326. A Treatise on Cosmic Fire - 44. DIVISION D - II. THOUGHT ELEMENTALS AND DEVAS. 3. THE SOLAR ANGELS, THE AGNISHVATTAS. - Part 3 - A. BAILEY

DIVISION D - THOUGHT ELEMENTALS AND FIRE ELEMENTALS

II. THOUGHT ELEMENTALS AND DEVAS.

3. THE SOLAR ANGELS, THE AGNISHVATTAS. - Part 3

Identification with the aggregate of all groups might be the term used to express the final stages of the evolutionary process; it marks a period towards the close of the mahamanvantara when all groups begin consciously to work out the eternal Will.  It involves a type of realisation, incredible to man now but which is conceivable [732] (though not yet practicable) to the Chohans of the Hierarchy now on Earth.  They work consciously carrying out the Will of the planetary Logos in the planet, but even They are as yet far from appreciating fully the Will and purpose of the Logos as He works through the system.  Glimpses They may get, and an idea of the general plan, but the details are as yet unrecognisable.

c. On Incarnation.

(a.) Cosmic, Planetary and Human.  We leave now the consideration of self-consciousness, as it is produced through the medium of the particular type of deva substance which the Agnishvattas provided for the body of the Ego, and pass on to the study of incarnation, cosmic, planetary and human.  A hint as to the constitution of these solar Pitris and Manasadevas may come to the student who ponders upon the place of the egoic unit in the body of the planetary Logos, and in the particular centre of which it forms a component part.  These Manasadevas and Dhyan Chohans who produce self-consciousness in man are indeed the energy and substance of the cosmic Heavenly Man.

The word "incarnation" in its root meaning conveys the fundamental truth involved in the taking of a dense physical body, and should technically be applied only to that period of manifestation which concerns the three lower subplanes of the:

a. Cosmic physical plane, in relation to a solar Logos and to a planetary Logos.

b. Systemic physical plane, in relation to man.

This connotation has been preserved where the cosmic entities are concerned, but when man is under consideration the term has been applied to the unification of the etheric double with the dense physical body, or to the appropriation by man of the vehicle composed of the [733] substance of the lowest subplane of the cosmic physical plane in its lowest aspects.  This distinction has a certain significance and should be remembered.  This appropriation is governed by the same laws which governed the appropriation by the Logos of His physical vehicle.  In order to get an idea of what the procedure is, it might be of value if we considered the different kinds of pralaya, and pondered upon those periods which ensue between incarnations.  From the point of view of any unit involved, a pralaya is a period of quiescence, of cessation from a particular type of activity, involving objectivity, yet from the point of view of the great whole with which the unit may be involved, a pralaya may be considered merely as a transference of force from one direction into another.  Though the unit may be temporarily devitalised as regards its form, yet the greater Entity persists, and is still active.

Let us take up the matter first from the human standpoint, and study pralaya as it affects the Monad in incarnation.  There are five types of pralaya with which we may legitimately concern ourselves.  We should notice first the fact that this condition is primarily one that concerns the relationship between Spirit and matter, in which a condition in substance is brought about through the action of the energising factor, the Spirit.  It has, therefore, to do with the relation of the greater devas as They carry out Their work of form-building under the Law of Will of God to the lesser devas who represent living substance.  It will be apparent to the student that it concerns the relation of the Holy Spirit to the Mother in the production of the Son, and then the relation of the Son to the Mother.  If the ideas formulated in this treatise have been carefully followed, it will be obvious that in studying the question of pralaya, we are studying the relation (in time and space) of the positive energy of the solar Logos, the planetary Logos, and of Man to the substance through which alone manifestation is possible.  Through this relation, existence on the objective planes can be brought about.

(b.) The Nature of Pralaya.  We can view pralaya as the work of "abstraction," and as the method which brings the form under the Destroyer aspect of Spirit, working ever under the Law of Attraction, of which the Law of Synthesis is but a branch.  The basic law of the system is that which governs the relation of all atoms to the aggregate of atoms, and of the Self to the Not-self.  It is (from the occult standpoint) the most powerful force-demonstration in the system, and should the law inconceivably cease to work, instantaneously the system and all forms therein, planetary, human and other would cease to be.  By an act of will the planetary schemes persist, by an act of will the system IS; by an act of the egoic will man appears.  When the Will of the Logos, of the Heavenly Man, and of the human divine Ego is turned to other ends, the substance of Their vehicles is affected, and disintegration sets in.  The five types of pralaya which concern the human unit are as follows:

(1) The period of pralaya between two incarnations.  This is of a triple nature and affects the substance of the three vehicles, physical, astral and mental, reducing the form to its primitive substance, and dissipating its atomic structure.  The energy of the second aspect (that of the form-builder) is withdrawn by the will of the Ego, [735] and the atoms composing the form become dissociated from each other, and are resolved into the reservoir of essence to be re-collected again when the hour strikes.  This condition is brought about gradually by stages of which we are aware:

The first stage is the withdrawal of the life force in the etheric vehicle from the threefold (dense, liquid and gaseous) dense physical body and the consequent "falling into corruption," and becoming "scattered to the elements."  Objective man fades out, and is no more seen by the physical eye, though still in his etheric body.  When etheric vision is developed, the thought of death will assume very different proportions.  When a man can be seen functioning in his etheric physical body by the majority of the race, the dropping of the dense body will be considered just a "release."

The next stage is the withdrawal of the life force from the etheric body or coil, and its devitalisation.  The etheric coil is but an extension of one aspect of the sutratma or thread, and this thread is spun by the Ego from within the causal body much as a spider spins a thread.  It can be shortened or extended at will, and when the period of pralaya has been decided upon, this thread of light, or of solar fire (note the word "solar") is withdrawn, and gathered back to the atomic subplane where it will still vitalise the permanent atom and hold it connected within the causal body.  The life impulses are then—as far as the physical plane is concerned—centralised within the atomic sphere.

The third stage is the withdrawal of the life force from the astral form so that it disintegrates in a similar manner and the life is centralised within the astral permanent atom.  It has gained an increase of vitality through physical plane existence, and added colour through astral experience.

The final stage for the human atom is its withdrawal [736] from the mental vehicle.  The life forces after this fourfold abstraction are centralised entirely within the egoic sphere; contact with the three lower planes is still inherently possible by means of the permanent atoms, the force centres of the three personality aspects.

In each incarnation the life forces have gained through the utilisation of the vehicles,

a. An increased activity, which is stored in the physical permanent atom.

b. An added colouring, which is stored in the astral permanent atom.

c. A developed quality of strength, or purpose in action, which is stored in the mental unit.

These are wrought into faculty in devachan.

Devachan  is a state of consciousness, reflecting, in [737] the life of the Personality, that higher state which we call nirvanic consciousness, and which is brought about by egoic action.  It is but a dim reflection in the separated units (and therefore tinged with selfishness and separative pleasure) of the group condition called nirvanic.  In this high state of consciousness each separate identity, though self-realising, shares in the group realisation, and therein lies bliss for the unit.  Separation is no longer felt, only unity and essential oneness is known.  Therefore, as might be naturally deduced, there is no devachan for the savage or little evolved man, as they merit it not, and have not the mentality to realise it; hence, therefore, the rapidity of their incarnations, and the brevity of the pralayic period.  There is little in their case for the Ego, on its own plane, to assimilate in the residue of incarnations, and hence the life principle withdraws rapidly from out of the mental form, with the resulting impulse of the Ego to reincarnate almost immediately.

When the life of the personality has been full and rich, yet has not reached the stage wherein the personal self canconsciously co-operate with the ego, periods of personality nirvana are undergone, their length depending upon the interest of the life, and the ability of the man to meditate upon experience.  Later, when the Ego dominates the personality life, the interest of the man is raised to higher levels, and the nirvana of the soul becomes [738] his goal.  He has no interest in devachan.  Therefore, those upon the Path (either the probationary Path, or the Path of Initiation) do not, as a rule, go to devachan, but immediate incarnation becomes the rule in the turning of the wheel of life; this time it is brought about by the conscious co-operation of the personal Self with the divine Self or Ego.

(2) The period between egoic Cycles.  Herein is hid the mystery of the 777 incarnations and concerns the relation of the unit to his group on the egoic plane, prior to the unfoldment of the fifth petal.  It concerns man in the period between the savage stage and that of the disciple, when he is an average man but still in the two Halls.  The mystery of all root races lies here, and the egoic cycles coincide with the building of racial forms, and civilisations.  A man will reincarnate again and again in the various subraces of a root race until a certain cycle has been covered; then he may undergo a pralayic condition until in a later (and sometimes much later) root race he will respond to its vibratory call, and the egoic impulse to incarnate will again be felt.  In illustration of this, we should bear in mind that the more advanced humanity of today did not incarnate until the fourth root race.  These cycles are one of the mysteries of initiation, though one of the earlier mysteries, and are revealed at the second initiation as they enable the initiate to comprehend his position, to see somewhat the nature of the karmic impulse, and to read his own record in the astral light.

