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vol. title: vol. period: 1882 pages in vol.: 229 |
<Untitled> (Science was well known to the Aryan race...)
… science was well known to the Aryan race long before the discoveries made in the Western world. The wonderful effect of this science is daily exploded in cases of prophecy—communication with person, dead or living, at a distant state of external unconsciousness, still consciousness within. Charmed water you may not believe in it. There is something in it. A man by his will can change the water with certain current of force, which, when the water is drunk by the patient, create wonderful effect on him. I will give an instance of sorcery. A man being very much... after a young girl, not being able to get her, practised sorcery by fixing his eyes upon a black spot, and calling to mind the image of the girl by muttering certain formula of words, and at the end of 40 days when the image of the girl became visible to him, she came to him of her accord.
“Your Shastras are full of proofs that your ancestors well knew the occult science. I had several discussions with the yogis and swamis of Benares. I am told the yogis could produce miracles, but I was sadly disappointed. In that city of Benares, which I thought to be the centre of learning, and where, I was told, many yogis and swamis lived, I expected to learn something, but I could get no man who would teach me. Whilst I was at Benares, Madame Blavatsky was with me. As to her wonderful career I have already said sufficiently in my address to you in the Town Hall, and I will now give you an instance of her wonderful powers. One day, whilst we were in the palace of the Maharajah of Vizianagram, with the Professor of Benares College, Madame Blavatsky was requested to show some of her magical powers, and in an instant, showers of roses were thrown into the hall, from where or whence one could not make out.
“Gentlemen, there are greater truths in your mantras and jugglers than you think of, though there may be exaggeration. There was an instance of driving out evil spirit at Madras by tom-tom. Thought is material, it is the electric galvanic force, and if thought is properly directed; it leads you to the knowledge of the unseen world. You consider the sun dies, but it does not. Sound is the vibration in the air, and it exists ad infinitum, though the degree of perception may be infinitesimally small. From this you may gather that there is affinity between this world and the next; hence the influence of planets over this universe and over the human beings inhabiting on it.
“Psychology was well known and understood by the Hindus, Parsis, and Buddhists; and the Vedas give ample proof of it, and in the perfection of religious and moral thoughts such as your conception of Shiva. I may say that we have adopted most of your habits and customs, finding them useful, such as burning the dead body instead of burying. We have met here to promote our mutual knowledge of the religious and moral science. We have nothing to do with politics; and if I succeed in impressing, upon your minds that your forefathers had at one time acquired great eminence in the science of religion and morality and that your Vedas can teach you more of this science than the Western learning. I shall feel great satisfaction and shall deliver a series of lectures on the subjects in the next winter season when I shall again come to Calcutta.”
Pundit Jogendro Nath Tarkochuramony, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to Colonel Olcott, said that the Western nations characterize the Hindus as superstitious. But this is a false charge. Our forefathers were fond of Shastras. They were educated men—and the white men have acknowledged the superiority of shastras—ascetics (Paramhansas) whose chief object was the purification of soul and the attainment of salvation. He referred to our Vedas, which, he said, bears testimony to the intellectual and moral improvements of our forefathers. He explained briefly what is meant by yoga, and said that at one time people paid particular attention to the study of yoga and philosophy. In conclusion, he also expressed his regret that he could not introduce the Colonel to a yogi of the oldest type as such a man has become very rare in the present time.
The President, Babu Shama Churn Sircar, then rose and made the following remarks:—“First, our countrymen are inattentive to their Shastras which may be compared to an ocean from which pearls may be collected, if searched. We are like toads sitting on the roots of lilies. Bees from different directions, tempted by their sweet scent approached them and enjoy their honey. But we, seated in their roots, do neither smell the sweet fragrance nor enjoy the honey. Secondly none of our countrymen take the trouble to study our yoga shastras. If they do so, the Aryans at one day may get the pre-eminence amongst all the religious communities of the world. He that has fully compared the scope of the Aryan religion will feel no pain at the time of his death.” In conclusion, the President hoped highly of the long standing Club, and said it has been doing great good to our country by discussions on subjects of such great importance and interest. He bestowed many thanks to the Honorary Secretary, Babu Prosad Das Mullick, and the members.
The meeting separated at 11 A. M. after a vote of thanks to the President by Babu Soshi Bhusun Mukerji.
H. S. O.[2]>
The Theosophists.
O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us |
Sir,—Will you permit me to say a few words anent the criticism on Col. Olcott which appeared in your issue of the 9th? It grieves me to discover that you should have so soon, at this early stage of your career, backslided from the contemplation of your own name, and dispensing with real charity should have been so very liberal with the reputation of a gentleman of whom you can know nothing because you will not know anything. I do not believe Col. Olcott will reply to your article. His innate modesty prevents him from parading his name too often before the public. But I who have known him for over three years, and known him more intimately, perhaps, than any other native of India, may be permitted to say a few words on behalf of Col. Olcott, which he will not say for himself.
