This text was extracted from an image and needs proofreading.
Publications:
- Lucifer, vol. 4, no. 23, July 1889, pp. 407-415
Read:
Download:
DATA
Title for references: Old W.R. - Notes on the Seven Mystery Names
Short description:
407
The above article cannot fail to attract the attention of all lovers of the occult, and it will not, I think, prove uninteresting to the student of comparative philology. In considering a subject of this nature from the standpoint of the Theosophist it is advantageous to know that these planetary names are of a generic nature, and refer as much to the various planes, spheres, principles, states, and conditions of Being, as to the planetary bodies themselves; or the humanity which inhabits them. Moreover they have reference to certain intelligent Forces in the universe, which may be considered separately, as in relation to Spiritual entities, or in the aggregate as a collective manifestation of the One Life.
408
Borrowing a little of the light of Lucifer, we may profitably reflect upon this interesting subject.
No doubt our able author is right when he says, “It seems to be no easy task to tell which of the different series of names is nearest the truth.” When we know that different names have been conferred upon the same planetary bodies in almost every language, and this with the view of pourtraying their several different characteristics, and further, when we regard the inevitable confusion and the distortion of those names by transmission through the centuries from one nation to another, it becomes, as said, no easy task to make a complete identification between even two of the different systems of nomenclature.
But it may not be unprofitable to make a comparative survey of the results which have rewarded, in no small degree, the patient investigations of our compiler.
A – To begin then with the sun, or Sol. As the name suggests he is the On or One, the adjective form of which word is “only.” In the Sanskrit we have the word Sum or Sam which means “all,” and which by transliteration becomes our word Sun. Hence also the Hebrew, shemesh, samazon, Samson, &c. (Comp. Table 13, No. I.)
Under these names of Sol, Sum, Shem, On, An, &c. the solar sphere becomes a natural symbol of Svabhavat, the “All Being,” whose light is Wisdom, whose heat is Love, and in the union of which consists the Intelligence of Life.
In table 2 it will be seen that Raphael is attributed to the sun and Michael to the planet Mercury, while in tables 3, 4, 5 and 6, the arrangement favours the exchange of these names, giving Michael to the sun and Raphael to Mercury. This latter method agrees with the above remarks as regards the sun. Mercury’s Regent we will consider in its order.
“Michael is formed from three Hebrew words, Mi – who, Cah – like, Al – God; i.e., Who is like unto God? and for the sake of analogy we may ask, “What is like unto the sun?” In note 2 the Chinese name is given as Ji. This becomes in the Sanskrit, Jee, and in Hebrew, Chey, both of which mean “life.” In table 9 Aziel seems to get its name from Az – flame, and Al – a power. Och and Ah in tables 10 and 12 may be considered as the same, the ch, as is often the case, changes here to the aspirate equivalent. Og, Ah, Ahi, Uch, Ag, are all oriental names for the sun or its spiritual counterpart. It may be remarked here that Shemesh denotes the solar light, as distinguished from chammah, the solar heat, and cheres, the solar body. Thus at the outset we may see how the “mystery names” become thrice mystical when we fail to take into consideration the fact that a name in the pristine sense denotes a quality of the abstract noumenon, and not of the thing itself.
B. – The moon, as may be seen from the above remark, has more names than all the other planets put together; for, on account of its swift 409motion, its nearness to the earth, its powerful magnetic influence, and other more occult reasons, it would present innumerable qualities which might escape notice in the case of planets having a slower motion in orbits more distant from the earth.
In Table 1, the name of Gabriel is given to the Moon, and it means the powerful or “strong god.” But this name, we know, is the Hebrew name for Mars, whence also the name Kabir or Cabeir. The word Geber means “strong,” and it is often used to designate a male, and yet we know that it was applied to the moon by the Egyptians and Chaldeans. The explanation of this seeming contradiction lies on the fact that the moon was sacred to them as a symbol of the male-female power in nature, and they called the moon in this sense, Aphroditos, which embodied the male Lunus and the female Luna. So we may safely affirm that Gabriel is a name indicative merely of one of the lunar qualities, viz., strength, but most probably when in association with Mars. By Jerecheal, Table 2, the lunar light is denoted. Jerech is the Hebrew for a lunar month, i.e., the period of its changes in regard to the light source, Sol, from one new moon to the next. The same root is met with in the name of the city Jericho. It may be noted here that the word for the second day of the week, over which the moon has dominion, is called in the Hebrew Sheni, which means, “my repetition, my second, or my confirmation,” and it may certainly be said of the emblem of Isis that it is second only to that of the celestial Osiris, which is the Echod, or One; Rasit, or first
Jevanal (ibid) is from Hebrew Junah or Jevanah, a dove, which like the moon is a symbol of the Holy Spirit of the Western world, the Brahma-vâch of the Orient, and the Ruach-hequedosh of the middle ground.[1] This word Jevanah is no doubt a cognate of the Sanskrit jivana – to foster, restore or revive; hence the accepted characteristic of the Third Person of the Christian orthodoxy, the Restorer. The Greek Holy Spirit is called Juno, the Bride (comp. Sanskrit Juna, juven, &c., under root joov). Juno Lucina was the goddess invoked by the Romans during childbirth. Levahan (note I.) is from Hebrew leben, whiteness.
