prevails; all other implements are broken. The implements of the ritual are all broken. Because there is no further need of the implements to work with. It is said that the ritualist has broken all the implements and is standing alone now. He cannot seek any external crutches; he is a support for himself. He cannot look up for support; he cannot look down for support, he cannot look around for support; he is a support to himself. Up to that point, there is the working of Scorpio. These three planetary energies function thus.

This initial work of Saturn, Vulcan, and Mars leads to better comprehension of wisdom (Mercury), and a better experience in the super-mundane world of the beings of Light (Venus). Thus the disciple contacts and works with Mercury and Venus the inner planetary principles that lead the disciple towards Jupiter, who opens the doors for Self-Realization. The work is thus complete when man realizes the synthesis of the Blue (of the 2^nd Ray) of Jupiter in the Sanctum Sanctorum.

Thereafter it is Uranus. Man turns again from the Cave into the outer; he comes with the energy of Uranus to break the old system and give anew the Law, which is in tune with Nature. The system which is natural is once again given afresh by him, thereafter. That is how the functioning on the Path is.

The sequence of planetary principles the trainee picks up are Saturn, Vulcan, Mars, Mercury/ Venus, Jupiter, and Sun. The consequent colours he realizes in himself are the violet, red, orange red, greenish and golden yellow, aquamarine, blue and the Light. At the advanced stages the related etheric centres and the seed sounds too are realized. It is a voluminous theme, which we shall not touch upon now.

RESURRECTION

From out of the sacrifice of one's own personality energy, which is symbolically stated as: “distribution of his blood”, man rises. The resurrection happens while such sacrifice takes place within. The sacrificial part is followed by the resurrection. The blood is out and the man shines forth. This second part is forgotten in Christianity. Instead of looking for the resurrected Christ, they have settled down to the crucified Christ. The resurrection part, which is more splendorous, is put aside, and only the crucifixion part is taken as the end of things. A kind of sadness hangs around the Christian system due to this custom, and the naturally smiling Jesus is re-placed by a crucified Jesus. If we have worked out the path only up to the part of our crucifixion, and if it is not naturally followed by resurrection, there is no such thing as triumph, but triumph is the ultimate step of Scorpio. Jesus demonstrated triumphantly coming out of the tomb. That is where, according to the Masters of Wisdom, a great damage is done to the life of Jesus and his message of immortality.

The aspirant turns into a disciple in Scorpio. Thereafter it is functioning with sensitivity of the Plan. The Plan is revealed to him, and he develops the sensitivity to realize the Plan. In accordance with the Plan he continues to function. The sensitivity to the Plan is not gained in the step of Taurus, but it is gained in the arm of the Fixed Cross relating to Scorpio. The aspirant went through the process of alchemy and came out as a precious metal. He comes out with a different tongue, with a different voice, because when he entered into the Temple his tongue was pulled out and his throat was cut. Now they have been replaced by another tongue and another voice - the Divine tongue and the Word respectively.

The head is changed. In Scorpio there is a ritual relating to the change of the head. In the Scriptures there are symbolic stories where the head is removed and an elephant head is kept. It is the replacement of the human head with the head of wisdom. There is also another replacement, which is ritualized as another drama, where the head is cut and the head of a lamb is kept. When the head of a lamb is kept in the place of the human head, it means that the egoistic, separative tendency is cut off, and the man is humbled to work out the Plan.

There are innumerable rituals when it comes to Scorpio. All these rituals relate to the death of personality and the birth of consciousness. Thereafter there is the work of liberation. So much happens within.

The path of Scorpio in discipleship is one of continuous sacrifice at all levels to be reborn as a Kumara. The son of God is in the making; he becomes sensitive to the Plan, and then he is asked to work once again in the outer. That is the return of the Initiate after man's disappearance. The story of Scorpio is the disappearance of man and the appearance of the Initiate. The man who disappeared is different from the man who came out of the Cave. Then, he faces the society and works with it. More than appreciation he receives criticism. The society awaits to find loopholes in him, but he laughs at them and continuous his work.

His work benefits those who are looking for the Path. His coming out is for the sake of those who are trying to seek entry into the Temple. The Initiate starts gathering the bulls and all the other animals which are already mentioned before, like the dog, the donkey, the elephant, the cow, the rat, and the cat; all souls are gathered around him with the aspiration for light, but with animal tendencies. He works with them with much love, puts them to a process of purification and leaves them at the Temple door. Thereafter they have to work out the process of Scorpio, by themselves.

The work of Scorpio is complete when the ruffians are overcome and the triple qualities of the Soul are realized - it is entering into the 4^th triangle of the Heart Lotus, where the petals of Light, Love and Power are realized. The square of objectivity is cleared, in the sense, the objectivity does not influence the disciple. It does not bind him anymore. On the contrary he starts to influence the objectivity. Geometrically the progress is depicted as under.

(Fig. 24)

The triangle symbolizes the threefold subtle existence, while the square symbolizes the gross physical/material existence. The ascent from the square to the triangle indicates squaring up the fourth state to experience the subtle. Thereafter the prepared disciple appears in the world to conduct the Divine Will - depicted by the triangle over the square. He is the mobile Temple. When the work is done he rounds up to be in the storehouse of consciousness depicted by the centre, surrounded by the circumference - the Individual Soul (the Son), and the Universal Soul (the Father).

The scope of Scorpio is to internalize to realize the Will of God. When this is done, the incubation or the disappearance terminates. He gets into the world. For this reason, the disciple engages more in meditation and balances his service and self-study with meditation as the apex point. (Fig. 25)

The cave is represented by the glyph of the Leo symbol. The symbol represents the Cave of the Heart. It is the abode of the Initiate. He lives in it and walks out to conduct the acts of the Divine Will, as per the Plan, and retreats into it each time an act is accomplished.

Now the Initiate walks out of the Cave Temple, having been fully prepared for sacrifice and crucifixion. The next task entrusted to him is to gain Universal Consciousness. He has now gained the Soul Consciousness and comes out voluntarily to sacrifice himself. He himself becomes the stick of fuel to be offered in the fire ritual. He offers himself to the society and burns himself, which is called crucifixion, and by such burning of himself he becomes immortal. The detail of the working of Leo shall be considered now, where we find the functioning of the Initiates. Because the aspirant has come out triumphantly, he has conducted the war well, with the association of the I AM Consciousness. He is now an instrument in the hands of God to spread the Word of God and show the way for those who are seeking it. That is how the steps happen in the spiritual progress.

The trials and tests of Scorpio are gone through, and the preparation within the Cave Temple is almost complete, having overcome the nine ruffians and having thus prepared the personality vehicle and the physical vehicle for the work of goodwill. The disciple stands as a lion in the Cave. He is on his journey towards the objectivity to carry out acts of goodwill to influence the objectivity with the Sacred Word. The task hereafter is to spread the Word and thereby reorganize the system in the objective plane and also show an example to the people in the objectivity, thereby inspiring the people in the objectivity to walk into the Path of Light. That is the task given, through which the disciple gradually transforms himself into a Master.

When the ruffians are overcome, when the triumph results from the trial, the disciple on the Path gains the virtues due to the austere regulations observed. The Maharshi Patanjali says:

I) The one that practises harmlessness overcomes enmity vis-a-vis all the beings.

II) The one that aligns his thought, speech and action, gains the ability to fulfill the efforts. His works are not incomplete. Around the one that overcomes the thieving instinct, valuable things gather by themselves.

III) When sex is regulated as recommended earlier, the man gains ability and skill to do.

IV) When the instinct to desire (things, places and persons) is overcome, the key to birth and death, as well as the source of one's own being, is known.

V) When the purity (of the senses) is practised as part of the daily routine, the attachment to the body is overcome. The desire for other's bodies is neutralized.

VI) When purity of mind is gained the poise is experienced. The disciple gains eligibility to realize the Self.

VII) When joy is established within the heart, through poise, the doors for bliss open.

VIII) When contemplation is well established, the purity is established in all planes, enabling the manifestation of power to regulate the 5 elements.

IX) When self-study is well established, the link with the Deity or Teacher is tangibly established.

X) When the individual will is surrendered to the Divine Will, the Blissful Existence (Samadhi) is realized.

Such are the steps gained during the sojourn in the Cave of the Heart - the state of a disciple as he enters the Cave and exits for the World Service. The disciple transforms into a Master (of 3^rd Initiation) before he steps out as a king of men (though not a king of an earthy kingdom).

THE KING OF MEN AND THE KING OF KINGS

The Initiate is like the lion coming out of the Cave. The lion is the king of the animals and the Initiate is the king of men. Just like the lion by his presence controls all the animals, the Initiate by mere presence, regulates the people around. There is a wonderful process here. The Initiate influences, but does not indulge. He also does not conduct the act of influencing. His very presence causes the necessary influence. He does not indulge in action. Indulgence is arising out of lack of knowledge, and influence is the permeation of the presence from within.

When the lion is moving around, the animals behave better. Similarly, when the Initiate is moving around, the average beings behave better. In the presence of an Initiate the average beings regulate themselves without being told. Even while he moves among people he does not get indulged and does not get influenced. It is not his work to influence people or prevail over people. He does not prevail over people, he does not impose his thoughts over people, he does not have any viewpoints even to pose of.

While he comes out of the Cave he walks with Light, and wherever he walks, there is the Light walking with him. He does not move out of the Cave without bringing with him the Light. It is the Light that keeps influencing, but he remains impersonal, non-influencing, non-indulging. But the Light that he carries keeps on influencing people and sets them into order. Just like a magnet, wherever it is, magnetism emanates from it; in the same fashion, wherever the Initiate is, the light continues to permeate from him.

v The beauty of the Initiate is that in his presence things get into order; they fall into a natural order. Hence he is called the king of men, who is on his journey to be the king of kings. When he comes out of the Cave, having completed his preparation, he comes out as the king of men, and as he concludes his journey he transforms himself as the king of kings. That is how the king of men becomes the king of kings.

THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL

The acts of an Initiate are noble and straight. They carry loving understanding. These are the three qualities that he carries within. They are the three qualities of the Light that he carries. His work is to remain in the Light all the time, whether he is in the Cave or out of it. He lives in Light and the Light lives in him. That is the beauty. His continuous living is in Light. He is never disconnected with the Light, hence the Light lives in him. Just like the wave lives in the ocean while the ocean lives in the wave. There is no wave without ocean, there is no Initiate without Light. Without the Light he is not an Initiate; thus wherever he moves he moves as Light, but not as anything else.

Many things happen around him, but he does not do them. People see that they are all being done by him, but he remains in Light and the Light in him keeps working all over. He stands as an instrument for the Light, allowing the Light to function through. That is how Jesus moved around the valley of Jordan and the regions of Galilee. Wherever he moved there was the movement of Light. The Light keeps on permeating, illuminating and expanding. These are the qualities of the Light: to illumine and expand.

It is the Light of the Soul that expands itself from within outside, because the personality is now cleaned and the body is purified. For the soul to express through the body, the big hurdle is the big block of personality. The block of personality, which carries variety of personal thoughts, personal desires and personal emotions. Everyone is essentially a soul, and the soul is enveloped by the personality of thought, the thought is enveloped by the body. In the case of an Initiate, the soul has permeated into the personality, which is made pure, and the personality functions through the body, which is made pure.

THE DEATH OF PERSONALITY

When the nine ruffians are put to death within one's own being, the personality integrates with the soul, hence the soul can function through the personality. It means that the personality hitherto existing, was put to death. Personality death is called the real death. The real death that should happen to anyone is the death of personality, but not of the body. Before the body falls off, the personality should die; then he can function through the same body as an Initiate.