You have taken the separation of Pandit Dayanund Saraswati from the Theosophical Society as your text for your anti-theosophical sermon. Will you excuse my saying that the “Latter-day Saints” have been put into the balance and, for once, found wanting? Did you not feel that you had committed an error of judgement, if not of taste, when you fired off this bomb into the theological camp? But the opportunity was too tempting. You saw it—you sniffed about it—you smelt it—and you did not leave it alone. Unfortunately, you happened to be ignorant of the merits of the case you flourished so triumphantly in the face of Col. Olcott. Since you have reproduced the slanderous paragraph from the Bombay Gazette reflecting on the honor of Mme Blavatsky and Col. Olcott, it is as well that your readers should see the other side of the shield. As an officer of the Theosophical Society, I saw with pain the many vagaries of the Swami whom the Arya-Samajists have elevated to the rank of a Rishi. You go cleanwide of the mark when you say that the Founders of our Society came to India to place themselves under the Swami, as his pupils. It was nothing of the kind. They never were pupils, nor proposed to be, of any one man. They were students of the Vedas, and as such they sought the assistance of Dayanund as of one who had read the scriptures of his country with the ardour of the scholar and the patriot. At the same time they put themselves in communication with other learned Shastris and Pandits. On their arrival on these shores the enchantment lent by the great distance between the American and Indian continents faded away. They found that the Swami was all he had been represented to be with regard to mere scholarship. But they also saw, what we Indians had discovered long since, that he was ambitious. He had not merged his personality in the cause he advocated. He desired to be the Pope of a new propaganda. He aspired to be the prophet of a new dispensation. He had “but the weight of his name,” as you call it, to the Theosophical Society, so that he might govern the thousands of its members. For three years he tried it without any success. It is not worth while to stir dirty water; otherwise if the correspondence that passed between the Col. and the Swami were made public, it “could a tale unfold” which would not reflect much credit on the latter. It would shew the wonderful instability of his character and statements. I am in a position to affirm that the Pandit Dayanund Saraswati Swami, President Founder of the Arya-Samaj, has both, in writing and orally, before unimpeachable Native and European witnesses, admitted the truth of the occult phenomena of the yogis as well as those performed by Mme. Blavatsky. What avails it now to call them names? The public are now in a position to judge of the truthfulness of the Swami-Rishi. Now that he has separated himself from us, let him go! Let him go, and cast the huge shadow of his ambition over the hearts of the people—we Theosophists will go to work manfully to cast the shadow out, and we will replace it by the light of knowledge and brotherly affection. Yes! we Theosophists are not only brothers in our own circle—all good men, of the Arya-Somaj or the Brahmo Somaj or any Somaj whatever, who work for the regeneration of this country, all good men are our brothers in Theosophy!
A few words more and I have done. You ask what Col. Olcott has accomplished for India! You give a whole budget of things which you say he has not accomplished. I can tell you a different tale—hundreds of other Theosophists can tell you a different tale. In the course of three years only he and his Society have done more to regenerate India than the New Dispensation with its decades. But let us cease carping at each other in this uncharitable spirit. After all what is in a name? Brother of the New Dispensation, let us forget our differences in one common aim—the spiritual renaissance of this country of many nations!
Lucknow,
The 14th April 882.
S. J. Padshah.
<Untitled> (The Theosophists seem to us to be very sensitive...)
☞ The Theosophists seem to us to be very sensitive. We said nothing that we did not honestly believe, and honest differences of opinion should evoke replies and not expressions of regret. It is absurd to expect that a body which professes to revive the exploded occultism of ancient India should find its opinions pass unchallenged. A great deal of hostile criticism is inevitable, but it is an evil for which our good friends must be prepared.—Ed. L.
TUESDAY, 6 P. M.
Lecture on Theosophy,
BY
COLONEL OLCOTT.
THE PATCHIAPPAH’S HALL.
FIRST CLASS.
Theosophical Society.
The sixth anniversary of the above Society was held at the Framji Cowasji Institute, Bombay, on the 12th January last, on which occasion the building was crowded by an enthusiastic audience. Dr. Pandurang Gopal being voted to the chair made a few introductory remarks on the good work the Society was doing among people of all castes, and called upon the Secretary to read the report and balance-sheet for the last year; from the latter of which it appeared that upwards of 4000 rupees had been advanced by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olcott during that period.
The President, Col. Olcott, gave a long and interesting address, reviewing the work of the past year, and illustrating the growing influence of the Society in the advancement of Rationalism and the resuscitation of primitive Buddhism. Several other speakers followed. Mr. K. M. Shroff’s concluding speech terminating with a grand burst of applause from the audience.
Editor's notes
- ↑ Science was well known to the Aryan race... by unknown author. The beginning of the clipping is physically lost.
- ↑ Handwritten note signed “H. S. O.”
- ↑ The Theosophists. by unknown author (signed as S. J. Padshah), Liberal and the New Dispensation, The, Calcutta, Sunday, April 23, 1882. The signature line prints the year as “882”.
- ↑ The Theosophists seem to us to be very sensitive... by unknown author (signed as Ed. L.), Liberal and the New Dispensation, The, Calcutta, Sunday, April 23, 1882
- ↑ Lecture on Theosophy by Olcott, Henry Steel
- ↑ Theosophical Society. by unknown author, Harbinger of Light, The, No. 140, April 1, 1882, p. 2194
- ↑ Illegible handwritten mark above the clipping. The writer has not been identified.
Sources
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Harbinger of Light, No. 140, April 1, 1882, p. 2194