These might be considered the two lesser pralayic periods and concern primarily life in the three worlds.

(3) Next comes the period wherein the man has attained freedom.  A man has at this stage succeeded, under law, in "abstracting" himself, the freed soul, from out of the matter of the three worlds.  He has used and worked with deva substance and has gained all the vibratory [739] contact possible, and has secured all the intended "realisations" and "revelations"; he can no longer be held imprisoned by the devas.  He is free until, consciously and willingly, and in another round, he can return as a member of a Hierarchy to continue His work of service for the little evolved humanity of that distant time.  As this concerns the seven paths of opportunity for a Master we will not deal with it here.  This is the great human pralaya.

(4) Planetary Pralaya.  Man, after these cyclic happenings, is now a conscious part of his group, and a vibrant point in a centre in the body of a Heavenly Man, consciously alive and consciously aware of his place in the great whole.  This involves a realisation as to the centre of which he is a point of energy, a knowledge of the type of force he is to transmit, and to manipulate from cosmic levels, and a conscious relation with the six other centres in the planetary Life with which he is associated.

This period of conscious activity in etheric substance (of which the planetary body is formed) persists according to the karma of the planetary Lord, for the unit is now consciously associated with planetary karma, and is a participant in the working out of the will and purpose of the Lord of His Ray.  On the higher planes of the system, this stage persists for the length of the life of a scheme; to which a period of pralaya succeeds that has its beginning towards the end of the seventh round in any scheme or of the fifth if the Law of Persistence of a scheme is working out through cycles of five.  I am [740] here generalising and speaking in broad terms; the karma of the units differ and a man—according to the path he chooses after the fifth initiation—stays and works within his own scheme, but changes may occur through the following factors:

a. Planetary karma.

b. The will of the Lord of his Ray.

c. Orders emanating from the solar Logos which are conveyed to him after liberation via the planetary Logos and through the medium of the chohan of his Ray.

He is then "abstracted" under a mysterious planetary law which only works on cosmic etheric levels, and is transferred to his destination.  If we interpret all the above in terms of energy and of radioactivity and thus avoid the dangers of materialistic interpretation, the meaning will become clearer.

(5) The Great Pralaya.  This interval comes at the close of every one hundred years of Brahma, and sweeps into dissolution forms of every kind—subtle and dense—throughout the entire system.  It is a period analogous to that dealt with when we considered the abstraction of man from his etheric vehicle, and his ability then to function on the astral plane, dissociated from his dual physical form.  Within the system a process similar to that undergone when man withdraws the etheric body out of the dense physical vehicle, will be seen towards the close of the mahamanvantara.  It will cover the period wherein the lesser four Rays merge and blend, seeking duality, and their polar opposites.  Eventually the four become two, the two become one, and all are then synthesised into the third major Ray.  The time is not yet, but lies countless aeons ahead.  It is the first appearance of the destroyer aspect in connection with the planetary schemes, and marks the beginning of the [741] time when the "Heavens will melt with fervent heat," and the Sun becomes seven suns. 

The microcosmic correspondence can be seen in the following process.  The physical permanent atom absorbs the entire life force of the physical body, and its inherent heat and light is thereby increased until at the fourth initiation the seven spirillae are fully vitalised, and vibrant.  The internal heat of the atom, plus the external heat of the egoic body wherein it has its place, produces then that which destroys the permanent atom.  Temporarily, and just prior to destruction, it becomes a tiny sevenfold sun owing to the radiation and activity of the spirillae.  So with the physical sun of the system; it will in a similar manner become seven suns, when it has absorbed the life essence of the fully evolved planes, and of the planetary schemes thereon.  The ensuing conflagration is the final work of the Destroyer aspect.  It marks the moment of the highest development of deva substance in the system, the consummation of the work of Agni and his fire angels, and the initiation of Brahma.  Atomic substance will thenindividualise (which, as we know, is the goal for the atom) and after the great pralaya the next solar system will start with the threefold Spirit manifesting through substance which is essentially distinguished by active intelligent love.  This is necessarily incomprehensible to our fourth round minds.

We have thus considered the various types of pralaya, in so far as they affect the human unit; each unit finds its ways eventually into one of the cosmic astral centres of the particular cosmic Entity Who is the Lord of his Ray, and therefore at the great pralaya those human units who have achieved, and who have not passed to other distant cosmic centres, will find their place there.