There are two varieties of death: death of the body, and death of personality. To many people the body dies before the personality dies. Personality is an aggregate of personal thoughts, emotions and desires; this is the sum total of the personality. Personal desires, personal emotions, like likes and dislikes, comforts and discomforts, profits and losses, attraction and repulsion, anger and irritation, worry and depression, are all the properties of the human personality arising out of its animal instincts. The emotions and the desires spring up from the animal life, which was lived in the past. He has developed some thoughts having taken to the human body. Arising out of those thoughts he has developed his own logic and reasoning; all this is crystallized into his intellect. That is what he is as personality, as a block - a compendium, a conglomerate of many and varied things.

This block stands in-between the human body and the soul. For the soul to express through the block, it is a big hurdle. Above the block there is the soul, and below the block there is the temple called the human body. For the soul to function through the temple of the human body, this big block of personality is the obstruction. It is this, which causes the enigma of human life. The problems of humanity are its own built-up (of individuality and personality). If the personality remains and the body drops off, to fulfil the unfulfilled desires and emotions, the human being comes back into the body. As we have more desires unfulfilled, we wish to come back. If we have left some work half done at home, we have to go back and do it.

From this group living we cannot escape to the North Pole. Once the group living is over, if we ask anyone: “Where are you proceeding to?”, he will reply: “to my house”, and if we ask again: “What for?”, the reply will be: “there are many things left undone”. Likewise, even when we leave the body, we will come back because we have left things undone or half done. The list of desires and the list of emotions eternally precipitate. We inevitably come back into the body to fulfil the endless list of desires and to discharge endless emotions.

Those who die to the personal emotions and desires, those are the ones who have overcome death. They have cleared the personality, they function through the body, and they are not compelled to come back because there is no compulsion to come back, but they can come back at will. The choice is there for the Initiate to get into the body or not to. But for the one who is conditioned by personality, there is no choice. He comes into births and gets into deaths, and it is the physical birth and the physical death, with the personality intact. Consequently there are series of births and series of deaths. Then the human being lives in the cyclical path, conditioning himself through his own personality.

When we have such a big personality and we have cast off our body, even if we bury the body somewhere, the personality escapes to find another body. This is what is called reincarnation. We get into a corporal body once again because we have things to do. We would like to live with our own people, we would like to fulfil some more emotions, we would like to acquire some more properties, we would like to have some more power, some more money, some more name, some more fame. Thus, when we have so many things, how can we just sleep in the burial ground? The body decays into the matter but we will come out and pick up another body. That is how the ancients understood the theory of reincarnation.

Even if we don't want to think of our home, if we close our eyes here we will think of our home. It is not within our hands not to think of our family, vocation and the house, unless we have killed the personality. The end of individual karma is arising out of the end of personality, and it should happen before the end of the body. The one who is living in personality is living as a living dead. The one who has ended up his individuality and personality, and lives in the body, has overcome death because he is living, having put down the personality. Thus he is called the immortal one.

THE CAVE OF THE HEART CENTRE

The Initiate knows how to live as a light, and function through the body without getting distorted through the prism of personality. The personality prism causes refraction to the white ray. When once the personality is made clean, the ray shines through the body, and he remains illumined and keeps expanding, because the big block is cleared. Having cleared himself of the block of personality, he walks out of the Cave of his heart where he has prepared himself. The preparation of the disciple is in the Cave Temple of the heart; that is why the Leo symbol is like that of a cave.

Please remember that the preparation of the disciple never finds place in the brain; it is the wrong route, which will only prepare a scholar, who is not useful to himself nor to the society. The preparation of the disciple is not in the brain but is in the heart.

There is an underground channel from the Cave to the brain. There is one road on the surface, which does not lead us to the right understanding. There is another road, which is subterranean, which leads also from the spinal column to the cerebro-spinal system, via the Cave. That is why it is said that through the Caves the planet is well connected. The Initiates move through the Cave and reach faster.

All the sacred caves of the planet are well connected through underground channels. This is very well known because it is written in the book of Madame Blavatsky “The Secret Doctrine”. The esoteric side, which is stated in “The Secret Doctrine” is: “We enter into our own Cave, and from there we have every access to every part of the system, to all the ashrams, to all the centres. Thus, the 7 Centres, the 7 Ashrams are accessible when we know how to walk into our own Cave. The preparation is in the Cave, which is called the Heart Centre.

THINKING IN THE HEART

We cannot enter into the Cave Centre unless we have worked out the trials and tests of Scorpio. We cannot reach up to the Cave unless we start thinking in the heart, contrary to thinking in the head. People who think in the head shall have to take to the process of thinking in the heart. When we think in the head we tend to be more and more analytical and critical. If we start thinking in the heart, instead of being analytical, we become synthetic.

Analysis gives way to synthesis when we start thinking in the heart. Criticism falls off, and loving understanding is developed. Synthesis and loving understanding are what we gain when we start thinking in the heart. Through these two implements we will make entry into the Cave Temple. When we come out of the Temple we come out with the Light. In the paintings of Nicholas Roerich, there is a painting where the Initiate comes out of the Cave with the Light in the Heart.

When we come out of the Cave we come out with the Light; that is how it is. That Light is seen by a Master of Wisdom. The Master looks at the aspirants in the Ashram just for a second in a year; he looks if the Light in the head is switched on or not. If there is Light in the head, some responsibility is given subconsciously. If there is no Light in the head, he ignores him for the time being. The Master looks at the Light of the disciple in the head, because it works in the Heart Centre, and glows in the Brow Centre. When it is lit in the Heart Centre, it is also seen in the Brow Centre. So, the Light in the head is what is looked to by the Master to entrust work. To gain the Light in the head one has to walk into the Cave of the Heart.

THE FOUR TEMPTATIONS OF AN INITIATE

Once we have walked out of the Cave to fulfil the tasks, we are put to some kind of tests. Nobody puts us to tests from the outer; it is we, ourselves, that are exposed to certain things in the objective. This is what is called the temptation of the Initiate.

There are four temptations for the Initiate. The first temptation is on account of the magnetism he emits. People gather around him. While he starts gaining name and fame, he may get conditioned by the name and fame that is following him as his shadow. The second temptation is money. Many Initiates succumb to this energy. The third temptation is power, and the fourth temptation is woman. Anyone who falls for anyone of the four is called the Initiate in the dark cycle. Having worked so well within the Cave, as he comes out fresh, he is exposed to these four factors in the objectivity. That is what he has to overcome once again with the help of the Light, which he carries. When he walked into the Cave and confronted the ruffians, he has been able to overcome them with the help of the Light. With the help of the Light he could prepare himself within the Cave, and once again when he comes back to serve humanity, he has to invariably hold on to the Light of the Soul, which he is; otherwise there is the possibility of the personality growing like a big monster.

The monster of the personality has the scope to resurrect. Instead of himself resurrecting, the monster of personality, which had been put to death earlier, resurrects. That is what is also seen in the lives of the Initiates. There are teachers and gurus who are swept away by the fame. Simplicity is lost, and pomp is gained with too much advertisement, and too much lavish spending. Money flows like water to maintain a guru. The guru blesses from an airplane, and moves by Rolls Royce. This is how name and fame can put an Initiate into dark cycles.

Likewise, money flows like water around an Initiate. He should know that the water is to quench his thirst, and not to drown himself. He should know how to put to use the money, which is attracted towards him. Many teachers or gurus drown in the flow of money. There will be many good disciples that gather around to find ways and means to rob away the money. They will join, saying: “Master, we will help you to organize the money”. They not only organize the money of the Master but they also organize the Master. They will tell the Master how he should behave, where he should go, what he should do, how he should respond to rich people. Slowly, an organization is built around him, and the same organization tries to control the Master. The organization is expected to work for the Master but not to control him. What happens is that the committee members of the organization start suggesting better things to the Master. They start seeing things from the organizational viewpoint and they cease to see things from the standpoint of the Master. The Master has no standpoint; it is only the standpoint of Light. The Master functions from the point of Light, and from the point of Love, but the organizers see from the point of the organization. Slowly they try to consume him. A facility starts becoming a conditioning. When we are gaining name, fame and money, the word spreads, the power slowly gathers around us, the Vip's start visiting. The Vip's try to meet the Initiate from their standpoint but not form his standpoint. The power mongers gather around him to gain more power. They are the people who want to make use of the Initiate. A golden prison is thus built around the guru in which he lives, conditioned by his own creation.

HOW TO MAKE A PROPER USE OF THE MASTER

Making use of the Teacher, as we normally do in Nature, is exploitation. Man knows how to make use of the things around and he thinks that he can make use of an Initiate. There is an occult statement, which says: “How to make a proper use of the Master”, or Teacher or Initiate, all is the same. Before using the Master, one disciple thought: “I better ask him how I should use him”. Poor Master, what should he say? Already the disciple decided to use him, so the disciple is only asking a limited question: “How will you be useful to me?” The Master answered: “Do not use, be useful”. Don't try to use the Teacher. If you want to walk with him you better be useful to him; that is the best way of using the Teacher. This is what Madame Blavatsky gives in the invocation “Golden Stairs”:

“A loyal sense of duty to the Teacher”, because she was put to terrible use by the people around. To be useful to a Teacher is the right use of the Teacher.

FLATTERY

A situation develops, where the people around a Master use him and he walks into a dark cycle. People gather around him to flatter him up to the sky. Even Julius Caesar was not an exception to flattery. Shakespeare said: “Even Caesar falls for flattery”. Julius Caesar was a leonine person, born in the month of August. He was an Initiate by his own right, but even he had fallen for flattery. We praise someone into the sky to get our things done by him. The businessman knows it better, he does it well. If I want to borrow 100 dollars from Rafael, if I have to definitely get it, then I start praising Rafael by saying: “O Rafael, you are so charitable! In Buenos Aires they are speaking about your charitable acts, and also in Posadas. Do you know, I went to Rio de Janeiro and one friend was speaking about your charitable disposition! I believe that when you came to India you also gave much money to the people”. With each statement his ego grows, then he smiles, and through smiles he becomes large. That is the moment to enter into by saying: “Will you please give me 100 dollars?” Having heard so much about his charitable attitude, when the 100 dollars are asked, he cannot refuse. It is very easy to flatter man and get things done.

THE FOURTH TEMPTATION

The energy of woman in Nature is something that can never be overcome. A man is foolish if he thinks that he can overcome the energy of woman. Whenever we think of overcoming this energy, we are overtaken by that energy. It is an occult statement, which says: “If you try to overcome, you are overtaken”. Whenever we think of overcoming anything, it overtakes us, and it is 100% so in the case of the woman.

The woman energy exists up till the Absolute; how can we overcome it? It is only our foolishness that makes us think so. If we wish to remain as a man in peace, it is better we make a pact with the woman and do not try to overcome them. A pact is an agreement, so that we gain peace. When man thinks of dominating the woman, that is the fall of man. He neither has to dominate her, nor be subservient to her, as both are not intended by Nature; but they are expected to be companions. The companion is neither superior nor inferior. That is what is called “Meet Levels”. We give equal importance to the other energy, then we are not overtaken by it.

We hear stories of Initiates falling pray to woman. When I say so, don't think that there is something bad in woman. Something is deficient in us and hence we become subservient to woman, money and power. There is nothing wrong with power, money or woman, but whenever we intend possessing them, they posses us. We think that we are holding the pen in the hand, but the truth is the pen is holding the hand. We feel that we are holding the pen, but there is the other dimension that the pen too is holding the hand. How is the pen holding the man? It does not allow us to do anything else with that hand when we are holding the pen. If we hold another thing with the other hand, we cannot do anything else. If we have to be released, we have to release them. “That which you hold, holds you”, is a truth.

