Page 52 (part 5)

The diameter, when found isolated in a circle, stands for female nature, for the first ideal World, self-generated and self-impregnated by the universally diffused Spirit of Life -- referring thus to the primitive Root-Race also. It becomes androgynous as the Races and all on Earth develop into their physical forms, and the symbol is transformed into a circle with a diameter from which runs a vertical line: expressive of male and female, not separated as yet -- the first and earliest Egyptian Tau ; after which it becomes or male-female separated** (See first pp. of Book I) and fallen into generation. Venus (the planet) is symbolised by the sign of a globe over the cross, which shows it as presiding over the natural generation of man. The Egyptians symbolised Ank , "life," by the ansated cross, or , which is only another form of Venus (Isis) , and meant, esoterically, that mankind and all animal life bad stepped out of the divine spiritual circle and fallen into physical male and female generation. This sign, from the end of the Third Race, has the same phallic significance as the " tree [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * In the esoteric philosophy it is male and female, or hermaphrodite; hence the bearded Venus in mythology. ** Therefore, putting aside its religio-metaphysical aspect, the Cross of the Christians is symbolically far more phallic than the pagan Svastica. [[Vol. 2, Page]] 31 THE HORSES OF SUKRA'S CAR. of life" in Eden Anouki, a form of Isis, is the goddess of life; and Ank was taken by the Hebrews from the Egyptians and introduced by Moses, one learned in the Wisdom of the priests of Egypt, with many other mystical words. The word Ank in Hebrew, with the personal suffix, means "my life," my being, which "is the personal pronoun Anochi," from the name of the Egyptian goddess Anouki.* In one of the most ancient Catechisms of Southern India, Madras Presidency, the hermaphrodite goddess Adanari (see also " Indian Pantheon ") has the ansated cross, the Svastica, the "male and female sign," right in the central part, to denote the pre-sexual state of the Third Race. Vishnu, who is now represented with a lotus growing out of his navel -- or the Universe of Brahma evolving out of the central point Nara -- is shown in one of the oldest carvings as double-sexed (Vishnu and Lakshmi) standing on a lotus-leaf floating on the water; which water rises in a semicircle and pours through the Svastica, "the source of generation" or of the descent of man. Pythagoras calls Sukra-Venus the Sol alter, "the other Sun." Of the "seven palaces of the Sun," that of Lucifer Venus is the third one in Christian and Jewish Kabala, the Zohar making of it the abode of Samael. According to the Occult Doctrine, this planet is our Earth's primary, and its spiritual prototype. Hence, Sukra's car (Venus-Lucifer's) is said to be drawn by an ogdoad of " earth-born horses, " while the steeds of the chariots of the other planets are different. " Every sin committed on Earth is felt by Usanas-Sukra. The Guru of the Daityas is the Guardian Spirit of the Earth and Men. Every change on Sukra is felt on, and reflected by, the Earth. " Sukra, or Venus, is thus represented as the preceptor of the Daityas, the giants of the Fourth Race, who, in the Hindu allegory, obtained at one time the sovereignty of all the Earth, and defeated the minor gods. The Titans of the Western allegory are as closely connected with Venus-Lucifer, identified by later Christians with Satan. Therefore, as Venus, equally with Isis, was represented with Cow's horns on her head, the symbol of mystic Nature, and one that is convertible with, and significant of, the moon, since all these were lunar goddesses, the configuration of this planet is now placed by theologians between the horns of the mystic Lucifer.** It is owing to the fanciful interpretation of the [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * The ansated Cross is the astronomical planetary sign of Venus, "signifying the existence of parturient energy in the sexual sense, and this was one of the attributes of Isis, the Mother, of Eve, Hauvah, or Mother-Earth, and was so recognised among all the ancient peoples in one or another mode of expression." (From a modern Kabalistic MS .) ** Athenaeus shows that the first letter of Satan's name was represented in days of old by an arc and crescent; and some Roman Catholics, good and kind men, would persuade the public that it is in honour of Lucifer's crescent-like horns that Mussulmen [[Footnote continued on next page]] [[Vol. 2, Page]] 32 THE SECRET DOCTRINE. archaic tradition, which states that Venus changes simultaneously (geologically) with the Earth; that whatever takes place on the one takes place on the other; and that many and great were their common changes -- it is for these reasons that St. Augustine repeats it, applying the several changes of configuration, colour, and even of the orbital paths, to that theologically-woven character of Venus-Lucifer. He even goes so far in his pious fancy as to connect the last changes of the planet with the Noachian and mythical Deluge alleged to have taken place 1796 years B.C. (See " City of God " lxxi., ch. viii.). As Venus has no satellites, it is stated allegorically, that "Asphujit" (this "planet") adopted the Earth, the progeny of the Moon, "who overgrew its parent and gave much trouble," a reference to the occult connection between the two. The Regent (of the planet) Sukra* loved his adopted child so well that he incarnated as Usanas and gave it perfect laws, which were disregarded and rejected in later ages. Another allegory, in Harivansa, is that Sukra went to Siva asking him to protect his pupils, the Daityas and Asuras, from the fighting gods; and that to further his object he performed a Yoga rite "imbibing the smoke of chaff with his head downwards for 1,000 years." This refers to the great inclination of the axis of Venus (amounting to 50 degrees), and to its being enveloped in eternal clouds. But it relates only to the physical constitution of the planet. It is with its Regent, the informing Dhyan Chohan, [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- [[Footnote continued from previous page]] have chosen the Crescent for their national arms.