In Table 5 we find the moon called Samayn or Shemayn, which we may translate as the “one of many names,” since the word is the plural form of Shem, which denotes a state, condition, place, or name. Its fitness with regard to the moon is very apparent. Selene, Table 7. is the Greek name for the moon. It is curious to note the occult signification of the expression so well-known even in our own country, that the new born babe was “got out of the parsley bed.” The simple explanation of the fact is that the Greek for parsley, is Selinon! but as said, there is an occult truth lying beneath the surface of this quaint figure of speech.
Mephistopheles, as a name for the moon, is very apt, and its meaning, “lover of the clouds,” neatly conveys the idea of certain characteristics 410of the lunar orb, which will suggest themselves to the occultist without particular mention in this place. Phul, Table 10, may be the Hebrew root of the words for “sacrifice, intercession &c.” as in the Sanskrit Bui, a sacrifice, meaning also power, strength, virus, like the Hebrew Geber. We may note that Bol, or Baal, was the name of the ruler to whom as Baal-berith, the Egyptians sacrificed the bull in order to celebrate the conjunction of Sol and Luna in the sign Taurus, the equinox of the ancients.
Jao. Table 15, is so well-known as a name for the Holy Spirit that no comment need be made upon the name at this place. Lilah, Lilith, Delilah, Vach Vacca, Bacchus, are all names of the multinomial orb.
C. – The planet Mars rules Tuesday, the third day of the week. In Sanskrit the root Mar denotes “conflict, affliction, battle,” and the word Samur has also the same signification, as will be seen in the names of Mars, Samuel, Samael, &c. The sphere of Mars has been identified with the Hindu Vishnu. The root number of Mars is 3, and the worshippers of Vishnu in some parts of India are distinguished by bearing on their foreheads three parallel red lines. Belshalisha was worshipped by the Egyptians under the form of a triple-headed man, armed as a warrior; also as Persis and Perseus, “the fire of Zeus, or Jupiter” This denotes the lightning flash of the god of thunder, and is the Fohatic sharp two-edged sword of the gods. Camael, Tab. 2, describes Mars as the “power or spirit of heat” – cham or cam. Madimial means the “spirit of the vehement ones” – Madim, hence English – mad. The word vehement seems to suggest the secret Vahan or vehicle of the Alhim, i.e. Fohat; vuhni being the Sanskrit for fire, as well as agni. Modym is the same as the name Madim. Adom (note 1) is a Hebrew term denoting “redness,” a state inseparable from the things of Mars. Emanuel, Table 3, son of Zeuspater is a kabiric name for Mars. Adamasto, Table 7, has a common root with the words Kadam, Kadmon, Cadmus, Gaudama, Gotoma, &c. which are generic names for the parents of the Kaliyuga, or Iron age of Mars. Maruel, Barbuel, and Maravel, are all of the same root, Mar. (vide Table 9.) Phaleg or Peleg, Table 10, means to “sever, distribute, divide,” and refers to the Cabiric or martial sword. Suriel, Table 14, is the same as Zuriel. The root sar (Sanskrit) means strength vigour, excellency, and likewise iron. The Hebrew Sheir or Ser, means a ruler, governor, or commander, whence perhaps the English – Sir, sire, &c. This expression is equal to the Spanish, Don, Greek, Adonis, and Hebrew, Adonay; all of which terms are applied to Mars in his capacity of Kabiric ruler. In Table 15, the name Suriel is applied to the sun, while Sabao or Saba, meaning a host, or an army, is given to Mars by Origen – from which incident we may still further evidence the mutability of this nomenclature.