Before we take up planetary and cosmic pralaya, we might here consider the relationship of the Agnishvattas [742](who caused the individualisation of animal man on this planet), to other and previous cycles of evolution, and why we have only dealt with them from the point of view of a mahamanvantara, and of a kalpa.  The reason we have not considered specifically the group of Agnishvattas, Kumaras and Rudras connected with the Earth has been because we have handled the entire subject from the planetary standpoint, and not from that of the human family.  The student who seeks detailed information as to the Agnishvattas of the Earth chain has but to study the Secret Doctrine.  We have attempted to carry the thought of the student beyond his own tiny sphere to the consideration of the work of the Manasadevas in the solar system.  In every scheme They have Their place, but in some—as in the Jupiter scheme—They are just beginning Their work, and in others—as in the Vulcan and Venus schemes—Their work is nearly completed.  Venus is in her last round, and has nearly developed her fourth kingdom to perfection, or as much as it is possible in the system.  In the Earth scheme, They are in full tide of work, and only in the next round will They demonstrate the height of Their activity.  They pass cyclically through the schemes and under Law—the Law of Karma for the planetary Logos, for They are essentially concerned with His Life as it actuates His centres.  They come into a scheme on a wave of manasic energy from the head centre of the Logos, and in the process of passing through his Heart centre three things occur:

1. They become differentiated into seven groups.

2. They direct Themselves as streams of energy to some particular scheme.

3. Their contact with a scheme is that which produces the manifestation of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, and leads to the Monads taking form in the three worlds.

[743]

These entities who sacrifice Themselves for the human Hierarchy (and we must note here the accuracy of the fact that They emanate from the logoic head centre, or from the will aspect), are the true Saviours who give Their lives for the good of the race.  They stand in relation to the totality of the schemes as the Occult Hierarchy of any particular planet stands to men upon that planet.  During pralaya They are withdrawn (as all else), from manifestation, and return to a cosmic centre of which the logoic head centre is but a dim reflection; they return the richer for experience.

The old Commentary says:

"The deva shineth with added light when the virtue of the will hath entered.  He garnereth colour as the reaper garners wheat, and storeth it up for the feeding of the multitude.  Over all this deva host the mystic Goat presideth. Makara is, and is not, yet the link persisteth."

Rounds come and go but (except from the standpoint of a particular planet), the Manasadevas are forever present, but their influence is not forever felt.

In considering planetary pralaya we might briefly enumerate the following periods of quiescence:

Between Two Globes in a Chain.  This covers the period of abstraction of the seeds of all life, and its transference from one sphere to another.  The seed manu of a globe gathers all the life forces into Himself, as does the Logos at the close of a system, and as also transpires at the close of a chain, and holds them quiescent in His aura.  This covers a period of a manvantara, or of one day of Brahma.

Between Two Chains.  This covers the period of a mahamanvantara, or of one year of Brahma.

There are many ways of arriving at the greater cycles, but there is no need to confuse with the intricacies of figures.  The ten Prajapatis or Rishis, or [744] the ten planetary Logoi, manifest through Their ten schemes in time and space, the hour of Their appearing differing.  Each likewise manifests as does the Logos through a septenate and a triad, making again a ten of perfection.

Between Two Solar Systems.  This covers the period of one hundred years of Brahma, and through the study of the planetary cycles comprehension of these greater cycles may come.  Complication comes to the student nevertheless in the fact that two of the schemes cover their cyclic periods in five rounds, while others have seven; one scheme has but three rounds, but a mystery is hidden here:  on the inner round one planet has nine cycles to run before the purpose of its Lord is completed.

Certain lesser periods of pralaya do not concern man at all, but concern the atom of matter as it is released from form of any kind in the subhuman kingdoms.  Pralaya is the result of radioactivity carried to a conclusion.

(c.) Types of Human Rebirth.  In our study of the building of thought-forms and the agencies for their construction, we have considered:

1. The deva substance out of which they are constructed.

2. The energy which animates them and its source.

3. Their appearance in time and space, or their incarnation.

4. Their disappearance or pralaya.

5. The constructing entities who in a threefold manner produce these forms, utilising the process of:

a. Meditation, which is ever the preliminary to construction.

b. Dynamic force, or the positive energy which seizes upon its polar opposite (negative substance), and utilises it.

[745]

c. The impartation of colour or quality, which moulds that which has been prepared.

d. A secondary vitalisation, which sets in separate motion the thought-form thus created.

We will now consider the mystery of rebirth, or the incarnation of those lives which exist in subtler matter, and yet which seek form according to law, and touch upon their specific intent on dense physical levels.  We can consider this in connection with the cosmic entities who seek existence on the physical plane of the cosmos, our solar systemic planes, or the reincarnating jivas who are driven by the Law towards earthly manifestation in order to become fully conscious, and acquire (by means of sentient existence), added faculty and power.

