(4) You must strictly act up to the directions that will be given to you with the instruction herein promised.
I must also add here that anything like a wavering state of mind as to the reality of Occult Science and the efficacy of the prescribed process is likely to prevent the production of the desired result.
In sending me a reply to this letter I hope you will be good enough to let me know whether you are acquainted with the Sanskrit Alphabet and whether you can pronounce Sanskrit words correctly and distinctly.
I beg to remain,
Yours sincerely,
T. SUBBA ROW.
Letter No. 59130 (ML-132) No date indicated
Letters Nos. 59 and 60 must be considered together, as they are actually not two letters but one. Letter No. 59 consists of extracts from a letter from T. Subba Row to the Mahatma M. concerning instructions to Sinnett.
Sinnett had written to Subba Row and the latter had forwarded the letter on to the Mahatma M. with these comments. The Mahatma K.H. has extracted them from Subba Row' s letter for Sinnett' s benefit, since apparently he thinks the Mahatma M. may not give the letter immediate attention.
Extracts I got for your benefit — pitying your impatience — from "Rishi M." See my note.
It would no doubt cause him considerable inconvenience if he were obliged to change his mode of life completely. You will find from the letters that he is very anxious to know beforehand the nature of the Siddhis or wonder-working powers that he is expected to obtain by the process or ritual I intend prescribing for him.
The power to which he will be introduced by the process in question will no doubt develop wonderful clairvoyant powers both as regards sight and sound in some of its higher correlations; and that the highest of its correlations is intended by our Rishi — M — to lead the candidate through the first three stages of initiation if he is properly qualified for it.
But I am not prepared to assure Mr. Sinnett NOW that I will teach him any of its higher correlations. What I mean to teach him now is a necessary preliminary preparation for studying such correlations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my proposal into consideration.
As I have been wandering here and there since my arrival here I have not been able to complete my second article with reference to Mr. Oxley's book.
But I will try my best to finish it as soon as possible. For the present I beg to remain
Your most obedient servant
T. SUBBA ROW.
To Madam H. P. Blavatsky, etc. Coconada 3rd June, 1882.
My dear friend, I strongly advise you not to undertake at present a task beyond your strength and means; for once pledged were you to break your promise it would cut you off for years, if not for ever from any further progress. I said from the first to Rishi "M." that his intention was kind but his project wild. How can you in your position undertake any such labour? Occultism is not to be trifled with. It demands all or nothing. I read your letter to S.R. sent by him to Morya and I see you do not understand the first principles of . . . X.
(Contd. [in Letter No. 60 (ML-76)])
Letter No. 60131 (ML-76) No date
This is a continuation of the Mahatma K.H.' s comments in Letter No. 59 (ML-132) which somehow got separated from the first part of the letter. The paper is different, which may explain why the two were not kept together.
X . . . Chela training. Poor Subba Row is "in a fix" — that is why he does not answer you. On one hand he has the indomitable H.P.B. who plagues Morya's life to reward you, and M. himself who would if he could gratify your aspirations; on the other he encounters the unpassable Chinese wall of rules and Law. Believe me, good friend, learn what you can under the circumstances — viz. — the philosophy of the phenomena and our doctrines on Cosmogony, inner man, etc. This Subba Row will help you to learn, though his terms — he being an initiated Brahmin and holding to the Brahmanical esoteric teaching — will be different from those of the "Arhat Buddhist" terminology. But essentially both are the same — identical in fact. My heart melts when I read Mr. Hume's sincere noble letter — especially what I perceive between the lines. Yes; to one from his standpoint our policy must seem selfish and cruel. I wish I were the Master! In five or six years I hope to become my own "guide" and things will have somewhat to change, then. But even Cæsar in irons cannot shuffle off the irons and transfer them to Hippo or Thraso the turnkey. Let us wait. I cannot think of Mr. Hume without remembering each time an allegory of my own country: the genius of Pride watching over a treasure, an inexhaustible wealth of every human virtue, the divine gift of Brahma to man. The Genius has fallen asleep over its treasure now, and one by one the virtues are peeping out. . . . Will he awake before they are all freed from their life long bonds? That is the question —
K. H.
Letter No. 61132 (ML-17) Dated June 1882
Again several letters should be considered together. Letter No. 61 is a Question & Answer letter; No. 62 is called "Appendix" and contains some comments referred to by the Mahatma in his answers in No. 62 as "Appendix" No. I, II, and III. These are elaborations on the answers he has given in No. 61. Letter No. 63 is actually not a separate letter but a continuation of No. 62 which became separated.
These two letters constitute a resumption of the technical teachings. It will be remembered that there was no clear definition of terms at this time, which may possibly lead to some confusion in trying to understand.
It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the doctrine of the Rounds and Races, Globes, Chains, etc. In Sinnett' s book, Esoteric Buddhism, the concepts are presented. Later books also deal with them, especially H.P.B.'s The Secret Doctrine.
Received Simla, June, 1882.
(1) Some fifth round men have already begun to appear on earth. In what way are they distinguishable from fourth round men of the seventh earthly incarnation? I suppose they are in the first incarnation of the fifth round and that a tremendous advance will be achieved when the fifth round people get to their seventh incarnation.
(1) The natural-born Seers and clairvoyants of Mrs. A. Kingsford's and Mr. Maitland's types; the great adepts of whatsoever country; the geniuses — whether in arts, politics or religious reform. No great physical distinction yet; too early and will come later on.
Quite so. If you turn to Appendix No. I133 you will find it explained.
(2) But if a 1st-5th134 round man devoted himself to occultism and became an adept, would he escape further earthly incarnations?
(2) No; if we except Buddha — a sixth round being, as he had run so successfully the race in his previous incarnations as to outrun even his predecessors. But then such a man is to be found one in a billion of human creatures. He differed from other men as much in his physical appearance as in spirituality and knowledge. Yet even he escaped further reincarnations but on this earth; and, when the last of the sixth round men of the third ring is gone out of this earth, the Great Teacher will have to get reincarnated on the next planet. Only, and since He sacrificed Nirvanic bliss and Rest for the salvation of his fellow creatures He will be re-born in the highest — the seventh ring of the upper planet. Till then He will overshadow every decimillenium (let us rather say and add "has overshadowed already") a chosen individual who generally overturned the destinies of nations. See Isis, Vol. I, pp. 34 and 35, last and first para. on the pages.