Only the yogi knows the golden middle point. That is why the Yoga is called “the golden middle path”. The moment we hold money, the money holds us; the moment we hold power, the power holds us, the moment we hold a woman, the woman holds us; the moment we hold name and fame, the name and fame hold us.

As the Initiate walks out of the Cave, he is in danger of falling into those temptations, which we find in the New Testament as the dialogue between Jesus and Satan. There is no entity like Satan, who will keep coming to everyone and ask for these four things. It is the Satan that emerges from us and suggests: “Why don't you collect some money? You are doing so much good work. Why don't you allow some people to praise you? What is wrong if there are women around you?” The personality dies very hard, and tries to emerge at all opportune times. Until the 4^th Initiation it can spring up.

HIGH TWELVE

The position of an Initiate is like that of being in the noon hours. In the noon hours, the shadow is under the feet. Just because the shadow is under the feet we cannot say that we have conquered the shadow, because by 3 o'clock the shadow is quite visible again, and by the evening it will loom very large. Please, understand that overcoming personality means not its total death. It remains insignificantly in us, like the shadow at noon time. Pythagoras puts it as the “High Twelve”. The High Twelve situation is when there is no shadow around us but there is still shadow under the feet. It means that it can grow. Don't think that we have already overcome it, because the moment we feel that we have overcome the personality, it overtakes us. There is no such thing as thinking and feeling for an Initiate. He just continues to walk in soul consciousness, and consequently, wherever he works it is illumination and expansion. The work that he carries out includes the implements with which he comes out of the Cave, and his way of life becomes the teaching.

THE VARIETY OF TASKS OF THE INITIATES

Teaching is one aspect that keeps happening through him, and healing happens because of the radiance and the luminosity of the soul. It is teaching and healing. Not all disciples go into teaching and healing. The disciple functions in variety of ways. In fact, in the world, those who teach and those who heal are considered as Teachers, but there are others who do much more contribution to the planetary life and are not recognized as Teachers. They don't bother, because they have not walked out of the Cave Temple to be recognized as teachers. Their purpose is to systematize in tune with the natural system. The people who teach and who heal get into a system where they would be worshipped, and on a daily basis they have to wash themselves, so that they do not fall into that worship, to which danger they are exposed.

There is the third variety, who function for the social cause. All this work is done in simplicity and not in pomp. Around him there is prevalence of simplicity but not of pomp, excitement and emotion. There is no emotion around him, nor he promotes emotion. There is no excitement about him nor does he allow any excitement. There is simplicity in all walks of life. The teaching is simple, the healing is subtle and imperceptible. There is no big showy demonstration about healing. Many times those who are healed do not know that they have been healed by the Initiate, because he is interested in the health of the fellow beings but is not interested in getting any name out of it.

Simplicity is the keynote. With that simplicity there is the functioning in the social system to put it into order. They silently work for the rebuilding of the society, to bring back natural values into the social system. There are many Initiates functioning like this for the social cause. There are Initiates who are working in the economic system. They try to restructure the economic system for the benefit of humanity. Today, the economic system is such that man has become subservient to the system. They restructure it so to see that man gains supremacy over the economics.

There are Initiates functioning in the cultural aspects of life. Don't be surprised if there are Initiates acting in the movies. We get a very narrow view of the Initiates normally. We think that those who heal and those who teach are the only Initiates. Through movies, through dramas, people are inspired to walk into a better and more natural way of life.

There are Initiates working to bring in fresh life and fresh understanding into religion. For instance, there are Initiates working within the Vatican system. Their work is to restructure Christianity. It is being done in silence and in simplicity. There is the working of the Initiates in the fields of science. How much we are benefited by the Initiates like Einstein, Madame Curie, the Wright Brothers and all those who have given the formulae to make a better use of the energies! All those who have invented electricity, photography, the auto-mobile, the aircraft, are all people who have pushed humanity into a better way of life. They are Initiates only, though not recognized by the petty minds.

There are Initiates working for the racial order. They are working between one race and another race to establish harmony, as for instance, in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It requires very strong Initiates to work in subtle levels to dissolve the friction. We may not recognize it, but there are Masters and disciples functioning in all these enumerated areas. Working in the field of medicine and health, working for international integrity.

According to the soul quality, the Initiate is given the necessary task to fulfil, which he does with simplicity as his motto, and carrying the Light of the Soul all the time within him. That is how the functioning takes place.

REMEMBER THE KING ON THE STABLE THRONE

At all times the Initiate sits on the throne. The king rules sitting on the throne. The throne is the diaphragm as far as the human being is concerned. He is sitting over the throne but not under the throne at any time. If any one sits under the throne, can we call him a king? We cannot call him a king if he is sitting under his throne, of if he is hugging the throne, as we see people doing nowadays. The kings are replaced by prime ministers. The system of kingly functioning got degenerated and hence there is the disappearance of the kings. A real king is the one who sits on the throne. He shall function with the energies of the Heart, the Throat and the Brow centres, not only in himself, but while he works with others also. He works only in these sublime areas.

He does not function with the Solar Plexus or the Sacral Centre of the people. The people around him are already busy with these two centres. His work is to elevate people from these centres. It is said symbolically: “the king sits stable on the throne”. This is an important statement of the Scriptures, which says: “remember the king on the stable throne”. He is stable, and the throne is stable. Sitting on the throne he conducts all his actions in equanimity. There is no such thing as going out of order or imbalance. He remains in equilibrium and bestows equilibrium to others. He is not the one who disturbs others' equilibrium. The purpose is to remain in equanimity and conduct in equilibrium, recruiting more and more people into equanimity and equilibrium.

…HE IS A DWARF WHEN HE CAME OUT…

The second statement is: “He is a dwarf when he came out”; he is relatively unknown when he is working. Many times the work of an Initiate is known a few hundred years after he leaves. Never the grandeur of an Initiate could be visualized by the contemporary people or time. It is because they work in simplicity. They work in utter simplicity and silence. It is like the growth of the seed under the earth. The work is not seen from above or from the surface. People who have superficial outlook cannot see the work of an Initiate. That is why it is said that he is a dwarf when he comes out. When the “carpenter” was working, nobody knew him to be a Master. People thought: “Oh, he is a carpenter”. In India we have Initiates who work as cobblers, and people think: “he is a cobbler, what is so great about him?”. People who look for great things miss the Initiates. People who look for good things have a chance to meet the Initiates. In the actions of the Initiates there is no such thing as greatness; there is only goodness.

A mother is never great, but is good. An Initiate is also like a mother to those whom he works with. Foolish people run after greatness; knowledgeable ones work after goodness. When the Initiate works in goodness and with simplicity, very often he is missed. I know an Initiate in India who is a butcher. Nobody can think that there can be Initiates among butchers. It is a method of hiding themselves, so that people who run after greatness do not come and disturb them. Those who are searching for goodness only can see them.

The Initiates conceal themselves. They don't speak out saying: “I am an Initiate; you better recognize me”. That is why frequently they come as a cowherd boy, or as a carpenter, or a cobbler, or a butcher, so that they can hide in that vocation and conduct themselves in simplicity. If he arouses emotions and excitement around, he will not be able to function, because the emotion and the excitement of the people obstruct his work. That is why he remains a dwarf. That is why it is said: “He is a dwarf when he came out of the Cave”. He is just a dwarf, and he puts on the cloack of simplicity, a veil of simplicity, so that people cannot see, and he can work out his task. The Dwarf through his work conquers the 3 worlds.

IN 3 STEPS HE COVERED THE 3 WORLDS

The third statement is: “In three steps he covered the three worlds”. “Remember the king on the stable throne; he is a dwarf when he came out; in three steps he covered the world”. This is a passage from one of the ancient-most rituals, which are prevailing in some parts of the planet.

In just three steps he covers the three worlds. Vamana, the Lord, the Avatar in the Scriptures, comes down as a dwarf, and with three steps he covers the three worlds. This is one instance. There was another who covered the three worlds in three years. He came and worked for three years and now he is recognized in all the three worlds as a grand Master. There are others who worked for thirty years and covered the three worlds. The key is in number three, and the important key is to remain a dwarf. The more the works grow around, one should always remain a dwarf.

To remain a dwarf while everything is growing constructively is very important. If he starts growing in personality, then the works do not grow around him. That is why the Son of God always remains a dwarf, because he has come down to wash the feet, not to get his feet washed. To clean up things is his job, and the cleaning can be done better when there is simplicity. He works in this fashion, and in hours of rest he remains in the Cave.

THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE

The abode of the Initiate is the Cave. If there is no work, through respiration and pulsation, he enters into the heart and remains there. He rests within the Cave, and when there is no work he does not indulge in idle ideation. He is either in his Cave or he is at work. He makes haste to withdraw into the Cave once the work is over. When there is work he does not hesitate to come out. He continuously resides in the Cave and functions with the Light when he comes out.

The Initiate resides in the Cave of Light. When he is in the Cave he listens to the Voice of the Silence. Silence is what he hears. It is the Voice of the Silence, which is heard in the Heart Centre. It is the process of gaining the sensitivity to the Plan. Within his heart, the Initiate receives the Plan of work on a day-to-day basis. He keeps implementing it on a day-to-day basis. In silence, the Plan is conceived. According to the kind of instrument the Initiate develops within him, the Plan is first conceived as an impression. Some get the impression as visions; others get the impression as sounds or sometimes vision and sometimes sound. On that basis he gets impressed.

To get impressed with the Plan is what is called the process of perception. The word as it is uttered forth is very well perceived, and it is called visualization or listening. The perception is a process of impression or impregnation. Each time he gets into contemplation, he receives the Plan, and according to it he conducts. Because he has nothing personal to conduct, he conducts as it is given to him and does not project to know. That is the most important point.

The Initiate does not project himself to know the Plan, but the Plan projects into him. If he projects, he creates an obstruction. It is just recluding into silence, and communing with the Light. If there is a work it gets impressed upon him. Most frequently he gets impressed, because there is no such thing as remaining without work for an Initiate. He is not allowed to sleep, nor does he want to sleep. He retires into silence and consequently he is impressed. The impression can be either by way of listening to the Voice of the Silence or can be by visualization. The impression channelises into vision or sound. That is what is called listening to the Voice of the Silence.

The Silence is listened to in three levels and taken on seven scales. The sound works in three levels on seven scales. The sub-tone, the normal tone and the over-tone are heard in all the seven centres of the body. Thus, 3 times 7 is the key to listen to the Voice of the Silence. This is an advanced step. It is available to all those who function with respect with the sound, according to the regulation of speech and sound (see the book “Sound - The Key and its Application”).

THE DOG STAR

The listening becomes keener and keener. That is why an Initiate is compared to a dog, which is vigilant to sound. The dog is able to listen to things, which we are not able to listen to. It has additional capacities of audibility. The dog has audio-capacities. A normal human being does not carry as much because he speaks more and listen less. The dog listens more and speaks less, and that is why a dog is considered a sacred animal in the spiritual under-standing. The Initiate is like a watch-dog, keeping alert to listen, and hence he listens more. He listens even to the silence, and through silence and through symbols he is communicated.

The dogs on the planet have something in relation to the Dog Star, which is also called Sirius. That is how Initiates are mysteriously linked to the sun of the system of Sirius. Leo, according to astrology, is very intimately connected to the Dog Star. The central sun of the Leo constellation, which is called Regulus, is directly linked to Sirius. The one who has learned to live in the Leo Centre, which is called the Cave of the Heart, is connected with Sirius via Regulus; hence he functions more by listening.