H. P. B. has said that rebirths may be divided into three classes: 

a. Those of Avatars.

b. Those of Adepts.

c. Those of jivas seeking development.

To those who are endeavouring to grasp somewhat the mystery of rebirth and its laws and purpose, and who are confused when considering the mystery of the Buddha, and the secret purpose of that mysterious Entity, the Silent Watcher; to those who find the problem of understanding the position of the Kumaras and Their relation to the planetary Logos almost an insuperable one, it might be wise to say:  Study and meditate upon the difference existing between the lower principles and the higher three; study and meditate upon the place and position of these lower principles in the body of the planetary Logos and ponder upon the correspondence between:

a. The devachan of the reincarnating jiva.

b. The nirvana of the Adept.

[746]

c. The pralaya of a cosmic Entity, such as the Lord of a chain, the Lord of a scheme, and the Lord of a Ray.

I say correspondence in its esoteric significance, and do not seek to infer analogy in detail, but only in purpose and in experience.  It may be said of all three states that they are periods of development, long cycles of meditation, and interludes between stages of activity.  Hence the emphasis laid in the East and in all occult schools of development upon meditation, for it is the means of bringing to the unit under development the capacity which will produce:

a. Abstraction, or liberation from form.

b. Creative power.

c. Direction of energy, through an act of the will.

d. Future constructive activity.

By means of meditation, a man finds freedom from the delusion of the senses, and their vibratory lure; he finds his own positive centre of energy and becomes consciously able to use it; he becomes, therefore, aware of his real Self, functioning freely and consciously beyond the planes of sense; he enters into the plans of the greater Entity within Whose radiatory capacity he has a place; he can then consciously proceed to carry out those plans as he can grasp them at varying stages of realisation; and he becomes aware of essential unity.  But when a man has thus freed himself from the objects of sense in the three worlds he again becomes aware of the need of further meditation, and it is this (to man in the three worlds), inconceivable form of meditation that engrosses the attention of the Adept, and which is undertaken by Him in two great stages, each preceding the two final Initiations, the sixth and the seventh.  I refer not here only to Adepts who "make the sacrifice," and choose rebirth for service on the planet, but to all adepts.  Freedom to work on any Path must be gained by occult [747] meditation; freedom to escape beyond the ring-pass-not is also thus attained, and likewise the curious state of quiescence which is achieved by Those Who have offered for service as the occult Hierarchy in the next round.  In Them have to be stored the psychic seeds of knowledge which will be available in the fifth round; this necessitates for Them an attitude of receptivity to occurrences at the close of each root-race, when there is, on subtler levels, a gathering in of psychic force, and its storing with Those prepared for its reception.  Their work is analogous to that of the Seed-Manu, Who Himself works through a septenate as do these storers of the psychic life-forces.

Again for such cosmic Entities as the planetary Logoi periods of meditation transpire, but these concern Them on the cosmic planes, and only the effects are felt on this.  They meditate in Their physical brains, and therefore in substance as does man, but the process is carried on in the etheric brain.  This should be pondered on, for it holds the mystery hid.  Also, the fact that some of these Lords of the Rays are more proficient in meditation than others, and thus achieve differing results which work out in Their schemes, should be carefully borne in mind.

(d.) The Future Coming of the Avatar.

THE COMING AVATAR

"From the zenith to the nadir, from dawn to fall of night, from the emergence into being of all that is or may be to the passing into peace of all that hath achieved, gleameth the orb of blue and the inner radiant fire.

From the gates of gold down to the pit of earth, out from the flaming fire down to the circle of gloom, rideth the secret Avatar, bearing the sword that pierceth.

Naught can arrest His approach, and none may say Him nay.  To the darkness of our sphere He rideth alone, and on His approach is seen the uttermost disaster, and the chaos of that which seeketh to withstand.

[748]

The Asuras veil their faces, and the pit of maya reeleth to the foundation.  The stars of the eternal Lhas vibrate to that sound,—the WORD uttered with sevenfold intensity.

Greater the chaos becometh; the major centre with all the seven circulating spheres rock with the echoes of disintegration.  The fumes of utter blackness mount upwards in dissipation.  The noise discordant of the warring elements greets the oncoming One, and deters Him not.  The strife and cries of the fourth great Hierarchy, blending with the softer note of the Builders of the fifth and sixth, meet His approach.  Yet He passeth on His way, sweeping the circle of the spheres, and sounding forth the WORD.

From the nadir to the zenith, from eve unto the Day be with us, from the circle of manifestation to the centre of pralayic peace, is seen the enveloping blue, lost in the flame of achievement.