D. – Mercury, the fourth planet of the Sapta, rules the fourth day of the week, i.e. Woden’s day. This Woden is the same as Odin and 411Buddha. As Hermes he is called the messenger of the gods, and we may hence suspect an association between Woden and Vudan, the Sanskrit word for the mouth. As Mercury he is the swift-winged messenger of the gods, in the matter of merx or trade, and perhaps mer-cura, the waters of healing. Thus in Table 1, he is called Raphael, “the spirit of healing.” Besides the waters of healing, Mercury is said to hold the Caduceus, i.e. the Kedshi-ash, “or flame of the holy ones,” which means the spirit of truth. The Hebrew for 4, the root number of Mercury, is Reboah, which denotes vibration, agitation, &c. qualities peculiarly connected with the operations of the mercurial element of Akasa, and the astral fluid. Cochabiel, Table 2, means the spirit of the astral light, for cocab means to shine, and is used in reference to the stars as Jerech to the moon and shemesh to the sun (see ante par. A.) Coahabiah is from coah, to burn, being here no doubt a reference to the nearness of the mercurial orb to the sun. Those who understand the symbolism of the East, will see under this figure of the burning mercury, the Egyptian sphinx, which at the end of the soli-mercurial period is said to be consumed in the flames of the sun on the temple of Osiris. A Chaldean name for the Phoenix was Calo, which means to consume. In Tables 3 and 5, the Regents of Jupiter and Mercury are given as the same in one instance viz., Zecharial, but this may be accounted for by the fact that zecar sometimes means to remember, and in this sense refers to the nature of the mercurial faculty which is vested in the astral light i.e. the memoria mundi.
The Chinese name for Mercury, the “water star,” clearly refers to the nature of the healing, cleansing and convertible spirit of Raphael. Panurgio, Table 7, is from the Greek Pan, all, and urgon, work, and is expressive of the skill which the god of merx showed in this respect. Argus was the warder of Juno, no doubt the same as Kartikya the warder of Pravati, who is said to have six faces and one hundred eyes.
Ariel, in Table 9, means the “Spirit of Light,” or “of the River.” The Hebrew ar, to flow, likewise denotes flame and by the insertion o, a formative (u) wav or vau, it becomes light (see par. F.).
Ophiel, Table 11, is the spirit of Oph, Opis, or Avis. The root Oph (Hebrew) means to flutter or vibrate; a tremulous motion, hence Ouph a bird, or winged creature. In the book of Hermes, mention is made of “the all-powerful sceptre which holds the Ophion.” This refers to the Caduceus of Mercury which holds the winged serpents united i.e., Oph-Yoni.
Nabu, Table 13, is Nebo, a term often used in Oriental countries as a mark of distinction, like Azar (strong). In the name Nabonazar they are combined. Nebo means “to put forth, utter, pour out, produce interpret, or prophesy,” and has evident allusion to the reproductive memory of Hermes, and to his prerogative as “Interpreter of the Gods.”
Nebo, is Dagon, the Sun-fish, Oannes, Johannes, Jonah, &c., other names 412for Mercurius, “the water star.” Astaphai, Table 15, seems to be from Stao-phe, the appointed Mouth, Hebrew, Setphi, but it may be Chaldean, asta or vesta, fire, and phe or pi, mouth.
E. – Jupiter, Table 1, is called Sachiel, which we may regard as a modification of Zadkiel or Tzedekial, as in Tables 2 and 5. Tzedek (Hebrew) means judgment, justice (Latin, Judex). The 5th day over which Jupiter has dominion is called in Genesis I. Chemesh, which means “to make regular, to equalize,” as in the species of the animal kingdom, the cosmic order of the elements, or the ideas of the mind. Chemesh thus means, “to array or set in order, to make ready.” The various names of Jupiter, such as Devapatri, Deopater, Zeuspater, Tao, Theo, Jove, Joveh, Jehovah, &c., are all cognate expressions having reference to Brahma, the creator, with whom this planet has been associated. Thus the names Jove, Joveh, Jehovah, are but Jah-vah i.e. Brahmâviraj and Brahmâ-vâch.
The Hindu name for Jupiter is Bripusputi i.e., Lord of Creation, in the sense of an expansion of Himself. The Hebrew Bra means “to create.” Sodech, Table 2, is Zodek, Zadok or Tzedek. As Cocab Baal, the Star God, Thor is represented as a powerful man (naked, holding a sceptre in his right hand and seven lightnings in the left; he stands upon the clouds of thunder, and his head is crowned by seven stars. Thor means a circulator. As Zacharia, Jupiter is known as “the strong God,” i.e., Zecar-Jah. Jophiel, Table 4, is the intelligence of the Sphere of Jupiter; the word no doubt being a form of Hebrew Jahvah.
Zebul, Table 5, is the Recompenser, Karmic Law or Justice. Pashar is “the expanding flame,” i.e., Brahmâ, from Brih, to expand.