The Plan for our system comes from Sirius, and our Planet is a member of that system. The Initiate is linked up to that point in conducting the activities. The ability to listen to the Dog Star comes to an Initiate who has learned to listen to the silence in three levels, on seven scales. This is how the Initiate listens and speaks. Even while the Initiate entered into the Cave Temple as a disciple, his throat was cut and the tongue pulled out. Consequently, while functioning in the Cave, another tongue descends upon him. With that tongue the Initiate conducts the speech relating to the Plan. The Plan is expressed out through the tongue and through the actions.

The work with sound is an advanced state to working with colour and symbol. The Word comes out as Sound and manifests Light, which in turn details into colour. Sounds in their original form do exist still in the Himalayan Range, while in other regions they are totally hidden. In all, there are 35 'Seed Sounds' that can transform the world of 5 elements when appropriately uttered. Their diluted versions are what we hear today as mantras. Further diluted versions are the elaborate hymns. Totally diluted versions are the bhajans. All these are gradations relating to the Power of Sound. Poor is the understanding if they are taken as Eastern/Sanskritic/Indian versions. They are universal. Fanciful is the thinking that judges them as 'old things no more useful in the modern age'.

One needs to respect Sound before he starts working in deeper planes, meaning, subtler planes. Master D.K. says: “He who knows Sound knows all”.

The Leo energy is inextricably linked to the soundless sound called “Anahata” - the Sanskrit name for the Heart Centre. One should learn to listen to it, which expresses as a humming or a hissing sound. The Initiates tune into it entering into the 'Cave of the Heart', which is physically the hallow in between the ribs of the bones around the lungs and above the diaphragm. There are Initiates that live in such tune-up for centuries in the Himalayas. They are mused into the Sound of the Music of the Soul. Beginning with the musical notes at the Anahata, the Initiates permeate into all the 7 centres and listen to the related musical notes in the 3 levels. Such are the ones who are linked to the far advanced Hierarchy that guides such systems as our Hierarchy, Sirius, the Pleiades, and the Great Bear.

Let us not therefore fancy of contacting such systems without realizing the fundamental principles of Sound. During my travels I meet people who fancy such contacts and communication with higher systems. But if I look into their lives, they are in shambles. I do not disturb them, but pass by, i.e., bye pass!

THE GRIP OF PROTECTION

When the Initiate speaks and acts, Love emanates by itself, and consequently there is the elevation of the beings from their individual status to that of the soul status. He elevates through teaching, he elevates through actions, and he frequently conducts the speech and the actions to keep the others into that elevated state.

All his actions and speeches are only to elevate people through Love. The people around generally get more inspired. They find it very different when they are on their own and when they are with the Initiate. That is how they frequently gather around him to gain that state, which is an elevated state. Since he is noble, he offers a grip of protection, which is an important aspect. The grip of the hand is strong according to the health of his thumb. If the thumb is not healthy the grip will not be good.

There is a related centre in the brain, and if that centre remains strong, the grip is strong. The inferior centre of that grip is around the Solar Plexus. The average human being uses that grip for material holding. His grip is so strong that he does not want to lose anything from the outer. The Initiate uses the same grip to protect those who follow him. The protection that the Initiate offers is very high. Once a being falls into his looks, or gains his looks, that being is protected forever and ever and ever. He protects the fellow beings life after life. It is a grip that never fails. It is with that kind of grip that he elevates the beings and recruits them into the Ashrams. He holds a subtle grip over the fellow beings, and allows them to function autonomously. He keeps protecting them whenever they walk into areas of danger. Teaching them lessons from behind, he patiently works with them for 12 lives, before he gives his presence to the students.

Imagine, to hold one continuous grip for twelve lives! Taking continuous care for the fellow beings! That is the degree of Love the Initiate demonstrates. If required he would offer his life to protect the followers. The more and more he offers this grip of protection to the beings, the more and more he is also gripped in the Higher Centres. That is how the link is established from extra-terrestrial up to terrestrial. “If you grip you are gripped”. This is true with the objective life and it is also true with the divine life. If we grip money, property, power or other things, we will be gripped in turn by them. But if we offer the grip of protection to others, we are also offered the grip of protection. Instead, if we look back for the grip, loosening our grip upon the fellow beings, the grip that holds us also is loosened. The loss of grip towards the fellow beings is directly proportionate to the loss of grip we suffer from the Higher Beings. That is why an Initiate never looks up. He looks to his colleagues and friends as his own brothers, and keeps helping continuously. In the process he never thinks of himself.

THE INITIATE NEVER THINKS OF HIMSELF

There is no such thing as thinking about himself. Thinking of oneself is an inversion. It is the smoky path. It leads man to certain astral regions, where he loses the clarity, he loses the vision, he gets confused, and in confusion he starts thinking more about himself. He starts getting doubts, if he is himself Christ, or if he is himself coming from Sirius, or the White Island. The moment we start thinking about ourselves, we get totally astralized. That is why an Initiate remains simple and thinks of what he should do for others. He is continuously engaged in the acts of service, protection and Love, and he has no time to think of himself. Whenever he thinks of himself, there is the short-circuit, and consequently the connection with the energy is cut. Hence he keeps functioning linking with HIM. This is one end. On the other end he is concerned about the fellow beings. Healing, teaching, loving, protecting and serving the fellow beings is all what he does, while remaining linked. He channelises the Divine and remains at all times a disciple to the Divine. That is all what he knows and that is the grip, which he extends. He never abandons dependents on the way. Dependant is the one who follows him, the younger brother.

THE STORY OF THE LEONINE INITIATE

There is a beautiful story of a leonine Initiate in Mahabharata. There was a King Initiate by name Yudhistira. He had four brothers and also a beautiful wife, and together they ruled the planet. After the purpose of life was over, they decided to return. They had established the Law on the planet, therefore they decided that, as the purpose was fulfilled, they should return. There is no such thing as staying back after the purpose is fulfilled.

In those days, that is in Dwapara Yuga, when a man completed his task in the objectivity, he used to retire into a forest or into the Himalayas and on the way he used to drop the body. There is no such thing as going into hospitals and die. They used to walk out and drop off the body on the way. That was the concept of retirement. There was no such thing as living on pension. To live on pension means to live on the fruits of our past actions.

Man was more manly in the ancient times. He was offering the fruits of his actions to others, like a gardener; then, when the purpose was over, he used to walk off, and not to remain and become a heavy load for others. Yudhistira was a leonine person, a self-governing person, and he demonstrated how one should govern himself. If everyone governs himself in accordance with the Law of Nature, there is no need for any government. That is what was contemplated by a great Initiate in Dwapara Yuga.

The father of Lord Krishna, Vasudeva, picked up the concept of self-governing. He was himself the king and said: “I don't want to govern you, since I expect you to govern yourself”. He abdicated the throne and demonstrated how to govern oneself. It was a very popular concept in those days. It was not at all palatable for those who were working in the government, because they had no more power. When every man governs himself, what is there for a government man to do?

An Initiate is one who governs himself. He does not give a chance to others to govern him because his actions do not require being governed. This concept once again dawned in Greece, through Socrates and Plato. There was an advocacy of self-government, but till date we are not able to get rid of the governments. We need the external support called the government in so far as we cannot govern ourselves.

Thus, Yudhistira, the King Initiate who governed himself very well, offered the technique of governing the kingdom, instituted his grandson on the throne and told his brothers: “Let us walk out”. The brothers and the lady were also illumined ones, hence they did not raise any objection to depart. They did not tell him: “You better go”; they said: “If you are leaving, we are also following”.

They started walking towards the north, towards mount Kailash, which means walking towards the Light. As they were walking towards the north, the lady Draupadi fell off first, and asked: “Why am I casting off my body earlier than you? Why am I not permitted to walk with you up to the goal?”. The king replayed: “You are an embodiment of Light, but there is a little thought in you that you are the most beautiful woman on the planet, which is true, but even if it is true, you are thinking about it off and on. This feeling about yourself has caused your fall. Nevertheless you are taken care off. The Devas of Light will take care of you”.

The five brothers proceeded further. Then the youngest brother fell off, and asked: “What have I done to fall like this?”. Sahadeva, the fifth brother, had the knowledge of Time; he could see through the cycles of time, and knew the Plan through cycles of time to come. The King Initiate Yudhistira also knew, but he never considered it as important. The King Initiate was only concerned about his work, nothing more; but the younger brother was feeling that he was an excellent astrologer and astronomer. Consequently he also had to fall on the way.

When they started the journey they were five brothers, and the lady, plus a dog. This dog was also seeing how they were falling one after the other. The younger brother fell on account of his thinking that he carried much more knowledge of the occult sciences than the others. After that, the fourth brother fell off, and he also asked why. This fourth brother, Nakula, was very skilful. His skill was unmatched, and it was said that he could walk through the drops of rain without a drop falling on his body. Imagine what a skilful man. If one has such a skill, would he not think about it? The King Initiate told him: “Your problem is your thought about your skill. You are, no doubt, the most skilful. If I have been able to establish the Low on this planet, it is only because I have such a good co-operation from the four of you and the lady, but your problem is thinking about your skills”.

Then came the turn of the third brother, Arjuna. It is said in the Mahabharata that Arjuna visited the lands, which today are called North and South America. He is the son of the Cosmic Mind. Mind is the lunar principle or the “Argentum”. It was known all over the world that Arjuna was a great disciple. But his elder brother Yudhistira, was a much more advanced disciple than him. The very fact that he is not known, proves it, because he remained simple and hence it was difficult for people to see that he was a grand Initiate. Draupadi was known as the most beautiful lady on the planet, Sahadeva was known as the best occultist on the planet, Nakula was known for his skills, and Arjuna was known for his ability with the bow and the arrows, in winning the wars. The Great War of Mahabharata was won and the fame went to Arjuna, but the truth is, Arjuna was well supported from behind by another leonine man, Lord Krishna, who was also born in the sun sign of Leo. Lord Krishna conducted the whole war and gave the fame to Arjuna. But Arjuna felt that because of him the war was won, and in him he entertained the thought that he was the best warrior on the planet. That is why he had to fall on the way.

Then came the turn of the second brother, Bheema, who was like the “Eastern Hercules”, - so much was the strength he carried. He is the son of Air, the Aquarian man. For the Aquarian man, the matter is nothing; he is able to make the matter light and throw it as a ball. He has demonstrated many times his strength. Just with one fist he was able to put down a hundred people. He was entertaining the thought in him about his strength. In this manner, all of them fell off. Only Yudhistira remained with the dog, and they kept on walking.

The King of the Celestial was well pleased with King Yudhistira and sent his chariot for him. The chariot was made manifest before King Yudhistira, and the charioteer invited the King into the chariot. The charioteer introduced himself explaining the invitation of the King of the Celestials saying, that Yudhistira was invited into the Kingdom of Heaven. King Yudhistira thanked him and asked the dog to enter the chariot. The chariot driver said: “No dogs, please. In the Kingdom of Heaven there are no dogs. The invitation is for you but not for the dog. After all, it is only a dog, and you are a King Initiate. The King of the Celestials wants to honour you. You cannot bring the dogs with you into this chariot. Please leave the dog and enter into the chariot”. King Yudhistira said: “I am sorry; if this dog is not permitted, I also do not permit myself to be in the Kingdom of Heaven with the King of the Celestials. To me, this dog is as much important as the Kingdom of Heaven; it has followed me all the way up to this point, and I cannot desert, I cannot abandon it. How can I do it, as a King?