Up from the pit of maya back to the portals of gold, forth from the gloom and darkness back to the splendour of day, rideth the Manifested One, the Avatar, bearing the shattered Cross.

Naught can arrest His return, none can impede His Path, for He passeth along the upper way, bearing His people with Him.  Cometh the dissolution of pain, cometh the end of strife, cometh the merging of the spheres and the blending of the hierarchies.  All then is re-absorbed within the orb, the circle of manifestation.  The forms that exist in maya, and the flame that devoureth all, are garnered by the One Who rideth the Heavens and entereth into the timeless AEon."

(From the Archives of the Lodge.)

We have touched upon the subject of Avatars and the various classes into which they might be divided.  We might now enlarge somewhat more upon the methods.  The methods whereby certain cosmic Existences and certain highly evolved Entities appear among men to do a specific work might be very inadequately, and cursorily summarised, as follows:

The method of overshadowing.

The method of embodying some principle.

[749]

The method seen in the mystery of the Bodhisattva, or the Christ.

The method of direct incarnation.

The handicap of words is great, and the above phrases but convey a hint as to the true meaning.  Therein lies safety for the student, for the real significance would be incomprehensible to him, and would but mislead him and guide him along the path of misunderstanding.  Until a man is a pledged initiate, he cannot comprehend the matter.  Of these, the most ordinary method is the first.  All these methods of manifestation will perhaps be better understood by the student if he interprets them always in terms of force and energy, and if he notes that dim reflections of the same processes, and faint analogies can be traced among the reincarnating jivas.  When a man has reached a certain development and can be of service to the world, cases occur when he is overshadowed by a great adept, or—as in the case of H. P. B.—by One greater than an adept.  A chela can be a centre through which his master can pour His energy and force for the helping of the world, and in certain important crises men have been overshadowed by more than one of the Great Ones. What occurs on lower planes is but a reflection of higher processes, and in this thought may lie illumination.  A man is a force centre, either for his Ego, when sufficiently evolved, or, via his Ego, of his group force; when very highly developed he can consciously be overshadowed by an exponent of a different type of force, which blends with his group, or Ray, force, and produces significant results in his life on earth.

Again when an Ego is highly evolved he may choose during any particular incarnation to work paramountly through any one principle among the lower four; when this is the case the man's life on earth is significantly that of anembodied principle.  He seems to strike one note and to sound out one tone.  His work is clearly to be seen along one line.  He is a fanatic of high degree, but accomplishes big things for his subrace, even though the physical brain may not be consciously aware of the egoic impulse.  This process has a curious relation to the obscuration, or fading out, of the personality, for the particular principle embodied works through a corresponding permanent atom, and its spirillae become over-rapidly developed, and hence their term of service wears to a close.  This is a fact which is nevertheless taken advantage of when a superman, or great adept, becomes the embodiment (during a rootrace) of a principle; the vestures or sheaths of which the permanent atom is the nucleus (through the innate strength of the developed spirillae) are preserved by the aid of mantric formulas.  The vibration is perpetuated for a specific length of time, and for as long as the vesture or sheath may be required.  A hint is here conveyed which may be of service.

Again, when a man has become a disciple he may, if he so wish, remain upon the astral plane and work there, and—at his pleasure, and under the adjustment of karma by [751] his Guru—he may take immediate physical birth.  A hint as to the mystery of the Bodhisattva may be found in these two thoughts, provided the student transfers the whole concept to the etheric levels of the cosmic physical plane, and remembers that on these levels the adept works altogether as a part of a group, and not as a separated Identity, as does the ego in the three worlds.  Therefore, the energy pouring through Him may be:

a. That of a particular centre in the body of the planetary Logos in its total force.

b. That of a particular set of vibrations within that centre, or a part of its vibratory force.

c. That of the energy of a particular principle, either one of His own higher principles which He is seeking to bring to bear upon the earth, by taking incarnation for that specific purpose, or the energy of one of the planetary logoic principles, as it pours through Him via a particular spirilla or life current in the permanent atom of the planetary Logos.