Aglae, Table 7, means the circulator or the Revolver. It is worth noticing that such names as Thor, Zebul, Shebul, Agla, all convey the same idea of revolution and circulation, which fitly describe the Karmic Law of Justice, the specific quality of Zedekial or Zachiel; and, when united with Brih, Bra, Brahmâ, &c. the expanders, a very clear idea of the principles of Cosmic Evolution is obtained. Bethar, Tables 10 and 12, is a form of Thor and refers to Baal Bethor, “the undefiled.” Marduk, Table 13, is Lord God: and if this may be Meradag, then it denotes “the Lord of the Increase,” i.e., the Creator.
Thauthabaoth, Table 14, is from Toth, Tat, Tad, Dat, Dad (a father) and Abuth, swelling, distention, or expansion, and here again Jupiter is identified with Br-aum, and Brahm.
Eloi, Table 15, means simply “my God.”
F. – Venus as Van-esh and Luxfero, Phosphorus or Lucifer, must be well known to all our readers. Venus is also called Bhavanee, Parvutee, Pravati, and Doorga, the impregnable, “Kartikya and Pravati,” or Mercury and Venus, and conjointly Hermes-Aphrodite, i.e. the Androgynous Buddhi-Manas. Venus rules over Friday the 6th day; 413Hebrew Sis or Shesh, meaning bright, cheerful, sparkling. Venus is variously called Lucifer, Hesperus, Vesta, Hestia &c. Of the Vestal virgins there were six said to be the guardians of the Sacred fire. This mythos when viewed in connection with Venus, whose root number is Six, at once suggests the Linga Yoni and Solipse i.e., the two interlaced triangles, or six pointed star, with a central Fire or Life source called Bhavani or Venus (vide symbol of Theosophical Society). Anael, Haniel, Tables 1 and 2, is Diana, Anna, Hannah, the Bride of On Hanniel, (Hebrew) means the Gracious Spirit or Power. Freya or Frigga, the Northern Goddess of Beauty is the same as Phria (Hebrew) the Fruitful. Therefore as the Vestal Virgin of Heaven, Venus is the Sacred Nun, the fruitful yet immaculate source of life. The word “Nun” means a fish; hence arises the sacred association of “the diet of fish” with Dies Veneris. Nogahel, from Nogah, to shine or glitter, doubtless refers to the appearance of the planet Venus, and such of us as are more nearly under its magnetic influence; thus Nogah and Nogah Zaharah (Hebrew) is “the pellucid brightness” or “the clear shining” (ibid note 1). Moledotha or Molyedoth means “She who filleth the hands.” Uriel, Table 3, is the Spirit of Light. The Hebrew Aur, light, is from Ar, to flow, whence we may conclude that the “undulatory theory” of light was that supported by the Hebrews and their Teachers, the Chaldeans and Egyptians. The formative letter U, vau, or wav (numerical value six), means to connect, link, hook together, or to marry, by which peculiarities it became a special sign for Venus. Uriel, Auriel, or Oriel is the same as Luxfero, “the Light bearer.”
Kin Sing, the metal star (note 1) is likewise the Ken, or Queen Star Kinya (Sanskrit) means the Virgin, Ceres, the sign Virgo; and Kansyuh, the Queen’s metal or copper, is the metal ruled by Venus. Kin, the Chinese, means “to foretell” and Nechesh, the Hebrew for copper, also means “to augur, to divine, or to foretell the future.” The influence of the planet Venus in this respect is well-known to all Astrologers (e.g. see Zadkiel’s Grammar of Astrology, ch. X.)
Anahel, Table 5, and Anael are the same. Barael, Hebrew Bar, to cleanse, is the Spirit of Purity. Erosia, Table 7, is the Goddess of Love, Eros. Hagith, Tables 10 and 12, means “the festive” or “the dancer”; terms which are almost inseparable in Eastern Countries, as it was always the custom to celebrate the return (Haga) of festivals, by dancing, singing, and the like Venus demonstrations. Orai, Table 15, is Ouriel or Uriel.
G – Saturn or Sat-ar-nons, the “pure Light mind” is also known as Chronos, the god of time, and Charon, the mystic conveyer of souls into Hades. Saturn rules the 7th day, i.e., the Sabbath; hence the Hebrew name of Saturn was Shebatael. The word Sabbath means to rest, to stay, cease or complete. Thus Saturn is sometimes compared to the Hindu Shiv, “the Restorer” or “the Destroyer.” Sab or Shiv in 414Hebrew (English, Save) means to turn back, to restore, as by old age, death or pralaya. Cassiel, Table I, means Cold, and is applied, in the Hebrew, to denote that state of rigidity or paralysis (pralaya) in the astral fluid which is the cause of Nature’s death, both individually and generally. Thus Job xxxviii, v. 31, should be rendered “canst thou bind the (modnuth kimah) trembling heat, or loose the (kesil tipetech) bonds of coldness?”