That is the beauty of the grip; it is not that when you have an opportunity you just pick it up, disregarding all others. When a grand opportunity came to the King, he preferred to stay back for the sake of a dog! Because he had refused, the chariot disappeared. Yudhistira thought: “So what! I keep on walking; the dog is there with me”. That is the friendliness that was extended by the Initiate even to a dog. For the sake of a dog, he was willing to stay back on the planet. As the chariot disappeared he looked at the dog and tamed it a little. The dog was so happy that his master did not abandon him. The dog transformed itself into the Lord of Pluto and said: “I bless you. This is what I expect of a human being if he wants to walk into the Kingdom of God. Even without chariot you will walk into the Kingdom of Heaven. By the act of goodwill which you have shown, all your brothers and your wife will also join into the Kingdom”.

This is a classical story about grip or protection - the protection Initiates offer.

THE SONSHIP

The Initiate does not just leave the people half the way. Even if he departs from the physical, he continues to train, making sure that the birth of consciousness happens in the fellow beings. In fact, an Initiate gives birth to many sons. That is symbolically represented by Leo, which in the zodiac represents the fifth house.

The fifth house in astrology stands for children. In an astral chart, the astrologer looks to the fifth house when somebody asks for progeny. He also looks to the aspects of the fifth house, and the aspects of the Lord of the fifth house. Then he will say: “Yes, you will have children”, or “no, you wont have any children”.

The cosmic fifth house is Leo; hence the Master gives birth to many children. They are born out of his consciousness and hence they are called the “sons”. There is what is called the sonship between the Master and the disciple. The sonship is a special status conferred upon the disciple. Sonship among disciples means, born out of Master's Consciousness. It means that through that disciple the Master functions more completely. Like that the Initiate gives birth to sons. He has himself permeated into the fellow beings, by that he gains group-consciousness. He is not anymore a person functioning through a body, but is one consciousness functioning through many bodies. He functions through all his disciples, because the disciple's consciousness and his consciousness have found an agreement. There is communion as between the Master and the disciples; hence, only one conscious-ness as group consciousness prevails over the group. That is how the Initiate gains the status of Father, which is also called the status of Master.

The zodiacal sign Leo is the fifth house if we count in the clockwise direction, but if we count it from the anti-clockwise direction, from the sign Pisces to Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, and Virgo, Leo becomes the eighth house. So, through group consciousness, the Master transforms into Christ.

In the Zodiac, the 5^th house is Leo and the 8^th house is Scorpio. If we reverse the wheel, the 5^th house becomes Scorpio and the 8^th house becomes Leo. Thus, Leo and Scorpio are inter-linked in work. The work of Leo is completed by Scorpio. One commences and the other completes. It is a combination of a higher order. The mundane astrologers state that the two sun-signs are at square; but the Esoteric Astrology hints that the 90 degree angle provides an opportunity for the hypotenuse (Fig. 26)

which can manifest creative work. In this context, remember the theorem of Pythagoras, which says: “The square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum total of the square on the vertical and the horizontal, in a right-angled triangle”. Is it not? Thus, the work of Leo and Scorpio are complementary but are not competitors. Here again we reverse an inversion.

Master Djwhal Khul says that after the work is done, Leo once again disappears into Scorpio to reappear again in Capricorn, the 10^th house, as a Saviour. Remember that number 5 is numerically, potency-wise, related to number 10. We have seen that Leo and Scorpio carry the potency of number 5. Hence they are linked to Capricorn - the Saviour, the Christ, or Krishna or Maitreya or Bodhisatwa Maitreya. Master Djwhal Khul gives a clue that the path for higher initiations is from Leo to Scorpio, from Scorpio to Capricorn and from Capricorn to Pisces. We shall deal with this subject in our future teachings, if permitted.

When man symbolically reaches the 10^th house he is a perfect man. He completely fills his being with consciousness. The consciousness is fully filled in the column. The column is fully filled by the luminosity of his being. He finds that the column is no more adequate for him. The column breaks because it cannot bear so much illumination. That is how he liberates himself from the body and permeates all around, and fills himself in the mid-air.

The column of consciousness breaks out, and he just permeates into the air, breaking the column. Then he is said to be filled in the air! That is how he joins the Aquarian Energy, which is the energy of air. He can thereafter be contacted through air. He permeates in the air, and consequently, when he is invoked, his presence is felt. His name becomes a sound-key to invoke his presence. The moment the sound-key is uttered, the Chela (disciple) feels the presence. That is how we enter into the sun-sign Aquarius, from Leo.

The Initiate, who is self-conscious, has gained the step of group consciousness, and also gained the consciousness, which is universal. Then, it is said that he is functioning in the air. He spreads in mid-air. The highest Initiate spreads in mid-air and is available to those who invoke him, because he has made himself unlimited. All the Initiates functioning through Leo reach the Aquarian state. This is the path we have through the Aquarian Cross.

THE FESTIVAL OF LEO

Many Initiates relating to the work of the Hierarchy are born in the zodiacal sign of Leo. The first and foremost is Lord Krishna, who installed Maitreya as the World Teacher and constituted the Hierarchy for this cycle of time (refer to the book “Music of the Soul”, written by Master E.K.). He was born in the month of August. Master CVV, Master M.N., Master E.K., Sri Aurobindo, and Madame HPB were all born in the month of August. August is going to stand as the Full Moon of the disciples in future. That will be a future festival, which is the present festival among the Initiates.

Today we know the Taurus festival, which is called the Vaisakh Festival. The Vaisakh Full Moon is celebrated as a festival. It is the festival of the aspirants, which has been externalized during the last 100 years. It has been externalized for the whole planet, but it was known even before. In India, the four festivals of Vaisakh, Scorpio, Aquarius and Cancer, are celebrated since ancient times. These festivals are celebrated during the Full Moon hours, and they are specially observed by the people who are in the spiritual practice. While every full moon is worked out as a festival for experiencing the Spirit, the “Feast of the Spirit” is experienced during the Full Moon of the Fixed Cross.

Now the Leo Full Moon will be the most predominant festival for the posterity. This is because of the attunement of our solar system with that of Sirius. All the energies for the evolution of our system are now received from Sirius on account of our sun orienting more and more towards Sirius. Sirius, by localization, is with Scorpio, but it functions through the sign Leo. The Leo Festival will gain top priority in the future, when synthesis is well realized.

From analysis, humanity has to walk into synthesis. To work out the synthesis there is the invocation of “The Avatar of Synthesis”. The Avatar is the descent of the Energy of Synthesis, which reaches us via Sirius. It is Sirius in the triangular aspect with the Great Bear and the Pleiades, conducting the descent of the Energies of Synthesis to our system and to our planet. Consequently humanity gains the unity. Of course, it will take a few thousands of years more. Even Jesus demonstrated 2000 years ago the coming of the Aquarian Age. It is sensed by those who have developed extra-terrestrial sensitivities, but to realize it on the physical plane it takes long cycles of time.

THE BORING

Unity becomes a reality through our demonstration of unity, but not by our speeches about unity. In speeches we speak many times about unity; that means that it has descended up to our Throat Centre, but it should pass through the Solar Plexus, where we have our personal viewpoints, then it should pass through our Sacral Centre, where our emotions are still very strong, and finally reach up to the Base Centre, to anchor upon earth.

The delay for the descent is due to humanity. Humanity represents the Throat Centre. When we are choked at the throat, nothing can be experienced. The Hierarchy is working with the Ajña and the Heart Centres. The systems superior to them are working in Shambhala (Head Centre), but to them humanity is the big blockage to pass through. It is a concrete cube, so it is very difficult to pass through. The love of the Higher Beings prevents them to smash it, while they have the power. Smashing is not the work of the Higher Ones, and they try their very best to see that they can bore through.

Boring is the process of preparing a channel, cleaning the whole thing and simultaneously channelising. That is what is being done, and the preparedness of humanity will enable it to happen. The blockage is in the Throat Centre. Humanity represents the Throat Centre for the planet, the animal kingdom represents the Solar Plexus, the plant kingdom represents the Sacral Centre and the mineral kingdom represents the Base Centre. The three higher centres are the Sahasrara or Head Centre, Ajña or Brow Centre, and Anahata or Heart Centre, up to which the synthesis is.

There is the Throat Centre, the fulcrum, represented by humanity, that has to be cleared. There is a process of boring to see that it reaches the Solar Plexus, and pass through. Whenever a tunnel is to be prepared, there is the digging from either side. There is one boring that is happening from Muladhara or Base Centre, upwards, and there is another tunnelling from Ajña or Brow Centre downwards. From either end the tunnel is being prepared. The work of the Hierarchy is to tunnel in from above downwards. The work of the Ashrams of the Dog Star, which are all the Ashrams of the South, started tunnelling from below, just to assist the work for quicker accomplishment. That is how the work of Sirius is taking place from one side and the work of the Hierarchy is taking place from the other side. The whole work is intensified now. That means that we are gaining time to walk into synthesis.

THE NASATYA STATE

We have seen how a man walks into synthesis. He worked out his way from the Throat Centre via the Heart. In Taurus he was working with the Throat Centre, and in Scorpio he channelled himself into the Cave Temple. He prepared himself in the Cave Temple and thereafter he came out and functioned linking up to the Higher Ones in the column of consciousness. He thus permeated himself in the whole column and became more and more expansive, hence he found his own vertebral column insufficient for his habitation. Consequently he broke the column and joined the ether, which is an aspect of air. This is the story of a man turning into a Master. There is nothing more for the man to conduct thereafter.

When we consider the fourth aspect of the cross relating to Aquarius, it is more a descent from the other side than our ascent. It is an Avatar, which keeps descending and spreads up to the physical plane. We culminate in the fourth aspect of the cross, about which not much can be spoken. In the fourfold existence, we have Leo in the second state, which is perception. There is one to perceive something, and he perceives the Light all around. When the perceiver himself becomes Light, there is nothing to say or see; it is called Pure Existence, where there is no second thing. There can be some inferences made about it, but nothing can be elaborately described. It carries the journey from the negative zero to the positive zero, the journey from zero to one, and the journey from nine to zero. How consciousness merges in Existence and how it emerges from Existence is the ultimate Truth, which is experienced in the highest state of initiation.

The experience of waking up from deep sleep, the experience of slipping into sleep, is the part of travel, which carries the secrets of Aquarius. It is a state of “Is and is not”. It is called Nasatya, 'not untrue', which is a double negative. It means, we cannot say that we are existing in sleep, because there is no one to observe our existence, and we cannot say that we are not existing. We can neither say that we are existing nor we can say that we are not existing. It is the highest step. We know that we existed in sleep only after, or when we wake up from it. While in sleep, do we know that we are existing? If we know it, it is not sleep, and if we don't know it, it is sleep but we don't know that we are existing, while we do exist.

That is why the ancient seers said: “It is true, and it is not true; so, it is not untrue”. In that state they are called “not untrue beings”, because they are there, and yet not. The space between us is there in this room, and it is also not there for many, because they do not see. The air is there in this room, and it is also not there. When it moves we know it better; when it does not move, we do not know. That is how the Existence in this state is. It is such a pure Existence, about which much cannot be ideated. Ideation and perception are secondary in relation to the state of Pure Existence. They are called the “Twin Gods” in the Vedas. There is a path, which seems to give us an understanding that it is there, but if we see it from a lower angle we feel that it is not there. HE is there and HE is not there; together they are called The Being. That is how it is said. In Sanskrit it is called Aswins or the Twin Gods.

THE EYE OF SIVA

As far as the journey of man is concerned it is from Taurus to Scorpio, and from Scorpio to Leo. Thereafter it is the journey of the energies from above downwards. They represent the functioning of the energies from a centre called the “Eye of Siva”, which is situated in the higher part of the forehead in relation to the centre called the “Third Eye” of Ajña Centre. The Third Eye, or Ajña Centre is the centre up to which we can grow. Lord Siva kept his centre in us to look through. It is not for us; it is for Him. It is the centre of the Cosmic Energy in the human being. If the Cosmic Energy decides to function through a human unit, then this centre gets stimulated and the descent happens.