When these types of force are centralised in any particular adept, and He is expressing simply that extraneous force and nothing else, the effect is shown on the physical plane in the appearance of an avatar.  An avatar is, but an adept is made, but frequently the force, energy, purpose or will of a cosmic Entity will utilise the vehicles of an adept in order to contact the physical planes.  This method whereby cosmic Existences make Their power felt can be seen working out on all the planes of the cosmic physical plane.  A striking instance of this can be seen in the case of the Kumaras, Who, under certain planetary forces, and through the formation of a systemic triangle, gave the impulse to the third kingdom which produced the fourth by bringing it into conjunction with the fifth.  These Kumaras, Sanat Kumara and [752] His three pupils, having achieved the highest initiation possible in the last great cycle, but having as yet (from Their standpoint) another step to take, offered Themselves to the planetary Logos of Their Ray as "focal points" for His force, so that thereby He might hasten and perfect His plans on Earth within the cycle of manifestation.  They have demonstrated three out of the four methods.  They are overshadowed by the planetary Logos, and He works directly as the Initiator (in relation to man) through Sanat Kumara, and with the three kingdoms in nature through the three Buddhas of Activity,—Sanat Kumara, being thus concerned directly with the ego on the mental plane, and His three Pupils being concerned with the other three types of consciousness, of which man is the summation.  At the moment of initiation (after the second Initiation) Sanat Kumara becomes the direct mouthpiece and agent of the Planetary Logos.  That great Entity speaks through Him and for one brief second (if one can use such a term in connection with a plane whereon time, as we understand it, is not) the planetary Logos of a man's Ray consciously—via His etheric brain—turns His thought upon the Initiate, and "calls him by His Name."

Again the Kumaras are embodied principles, but in this connection we must remember that this means that the force and energy of one of the principles of the Logos are pouring through Them via that which—to Them—corresponds to the Monad.  Through Them, during Their period of incarnation and voluntary sacrifice, the great Prototype of the planetary Logos begins to make His Presence felt, and force from the constellation of the Great Bear faintly vibrates on earth.  At initiation, man becomes aware consciously of the Presence of the planetary Logos through self-induced contact with his own divine Spirit.  At the fifth Initiation he becomes aware of the full extent of this planetary group influence, and [753] of his part in the great whole.  At the sixth and seventh Initiations the influence of the planetary Prototype is sensed, reaching him via the planetary Logos working through the Initiator.

The method of direct incarnation was earlier seen when the Kumaras were in physical form.  This only applied to some of Them; Sanat Kumara and His Pupils are in physical form, but have not taken dense physical bodies.  They work on the vital etheric levels, and dwell in etheric bodies.  Shamballa, where They dwell, exists in physical matter as do the Kumaras, but it is matter of the higher ethers of the physical plane, and only when man has developed etheric vision will the mystery lying beyond the Himalayas be revealed.  Therefore, Sanat Kumara is the planetary logos yet He is not.  A reflection of this method of direct incarnation can be seen when a disciple steps out of his body and permits his Guru, or a more advanced chela, to use it.

The mystery of the Bodhisattvas has been touched upon by H. P. B. and until students have assimilated and studied what she has said, there is no more to add.  Apprehension of truth is ever the factor that calls for fresh revelation.

A very interesting period will come about the year 1966 and persist to the end of the century.  It is one for which the Great Ones are already making due preparation.  It concerns a centennial effort of the Lodge and of the Personages taking part therein.  Each century sees a centennial effort of the Lodge along a particular line of force made to forward the ends of evolution, and the effort for the twentieth century will be upon a larger scale than has been the case for a very long time, and will involve a number of Great Ones.  In a similar effort during the nineteenth century, H. P. B. was concerned, and a fairly large number of chelas.  In the effort immediately ahead, [754] several of the Great Ones are concerned and the Master of the Masters Himself; in Their "forthcoming" for work three out of the various methods of appearing mentioned earlier will be seen in full activity, and it is on these three that we might now touch.

In the appearing of the Bodhisattva Himself, the mystery of the Bodhisattva will be seen in its fullest sense, and it is not for us here to enlarge upon it.  Suffice it to say that the vestures of the GREAT ONE will be used, but time will show whether the coming Lord will clothe upon those vestures a physical vehicle at this particular juncture, or whether the astral plane may not be the field of His activity.  If the student ponders upon the consequences entailed in the appropriation of this vesture, much light upon probable happenings will be thrown.  The vestures act in a dual capacity:

a. They are very highly magnetised, and therefore have a profound and far-reaching effect when utilised.

b. They act as a focal point for the force of the Lord Buddha and link up the coming Lord with Him, enabling Him to increase His Own stupendous resources by drawing upon still higher force centres, via the Lord Buddha.