Zaphiel, Table 2, means “the concealed or hidden.” Charaphael, Table 3, denotes the Spirit of Devastation, i.e., Shiv. Chereph (Hebrew) means to strip, to lay waste, or to desolate; it is a name for the winter. Oriphiel or Orphael, table 4, is the Spirit of Bereavement. Ophiel, as applied to Saturn, or Chronos, may denote the Ouph or Serpent which comprehends the universe, a symbol of continuous revolution and endless Being.
Tu Sing, the earth star (note 1) denotes the Saturnine nature in its lowest or material aspect, the cold, condensing, binding power in Cosmos. Kaphiel, Table 6, denotes the compacted, condensed or congealed state of the elements while under Saturn’s influence. It also signifies gloom or depression, a condition not uncommon among Saturnine souls. Lethophoro, Table 7, is the angel of death or forgetfulness (Lethum).
The Lethean waters, over which Saturn presides, are said to encircle the lower world and it is therefore required that all souls passing to and fro between this world and another should pass through these waters of forgetfulness. Persons who cannot understand that they have had previous incarnations on this or another planet, will do well to examine this mythos and find out what the nature of these mystic waters actually is.
Arathron, Table 10, is “the one who encircles the Light,” i.e. the great mystery or Darkness. Adar-malik means the strong king. Perhaps the Egyptian worship of Moloch, who is said to devour his own children; was only a corrupted idolatry of “Shiv, the Destroyer.” Eratzaoth, Table 14, is identical with the Chinese Tu Sing or “Earth Star” – Hebrew, Eretz, the earth. Ildabaoth is the Hebrew Ildabuth, which means “the progenitor of the fathers,” i.e., of the Devapitars and their earthly prototypes, the ancient patriarchs. In this sense Saturn is a type of the Great Mystery, the Infinite Being; Bhu (Sanskrit) to be; Hebrew, the Boundless (vide, Gen. i. 2).
In making these notes upon the different names of the planetary spheres, as given in the foregoing article by Brother Bonggren, I have been forced to leave out of mention, for the most part, those contained in Table 8, for I confess ignorance as to their origin, although some of the roots seem quite familiar. Therefore, while offering these remarks as an addendum to the patient and careful researches of our author, I shall hope, with him, that Lucifer will supply our deficiency. The presence of eight names in Table 8 is to me an obstacle in itself.
415
Saturn and Mercury, Sol and Mars, and the Moon and Venus have many names in common, which arises from the fact that the natures of these spheres are in many respects similar. In conclusion it is necessary to remark that, although the Chaldeans, Egyptians, and Hebrews, and latterly the Greeks and Romans, have attributed the septenary power of Nature to the then known bodies of the solar system, yet the oriental sages of even earlier times had quite a different foundation for a similar system of nomenclature.
The Seven Rishis are the Divine Sages, Prajapatis, or Lordly Sons who are said by the Hindus to rule over the seven locas or “spheres.” [2] In applying the planetary symbols of the solar system to indicate these seven Lokas and the principles of the microcosm corresponding to them, the Hindu Sages placed them in the following order: Saturn Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, and Moon as determined by their respective Geocentric radii. By a repetition of this order to the 10th place we obtain the planetary names for the days of the week from the integers of the series as follows: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, &c.
Ten was the number of signs in the most ancient Zodiac, and it is a sacred number arising out of the union of the phallus and circle or linga-yoni, i.e., the Alpha and Omega of Creation. These ten signs as “the gates of the lower world,” have reference to their paradigms in the Microcosmos, i.e., Adam Kadmon, Androgynos, or Hermes-Aphrodite.
The Hebrew termination Al or El, arbitrarily rendered by me as “spirit or power,” is the masculine singular of the word Alhim (Elohim.)
The H is a feminine termination, and IM the plural affix. Thus it becomes an occult and, to lexicographers, an inexplicable name, having reference to the Mystic Seven in One.
Each of these seven is dual, making the esoteric 14 thus: by Kabalistic Temurah, A = 1, l = 3, h = 5, i = 1, and m = 4; total 14. (Vide Secret Doctrine, vol. i., p. 91.)
Here I must leave the subject in the hands of my readers, having produced sufficient evidence, no doubt, to show that there is a great deal of valuable esoteric knowledge still hidden in the various “Mystery Names of the Seven Worlds.”
Footnotes