Our Third Eye is different from the Eye of Siva in us. Very infrequently the Cosmic Energy called Siva uses this centre in the human being to pour down the energy. When the Eye of Siva is linked up to the Third Eye, man knows the secrets of death. The passage through death into Pure Existence and the passage from Pure Existence to conscious state is what is covered by the Aquarian Energy.

There is the Centre of Siva in us, and then there is the Third Eye in us. There is a passage between the Third Eye and the Eye of Siva, which is worked out as dissolution of the worlds. Likewise, there is the passage from the other side, that is, from the Eye of Siva to the Third Eye. It is not the same passage. There are two passages, by one passage we ascend from the Third Eye to the Centre of Siva, and from the other passage Siva descends from his centre into our Third Eye. These two passages are called Mitra and Varuna at one stage of consciousness

In our invocation to the Masters we say: “Samno Mitraha Sam Varunaha …”. These are the names (sounds) relating to the Supra-Cosmic planes, beyond which there is the Pure Existence. They are also termed as Vena, the descending energy, and Markandeya, the ascending energy. These are some of the concepts found in the initial chapters of the book “The Secret Doctrine”, where Madame H.P. Blavatsky describes about the seeming non-existence. From the state of seeming non-existence, there is the spring up of consciousness, and the consciousness develops the world. It speaks about the nascent truth, of which it is very subtle to make an understanding, but some understanding can be gained.

THE SEEMING OPPOSITES TAURUS-SCORPIO

When we have reached the awareness of Leo there is the balance gained from subjectivity to objectivity. When this balance is well gained, the objectivity and the subjectivity are seen as the two wings of the one bird. Unless the two wings are well organized, there is no such thing as a flight. Thus, the flight of Leo is arising out of balancing the wing of objectivity and the wing of subjectivity. It is the state of yoga, where the negative and positive currents are well realized.

Now, man is centralized. He sees the purpose of the left side and the right side of his body. He sees it as one body and not as the left and the right. In the same fashion he does not see spirit and matter separatedly. He stands as consciousness and utilizes spirit and matter with equal understanding. He understands that the seeming opposites are like the two sides of one coin. He understands that the two sides, seemingly opposite to each other, are nothing but the two pillars of the arch. He also understands that the two sides, or opposites, are the two pans of the one balance. When the two pans are moving, man's attention is to either of them. When they are almost balancing, the attention of the man is drawn to the pin or central point of the balance. When he finds the centre balanced, he does not any more see the two pans. The two pans or the two sides of the one balance, the two pillars of the arch, the two sides of a coin, are realized as representing one. The night and the day are known as one day. The time of Full Moon and New Moon together are considered as one month. The ascending sun and the descending sun are considered as one cycle or one year. The seeming opposites in their higher aspect are realized as one. That is why in the awareness of an Initiate there is no such thing as material and spirit.

The Initiate sees the spirit in matter, as well as the (subtle) matter in the spirit. In this fashion, he sees the inseparability of the two and balances both in him. That is how, by balancing both, he escapes out of the conditioning of the two. That means that he is walking through the two pillars. He is not biased by either one of the two pillars. It arises out of a higher understanding.

Two numbers, which don't seem to agree with each other, agree in a higher number. For example, 3 and 4 do not agree with each other, because 3 is a triangular energy and four is the energy of the square; but both agree in number 12. That means, as we grow more and more in awareness, we can see the compatibility of the incompatibles. That is why Pythagoras said: “The lower numbers agree in the higher”.

When we grow more and more in awareness, we gain the understanding relating to the fitness of all things in Creation. Otherwise, (if we do not grow in awareness), we feel: “Why should God create snakes?” But they have their own purpose in Creation. Likewise snakes can also feel: “Why should God create man?” It is a question of growing into higher awareness that enables compatibility of the incompatible. That is what is gained when one walks into the Cave and makes a contract between subjectivity and objectivity.

Heart is the centre where objectivity and subjectivity meet. When once we learn to live in the heart, we can see the fitness of the opposites. Like the negative and the positive currents enabling Light to manifest. The whole Creation is the network of one consciousness channelling into negative and positive energies.

During the journey through the 3^rd arm of the Fixed Cross the entire personality is filled with Light from above. It is at this stage it can be said that the individual soul is being 'guided' by the Divine, for, the channel is cleansed and prepared fully for the Divine to function through. It is called by Master Djwhal Khul as the status of the 3^rd initiation. The work of Scorpio can be equated to the 2^nd, and the work in Taurus to the 1st initiation.

The truth seeker gains the vision of what lies ahead. He is in a position to cognize his brothers, the brothers in the making, as well as the new entrants. The spiritual intuition is awakened. He will be able to create thought forms, fill them up with spiritual will, so that they continue to inspire over long years, even after his departure from the physical. His creativity is in tune with the general plan of the White Brother-hood. “Hard and ceaseless is his work”, says Master Djwhal Khul. The third initiation is the first initiation from the standpoint of the Hierarchy. This Initiate has now learnt to co-operate with the Plan of the Hierarchy. He is the Light on the field to anchor the Divinity up till the matter. He is the frontline soldier of the Hierarchy. His mind is now divine. He is the diamond that stays “stone stable” for the work, having infused the personality into the Light. The Soul in this case assumes a dominant position. The limitations of form stand ascended.

We shall try to enter into the most sublime aspect of wisdom, which is beyond conception. It is beyond the conception of consciousness because it is the source for consciousness. Consciousness springs from IT and develops the Creation. It is a state where consciousness is not yet. That which we know is not yet, the knower is not yet, the knowledge is not yet, the knowledge exists only when the knower exists. It is a state where the knowledge and the knower are 'at-one-ment, and are not there to each other. It is called the “Para” state in the Veda.

THE WORD WAS GOD

The Word and God were together. There is no such thing as God and the Word. That is why the Veda calls it as 'THAT'. It also says: “THAT which is beyond”, the Absolute beyond the darkness. It is not Absolute Light even; it is the abstract Absolute beyond darkness. In that state there is no observer to observe anything, because the observer is merged in that which is to be observed.

To make an understanding of this, our sleep is an excellent example. In our sleep we are merged, but into what? Into 'THAT' which we do not know. When we wake up we know that we have woken up from a state called sleep. Thus, the knower comes out of a source, but the knower cannot know it because he knows about it only after he is awakened. All the Devas or Intelligences of the Cosmos, when they awake they know that they are awakened, but they do not know how they got awakened, just like we do not know from where we are awakening. Before awakening, where were the Devas? The Devas contemplated and contemplated and contemplated to know their source. When they get into the source they do not know their existence; when they get out of the Source they exist, but they did not know the source i.e. Pure Existence. If there is awareness of existence it means that it is already a secondary state.

Pure Awareness is a secondary state to the state of Pure Existence. In Pure Awareness we experience Existence. Thus, Existence includes Awareness and the two manifest at a time. Before that we cannot say that one is there. In the Bible it is said: “In the beginning there was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. Which is there in the beginning, the Word or God? In the beginning, the Bible says, it is the Word, and that the Word is God. Thus, we call it God or we call it Word, they are all names that we give. If there is God, God is there to the Word; if there is the Word, the Word is there to God. It is a very important ideation.

THE ABSOLUTE

When we are there in the awakened state, we utter forth, so the word comes out of us. It means that when we are there the word comes out. If we are not there the word does not come out. Can we say that we are first and that the utterance is next? When we wake up, the utterance comes out of us.

Imagine for a moment that we are God and that the Word came out of God; it means, that only because we are there the Word came out. We utter forth, but who has uttered us forth? Who has uttered us out first? After we wake up we make many utterances. After there is the awakening of the Universe there are many series of utterances, but who has uttered forth the awakening? There is an utterance of the one who has awakened. Thus, the Word is uttered forth as awareness, and awareness once again utters forth the Word. So, between the two, we cannot decide who comes first and who comes next.

When we wake up, the awakened one utters the Word. Our awakening itself is an utterance of the word. One overtakes the other. In this way we cannot reach the Absolute. The Absolute manifests simultaneously as two. When there is awareness it is the awareness of Existence, and Existence is there even before awareness. How can we know? Because knowing is a state of awareness. In the state of awareness, how can we know the state before? To know it we should be there, but we are not there; so, where is the question of knowing what is beyond? So, the Devas started saying: “THAT, IT, or IT IS; but we do not know”.

THE CREATOR

In sleep we are, but we do not know that we are. Only after we wake up we know that we were in sleep. After there is an opening, the awareness comes out. Awareness knows that it has come out of something; that was the problem of the Creator when he came out.

The Creator woke up, but he did not know from where. He looked below, but there was no such thing as below or above, because nothing was created except him. He started moving deep down to see if there is anything from which he sprung up. He went down and down and down into the deep. He felt that he was going into an abyss, and there was the fright; so he came up. Then he started going up, and went ahead and ahead above, but there was no end. Then he thought that this was not the method. He closed his eyes, and asked himself: “Who am I?” From within came the answer: “You are the dawn”, meaning: “You are my awakening”. But who is that “MY”?, and he could not find anything except the listening of the Word. Again he closed his eyes and asked: “Who am I?” Then came the answer: “You are the dawn” - already I an you came into existence. Then he asked: “Where am I?” The answer came: “In the East”. In the East means, the point of emergence of Light itself is in the East. The Creator asked again: “What am I to do?” The answer came: “Allow Me to utter forth through you. I have uttered you forth only to utter forth myself further through you”. That is how 'THAT' uses all of us.

We think we have woken up. We are awakened, not for our purposes, but for the purposes of the One who awakens us and lives in us without name and form. The Creator was told: “You just remain, I shall function through you”. So, it is the Word functioning through the utterer. There is the utterance, and there is the utterer. The utterer is the vehicle for the utterance, and the utterer through the utterance permeates, so that the utterance can go further. One precedes the other and succeeds the other. Before the two, what was there? The understanding is: “Together, but not known to us”.

ADVAITA

We have the day and we have the night, and according to us it lasts 24 hours. There can be increase or decrease of the night, but it is a cycle of 24 hours when we are on the planet. Suppose that we are taken out of the planet; is there any day or night? Where is the night when we are not on the planet? The night is relative to us because we are on the planet, but if we are out of the sphere of this planet, then we are face to face with the Light, and there is no such thing as night. When there is no night there is no day; there is only Light. Night and day exist to the being on the planet, because the planet moves around itself causing the day and the night. It also causes through the moon, the new moons and the full moons. If we stand out of the planet, between the planet and the sun, we are only in Light, there is no such thing as day and night, there are no such things as ascending moons and descending moons.

The duality is only when we descend - the night and the day are merged in the Light. That is why it is said that there is no night and no day. It is also said that there is night and day but in a merged state. Some philosophers started saying: “It is and it is not”, and someone else said: “It is not non-existence”. It is not non-existence, yet not existence. It is neither but the background of the two. Krishna says it as: It is, it is not, and it is the background of the two”. That is how the Absolute is said to be.

In the Indian philosophy it is said: “The state of not two”, meaning Advaita. Dvaita in Sanskrit means two. Advaita in Sanskrit means “No two, only one”. There are no such things as the Word and God. It is God; it is the Word, but there is no Word to the God and there is no God to the Word. That is how Sankaracharya speaks: “There are no two things. Don't see it as spirit or matter. It comes down as spirit and matter. It comes down as Father and Mother. There is the Father of the Universe and there is the Mother of the Universe, but they are not two; it is only one”.