This force will find its expression upon the astral plane, producing vast results of a quieting nature and bringing, by reflex action, peace on earth.  The transmutation of desire into aspiration, and the transformation of low desire into high desire, will be some of the effects, while the result of the force flowing through will produce profound reactions of the deva denizens of that plane.  Through the vibration thus set up will come the possibility of many (who would otherwise not do so) taking the first initiation.  Later, towards the end of the greater cycle, the coming Avatar will again employ the vestures [755] with all that is entailed thereby, and will take a physical body, thus demonstrating on the physical plane the force of the Logos in the administration of the Law.  When He comes at the close of this century and makes His power felt, He will come as the Teacher of Love and Unity, and the keynote He will strike will be regeneration through love poured forth on all.  As He will work primarily on the astral plane, this will demonstrate on the physical plane in the formation of active groups in every city of any size, and in every country, which will work aggressively for unity, co-operation and brotherhood in every department of life—economic, religious, social and scientific.

These groups will achieve results now impossible, owing to the retention of buddhic force, but later this force will be set loose on earth via the medium of the Great Lord, operating as an aspect of the Logos, and as a focal point for the consciousness and energy of the Buddha.

It is this impending probability which is held in mind during the century at the annual recurrence of the Wesak festival.  Students would do well to further the ends of the occult Hierarchy by a similar concentration at the time of the festival, thus setting up currents of thought which will have a great appeal in the occult sense of that term.

Indication of the nearing of this event will be seen in the reaction which will be set up during the next twenty-five years against crime, sovietism, and the extreme radicalism which is now being made use of by certain powers to achieve ends contrary to the plans of the Lord.  The era of peace will be ushered in by a gathering together on earth of the forces which stand for construction, and development, and by a conscious deliberate banding together of groups in every land who embody the principle (as far as they can vision it) of Brotherhood.  Watch [756] the signs of the times, and be not discouraged over the immediate future.  The appearance of the Great Lord on the astral plane (whether followed by His physical incarnation or not) will date from a certain Wesak festival at which a mantram (known only to those attaining the seventh Initiation) will be pronounced by the Buddha, thus setting loose force, and enabling His great Brother to fulfil his mission.  Hence the gradual recognition of the Wesak festival, and its true significance in the occident is desirable, and opportunity will be offered to all who are willing to place themselves in the line of this force, and thus become vitalised by it, and consequently available for service.  The reaction mentioned above, will also become possible through the pressure brought to bear by the present children, many of whom are chelas and some initiates.  They have come in to prepare the way for the coming of His Feet.

When the hour strikes (five years prior to the date of His descent) they will be in the full flower of their service and will have recognised their work, even though they may not be conscious of that which the future holds hid.

When the hour has come (and already a few cases are to be found), many cases of overshadowing will be seen and will demonstrate in a threefold manner.  In all countries, in the orient and the occident, prepared disciples and highly evolved men and women, will be found who will be doing the work along the lines intended, and who will be occupying places of prominence which will make them available for the reaching of the many; their bodies also will be sufficiently pure to permit of the overshadowing.  It will only be possible in the case of those who have been consecrated since childhood, who have been servers of the race all their lives, or who, in previous lives, have acquired the right by karma.  This threefold overshadowing will manifest as:

First.  An impression upon the physical brain of the [757] man or woman, of thoughts, plans for work, ideals and intentions which (emanating from the Avatar) will yet be unrecognised by him as being other than his own; he will proceed to put them into action, unconsciously helped by the force flowing in.  This is literally a form of higher mental telepathy working out on physical levels.

Second.  The overshadowing of the chela during his work (such as lecturing, writing, or teaching), and his illumination for service.  He will be conscious of this, though perhaps unable to explain it, and will seek more and more to be available for use, rendering himself up in utter selflessness to the inspiration of His Lord.  This is effected via the chela's Ego, the force flowing through his astral permanent atom; and it is only possible when the fifth petal is unfolded.

Third.  The conscious co-operation of the chela is necessitated in the third method of overshadowing.  In this case he will (with full knowledge of the laws of his being and nature) surrender himself and step out of his physical body, handing it over for the use of the Great Lord or one of His Masters.  This is only possible in the case of a chela who has brought all the three lower bodies into alignment, and necessitates the unfolding of the sixth petal.  By an act of conscious will he renders up his body, and stands aside for a specific length of time.

These methods of overshadowing will be largely the ones used by the Great Lord and His Masters at the end of the century, and for this reason They are sending into incarnation, in every country, disciples who have the opportunity offered them to respond to the need of humanity.  Hence the need of training men and women to recognise the higher psychism, and the true inspiration and mediumship, and to do this scientifically.  In fifty years time, the need for true psychics and conscious mediums (such as H. P. B., for instance) will be very great [758] if the Master's plans are to be carried to fruition, and the movement must be set on foot in preparation for the coming of Him for Whom all nations wait.  In this work many have their share, provided they demonstrate the necessary endurance.