THE AQUARIAN PASSAGE

The One comes down as two and thereafter there is the interplay. The interplay is from nowhere. There is the springing up of the knower and the thing to be known. Both of them have descended from somewhere. The passage from that unknown to this known state is called Aquarius.

From the unknown to the known, there is a passage: the passage from sleep to awareness. The passage from the absolute state of awakening, is called Aquarius. That is what we are trying to know. The whole Veda tries to explain it, but it could not completely explain. It could only give an idea for our intuitional purposes. It is to be realized, not to be seen, because sight or visualization is after many transformations of that state. This gap from the unknown to the known is what is shown to us as the pot in the symbol of Aquarius.

There is water coming out of the pot, and the pot is also open on the other side. If we look at the other side there is nothing, but when we look at this end of the pot there is the continuous flow of the water. That is the symbol of Aquarius. We don't know from where this water is coming. In the scriptural symbolism, water stands for primal energy. The source of the flow of energy is not known; it is seen as if coming from 'Nowhere'. The passage between the unknown and the known, is known to the Highest Initiates. The passage or the turning point of spirit to matter is Aquarius.

The passage from 9 to 1 is Aquarius. It is called the zero. Zero gives a negative impression, but in the Scriptures, zero is better named; it is called Poornam - a full zero. Not a NIL zero. We do not call it zero; we call it full. Why don't we say zero to the full moon? Whenever we see the full moon we should say the zero moon; but we do not say that because it is there fully. The fullness is called in Sanskrit Poornam, the full moon is called Poornima. It is a state of fullness but not a state of negative stillness. It is not a positive zero, it is not a negative zero; it is both. That is how it has to be understood.

Zero stands between 9 and 1. The numbers 1,2,3,4, up to 9 are the continuity of numbers. That is how we believe it, but between 1 and 2 there are so many numbers as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, up to 1.9. Then, between 1 and 1.1 there are a series of numbers which we call 1.11, etc. Between 1.1 and 1.11 there are series of numbers as 1.111, etc. We are not even able to reach 1.2. Who is conducting the continuity from number to number? I see in this classroom Oscar and by his side I see Rafael; on the other side I see Alberto, and I say: “They are all side by side”, because we do not see that which is existing between each of them. If we can see that which is existing in between us then we have seen (God) THAT.

If we can see that which is proximately existing to our skin, then we have seen God. That is the “full-filled” state of the One, but we see only the intermittent things; we do not see that which is in between. Just like we say 1,2,3,4,…, that which is in Alberto permeates all around Alberto, and permeating beyond Alberto, up to Oscar. But what is Oscar? It is only THAT permeating all around Oscar. There is only fullness in which we see some points. Fullness is eternal, and in it there are the products of Creation or Universe happening.

Now the scientists are trying to work out the state of zero. They are getting into the minus or into the plus, but they are not able to meet the exact zero. If we meet the exact zero, the whole thing is sucked in. The positive and negative are sucked into THAT, and we are no more here. The existence is that of the positive and negative together. In the neutral state, neither the positive exists nor the negative exists. Neither the utterer nor the utterance. This is what Master CVV gave as a state of “Nil, None, Naught”.

The “Nil, None, Naught Level” is the descent of the unknown from the known. It is a passage, which is governed by Aquarius. It cannot be explained fully; each one has to find it out through his own intuition. Even the Devas said: “We are sorry; we tried but we failed. Because we know ourselves only when we come out of “IT”; we know better when we are out of “IT”, but when we are in “IT” we are not there. Only It “IS” there. How can we explain it? We can only explain it by inference”.

The passage between that which is beyond that which we know as awakening, is what I tried to explain. It is the “Higher Bridge” according to Master CVV. He says: “Higher Bridge Beginning”; it is the first axis from the unknown to the known. From the unknown to the known there is the bridge. It is the passage through which the Universe is uttered forth. It exists in us as the vertical brow mark. Our Third Eye or Ajña Centre is the South Pole, and there is the Third Eye of the Lord in us, which is the North Pole. When they are connected then the downpour of the energy happens from beyond the Cosmos. It is the direct flow of the energy from beyond the Cosmos into the Cosmos and from the Cosmos to the Solar Centre, from the Solar Centre to the Planetary Centre, and from the Planetary Sun to the Planets. If the axis opens, there is a flow of energies.

The axis opens, either for fresh flow of energy or for sucking in everything that is already there in Creation. That is why the Scriptures say: “If Siva opens his eye the whole thing may get destroyed”. It is the passage, which is used either to suck in everything that is in existence, or to pour down fresh energies, or for a fresh Creation.

THE AVATAR OF SYNTHESIS

That downpour of the fresh energies is what we call today as the Avatar of Synthesis. That is what is being worked out in the Great Ashrams. Just like we have the goal to work with the soul, Christ has the goal to work with the Avatar of Synthesis. In the book “Initiation Human and Solar”, by A. A. Bailey, it is said: “What Christ is to us, the Avatar of Synthesis is to Christ”. Our Teacher is Christ, i.e. Lord Maitreya, and Christ's God is the Avatar of Synthesis. This is how the Aquarian functioning exists. As far as our planet is concerned, three great beings have taken up the work of the descent of this Energy: one is the Lord of the Planet, Sanat Kumara, the other is Christ, and the third is Manu, the Vaivasvata. All the three have taken up the work of spreading the Energy of Synthesis.

Vaivasvata Manu has two assistants for the work. Sanat Kumara has two assistants for the work, and Christ also has two assistants for his work. From one triangle they formed into three triangles, and in total they are four triangles. These four triangles are working out the Energies of Synthesis. They are given co-operation from the Great Bear, the Pleiades, and Castor and Pollux from the Gemini Constellation. They are all from above, and Sirius is from below.

MITRA AND VARUNA

The constellations also are arranged in terms of the utterance and the utterer. The utterer is the container for the utterance, the vehicle. We are the vehicle for the Word. In these two fashions the whole Creation is interlinked, with the utterer and the utterance. The utterance is Mitra and the utterer is Varuna. The vehicle is Varuna and the vehicle through which the Word is uttered forth is Mitra, in the Supra Cosmic Plane.

At the Cosmic Plane they reverse their positions, as the Lord of Neptune and the Lord of Uranus. The passage is conducted by Uranus. The same thing comes out further at the Solar Plane as Light and Sound. There is a state where there is no such thing as Light and Sound. We know from the books of Master Djwhal Khul, that there is a concept called: “Listening the colour and seeing the sound”. It is not seeing the colour; it is listening the colours, and it is not listening to sound; it is seeing sound. At the Cosmic Plane it is so.

At the Solar Plane they descend as light and sound. There is the further descent of sound as ether. At the planetary plane it is created as solar and lunar lights. Beyond the Planetary Plane they exist as Solar and Lunar principles, masculine and feminine, father and mother. Time splits the light in the Planetary Plane in this fashion. Time brings down Space as all that is in the Solar System. Through the vertical of time “T” there is the descent of Space “S”, which is given as the symbol of TS, Time and Space.

THE THREE AIRY SIGNS

Sound and light in the Cosmic Plane are the lightening parallels, represented by the symbol of Aquarius. When it comes to light and sound, they take the shape of the high and the low. The high is the Space, the Light is that which shines forth from the Space. This is represented by the symbol of Libra. Time vertically brings down the Space as Solar Light and Lunar Light, and it is represented by the symbol of Gemini. These are the three airy signs according to astrology. Aquarius is the state where there is the being, Gemini is its descent, and Libra is its manifestation. This is the airy triad, which is the most profound aspect of astrology. The other triangle are fiery, watery, and earthy. To explain the Cosmos there are variety of ways; we can explain it through fire, through the fourfold existence, through the seven planes, through the spheres, cubes, triangles and squares, and through numbers. This is the astrological explanation, which is all the property of the sign of Aquarius.

THE COSMIC KUNDALINI

All this is worked out through the Aquarian Passage. In accordance with the Higher Bridge, there are the successive formations of the North Pole and the South Pole. Every South Pole is South Pole to the North Pole. If there is no South Pole, that which we call North Pole is not North Pole. In this classroom there is a roof, it is not a roof by itself, it is a roof to the classroom floor, but at the same time this roof is floor for the higher floor. Thus, the roof is the North Pole and the classroom floor is the South Pole. But the same North Pole reverses as South Pole for the higher roof, and even that North Pole is a South Pole to some other North Pole. It is just the happening of the inversions up to the planetary plane and the planetary beings.

That is how there is a channel from beyond the Cosmos to us. That channel or axis is called “Kundalini”. It is the pathway through which the energy is conducted. Suppose that the Cosmic channel, the Solar channel and the Planetary channel are connected to our channel, then there is the downpour of the 'Original' through all these channels. That is what is being conducted by the Avatar of Synthesis. He has linked up the Cosmic Kundalini to the Earth Kundalini, via the Solar Centre and Planetary Centre. The Masters are further trying to connect the Earth Kundalini to the Kundalini of the human being, so that the human being transforms quicker. It is a fresh flow to see that we are revived, refined and re-aligned.

This is what exactly is being conducted now by the three Ashrams, so that the channelisation is well done, and man is lifted from matter to subtle matter. The subtle matter into which man is expected to ascend, is air. Air is also matter, but light matter. That is how there is the functioning of the Aquarian Energy about which nothing can be ideated; it is only to be experienced. Its descent is according to some time cycles known to astrologers, esoteric in its true sense.

Now we are entering into a sub-cycle of Krita Yuga. We are concluding a cycle of Kali Yuga. We all know from the books that Kali Yuga is a time cycle of 432.000 years. This measurement of time of Kali Yuga is the measurement for the planet, not for the beings of the planet. The planet has a larger cycle. The planetary consciousness in such a big one that it has its own time cycle. The seers have given the cycles of the Yugas in relation to the geographical and geological phenomena. That is the Yuga relating to the planet, but when it comes to humanity, we have to eliminate certain zeros. If it is in relation to the plant and the animal kingdoms, we have to remove some more zeros, and when it comes to the individual human beings we have to eliminate some zeros. That is why, H.P.Blavatsky says in the book “The Secret Doctrine”, that the zeros should not be taken literally; they should be taken as cycles relating to variety of species. According to the dimension of the being, there is the cycle of 432, 4320, 43200, and 432000.

As far as humanity is concerned, the cycles is 4320, to which we will add 1/10 as a cusp period, that is 4320 years plus 432 years, that makes 4752 years from the time of the departure of Lord Krishna. We are around that time now, and hence the insurging thought of the New Age. Even this cycle of 4752 years is for a race of human beings. The coming of the Aquarian Age is not for all the beings on the planet. It is also not for all the races of the human beings on the planet; it is for a race of beings. We all belong to that race, which is called the Aryan race. It is an opportunity for this race to walk into the Light, hence it helps to break that which we are unable to break by ourselves.

Many things have to be broken in us, like our concretized thoughts about “Theos”. The universal God is framed into many names and forms, and each one has settled down to a fragment of Truth; this has to be broken, to see the totality of the Truth. Our thoughts relating to the Truth are condensed through time and through the religions; hence there is a need to break them. As the visit of the Energy is anticipated through Madame H.P.Blavatsky, the Hierarchy already started breaking the concepts. In this 20^th century many thoughts where broken, and there is an inclination to grow universal instead of limiting oneself to his own thoughts. People limit themselves through their regional thoughts, national thoughts, religious thoughts, racial thoughts or even through family thoughts. There are many frames, which have conditioned the human being. Everything that is a conditioning or a limitation will be broken by the Aquarian Energy.

In the sign Leo we have seen the lions, but the lion of Aquarius is the husband to the lion of Leo; that is, the Master of Masters. The zodiacal sign Leo is considered feminine to the zodiacal sign Aquarius, which is considered masculine of the same energy. That is the kind of energy we are speaking when we are speaking of the fourth arm of the Fixed Cross. It is the ultimate state of the Word, which expresses itself out according to the time cycle. Now it is believed that there is going to be the opening of the “Eye”, which is already done, and as a consequence there is the outflow of the Energy. In the 20^th century so much has been done on account of the visit of this Energy, like the two world wars, the scientific advancements, the advancements of human being in understanding the Truth, the ability of man to fly, and also fly beyond the planet. So many things are indicative of the breakage of the earlier limitations. The fourth arm of the fixed Cross is a downpour from the Higher Circles. What is to be worked out by the human being is up to the three arms of the Fixed Cross; that is up to Leo.

THE GANDHARVAS

The bridge between matter and spirit, the bridge between a plane of existence and another plane of existence, is a fine gap, which cannot be seen. That kind of subtle existence, which is the background of all the phenomenal existence, is given a name in the Vedas as Gandharvas, which in Sanskrit means 'the waves in the Space'.

They are innumerable waves in Space. A wave can turn out to be a Universe, and in that Universe we have the Cosmic, the Solar and the Planetary planes. These waves that keep moving according to a rhythm, are called Gandharvas. Among those Gandharvas there is Vena, the Gandharva who functions as the cementing force. How are we connected to other planets? How are we connected to the centre called Sun? Perceptibly we do not see any connections holding the other. It seems that they are all hanging in the Space disjointedly, but by what strength? There is an imperceptible and invisible strength that holds the interrelationship between the planets. There is also the energy which coordinates all the planets with the Sun. Do we ever think of it? We take it as some vacuum, but according to Madame Blavatsky, in space there is no vacuum. Because we have vacuum in the minds we think that there is vacuum between the planets. It is only because we are not able to comprehend. Madame H.P.Blavatsky says: “Space is potential; space pulsates”. The pulsations are what we call the Gandharvas, which are there all around. They are the ones who keep things together. They are the ones who receive it when the “Eye” is opened, and they distribute it through the pulsations and vibrations. They are all an aspect of the Aquarian Energy.

MARKANDEYA

The “Eye” is also opened to suck the positive and negative into itself. This is conducted by another energy called Markandeya, 'he marks the end', which is a word coming from the Zenzar language. The path or passage only remains, but there is no Creation. There is the passage of Aquarius, which unfolds as a lotus of four petals in which there is the Creator sitting in the middle, in a lotus posture. When the whole thing is sucked in, not only the creations that are made by the Creator, but also the Creator are sucked in. It is like our sucking through a straw. The whole Creation thus goes through the tube into the deep. This return passage is called Markandeya.

There is a whole Purana on Markandeya, a complete Scripture about the passage from the unknown to the known, and from the known to the unknown. Markandeya is considered to be a great being, meaning a great energy or intelligence. Madame H.P.Blavatsky calls the beings of the plane as “Fiery Flames” and “Fiery Lions”. They are all Intelligences of the Cosmic Fire.

THE AQUARIAN MEDITATION

This is a presentation of Aquarius, and there is a way to meditate upon it. Without meditation, how would we know all this? We have to meditate and know. There is a meditation in our own being to contemplate upon a state where there is no sound, no colour, no shape, no idea, and no thought -which is the meditation of Aquarius. Because 'it' is not yet a shape, 'it' is not yet a sound, 'it' is not yet a thought, 'it' is not yet light or a colour. It is a state where colour and sound are merged. That is exactly what Master CVV wants us to do. Uttering the sound, we close our eyes and keep seeing what is inside; there is no further mental contemplation of the sound, and there is also no mental contemplation of Master CVV's figure. What Master CVV says is: “Look to 'me' and close your eyes. Because through my eyes the channel is created”. Likewise we can look into the eyes of Christ if we have the authentic living picture of the Christ, but not a picture out of our own imagination. The eyes of the Masters are channels of the Absolute Energy. Whenever we think of meditating with the help of any Master, it is recommended to look into the eyes and closing our eyes.

When it comes to the realization of the Aquarian Energy we just keep seeing inside. By virtue of the habit that the mind carries, in the beginning we see the forms with which we interact with, but the moment we think that they are all the forms that we know, they disappear. Then we get thoughts, concepts, which are proximate to our living. We realize that they are all frames of thought that are coming out of us, arising out of our perception. Most of these thoughts or visions, which we see, are nothing but the impressions of our memory. When we regularly sit and keep ventilating these images and thoughts, we get released of them. We are released of the images, we are released of the thoughts. There are myriads of thoughts and images in the memory, so it takes time before they are all liberated from us, and consequently we are liberated from them.

Each one is hopelessly impressed with thoughts and images. From the ancient-most times the thoughts and images are impressed. When all these get out, we see what we are as the nameless ones, shapeless ones, colourless ones, soundless ones, which is the state of Absolute Being, which we are. The residence of that Being in us, is in-between the Heart and the Throat Centre. It is an eight-petalled lotus.

When there is no occupation in other things, this Existence is experienced. When there is occupation, the occupation exits and Existence ceases to exist. We fill ourselves with so many things, including even the thoughts relating to our concept of God. We are generally filled with concepts only. In truth it is just 'being' without anything else, “nil, no one, no thought”. We realize that all is a big dream, that all conceptions are all games, too many games of the dreams. Each one is stuck with his own dream, even in the name of God. Now, with the realization the dreams disappear.

There are high scholars who get stuck with their own thoughts. When we are rid of all that which is, and all that which is impressed on us, we only remain as silver screens, and for the first time we can breath happily. Images can come to us as concepts for us to function, but as far as we are concerned, we are a clean screen, which is the ultimate death. It means, we are dead to all things other than I AM. There is no such thing as someone above us and someone below us. “I AM THAT I AM”, and there is no second thing to it. That is how the meditation is recommended for the Aquarian man. No real Master ever asked to meditate upon his form. The Master only remains a channel to that which is beyond. Out of lack of comprehension we settle down to forms, names, colours and sounds.

THE COLOUR OF AQUARIUS

The colour of Aquarius is the gap between blue and violet. It is a no colour state; we cannot say that it has this colour. The seers have contemplated long, and they came to the following conclusion: “It could be between blue and violet, but there is a gap, and that is Aquarius”. Sometimes it looks like blue. Blue is a colour that varies from white to blue and from another angle it looks violet. There is the intermittent colour, which transforms blue to violet and violet to blue, and in between all the colours.

Violet is the Seventh Ray, blue is the Synthesis, and it is the background of the two. Only in advanced states of Initiation its colour is visualized as no colour.

THE SYMBOL OF AQUARIUS

The symbol of Aquarius is like a lightening. If we are able to see a split second, we have seen Aquarius. Between a second and another second it exists. The two lines of the symbol of Aquarius represent the Energy, which precipitates the energy in between the two lines, and the Energy, which is the background of the two lines. This is how we have to see the Aquarian Energy; not only the two lines, but as the two, as the gap between the two, and as the background of all that. It is all-permeating and at the same time, imperceptible.

NARADA

When we listen to music, in so far as we know that we are listening to music, we are not listening to it. When we really listen to music we do not know that we are listening to it. After sometime we wake up and realize that so much time has passed. The one who knows how to listen to music, knows it. While experiencing music there is no knowing of the experience. It is only the posterior period, the anterior period we know. But not the period of experience.

Till the listener dies, we have to speak about Aquarius. The speaker should die and the listener should die, and the Word should prevail. That is how it “IS”, and upon “THAT” everything exists. That is why it is called “The Background of the Backgrounds”, and there is no background settling upon which one can know it. That is the ultimate. When that wisdom dawns in the human being, he is liberated; not only liberated from his body, but he is liberated from the Planetary, Solar and Cosmic systems. They are all concepts that flow upon him. He can move into every system and any system; that is the state of the grandest Initiate, who is called in the Eastern Scriptures as Narada. No concepts; there is conceiving without conceptualizing. This is the beauty of the state. His Master is Krishna. Verily in that state of 'Being' there are no names, but we use names only for explaining that which is not explainable, not definable, not describable. It is sheer audacity to attempt the explanation.

If we conceptualize, it is already concrete, it is already dead. It is a state of conceiving, a present continuous state: 'conceiving'. It is not conceived or it is not conception, it is conceiving all the time, or perceiving all the time. There is neither past nor future; it is 'being'. If we are in that state, we are walking into the channel relating to the whole Universe. We can go into the infernal regions as well as the Cosmic regions, because nothing binds us in our path. That is how it is said that Narada moves in all the 14 planes.

Above the Earth there are planes, and below the Earth there are planes. Narada goes everywhere. He is a friend of all, because he has no such thing as high or low in relation to the planes of existence. Be it the Netherworld or be it the Celestial world, it is the same. He is the Cosmic Master of Aquarius, who is guiding the constellation Sirius, the Pleiades, the Great Bear, Castor and Pollux. In our system he is guiding Shambhala, Maitreya, and Manu. There is no place that he cannot visit, and there is no one in the Universe who is not a friend to him.

Let us conclude this theme contemplating upon this great being Narada. He is the grandest of the Initiates, and next to that Aquarian Consciousness. He is proximate to it and lives in it. Narada is the one who initiated the seer Valmiki to write the “Ramayana”. He also is the one who has initiated Veda Vyasa to classify the Vedas and write the Puranas and the Bhagavata. He is the one who initiated Dhruva. Dhruva is the Pole Star that carries his influence upon the North Pole, thereby creating the axis of the Universe. Any Initiate of the Cosmic Order received his ultimate initiation from the hands of Narada, because Narada is the one who gives. DA is a Sanskrit word, which means to give, Narada is the one who gives the sound NA and the sound RA. When we speak of Narayana, Ayana in Sanskrit means 'The Cyclic Path of the Energy', which alternatingly unfolds and folds back. The unfoldment happens with the sound RA. RA is the seed sound of Agni or the Cosmic Fire. NA is the sound of dissolution, and also is the sound of negation and absorption. The cyclic energy Narayana alternatingly unfolds and dissolves into itself. The Initiate who can give Narayana is Narada. Narada is the Teacher and Narayana is the Lord. Just like Sanat Kumara is the Lord of the Planet and Maitreya is the Teacher on the Planet, we have the energy which is responsible for the unfoldment and folding back of the universes as Narayana, and we have a Teacher who gives the teaching relating to Him. He is the King who can give us the teachings of Aquarius. The other name for Narayana is KRISHNA.

Krishna in Sanskrit means black, meaning, the imperceptible. Krishna represents that energy which is beyond perception and comprehension. It is the source of all that is. In the Cosmic plane, Krishna is depicted as Narayana. At the Solar plane, Krishna is represented as Vasudeva. At the Planetary plane Krishna is presented as Vishnu. Krishna thus represents the all-pervading energy of the whole system. Krishna is also said to be the energy that pervades all the 7 planes and even stands beyond as the 8^th one. He is therefore said to be the 8^th one that pervades the 7. His colour is said to be black, i.e., deep blue, blue and violet, according to his awareness as Narayana, Vasudeva or Vishnu, respectively. (Fig. 27)

The Srimad Bhagavata is the ultimate of Wisdom in the Eastern Scriptures, where the 4 aspects of the Godhead is well presented. The Scripture also contains the lives of those who attuned to such Energy. They are called Bhagavatas - meaning, world disciples. The book holds the key to World Discipleship.

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First Edition: 1998
© Copyright: Dhanishta

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