Page 54 (part 4)

Let us pause and ask ourselves seriously the question, regardless of the vagaries and sophisms of both the materialistic and the psychological modern sciences. To some extent, it is admitted that even the esoteric teaching is allegorical. To make the latter comprehensible to the average intelligence, requires the use of symbols cast in an intelligible form. Hence the allegorical and semi-mythical narratives in the exoteric, and the (only) semi -metaphysical and objective representations in the esoteric teachings. For the purely and transcendentally spiritual conceptions are adapted only to the perceptions of those who "see without eyes, hear without ears, and sense without organs," according to the graphic expression of the Commentary. The too puritan idealist is at liberty to spiritualise the tenet, whereas the modern psychologist would simply try to spirit away our "fallen," yet still divine, human Soul in its connection with Buddhi. The mystery attached to the highly spiritual ancestors of the divine man within the earthly man is very great. His dual creation is hinted at in the Puranas, though its esoteric meaning can be approached only by collating together the many varying accounts, and reading them in their symbolical and allegorical character. So it is in the Bible, both in Genesis and even in the Epistles of Paul. For that creator, who is called in the second chapter of Genesis the "Lord God," is in the original the Elohim, or Gods (the Lords), in the plural; and while one of them makes the earthly Adam of dust, the other breathes into him the breath of life, and the third makes of him a living soul (ii. 7), all of which readings [[Vol. 2, Page]] 82 THE SECRET DOCTRINE. are implied in the plural number of the Elohim.* "The first man is of the Earth, the second (the last, or rather highest) is from heaven," says Paul in I. Corinthians xv. 47. In the Aryan allegory the rebellious Sons of Brahma are all represented as holy ascetics and Yogis. Re-born in every Kalpa, they generally try to impede the work of human procreation. When Daksha, the chief of the Prajapati (creators), brings forth 10,000 sons for the purpose of peopling the world, Narada -- a son of Brahma, the great Rishi, and virtually a "Kumara," if not so in name -- interferes with, and twice frustrates Daksha's aim, by persuading those Sons to remain holy ascetics and eschew marriage. For this, Daksha curses Narada to be re-born as a man, as Brahma had cursed him before for refusing to marry, and obtain progeny, saying: -- "Perish in thy present ( Deva or angelic) form and take up thy abode in the womb," i.e. , become a man ( Vayu Purana; Harivamsa, 170). Notwithstanding several conflicting versions of the same story, it is easy to see that Narada belongs to that class of Brahma's, "first-born," who have all proven rebellious to the law of animal procreation, for which they had to incarnate as men. Of all the Vedic Rishis, Narada, as already shown, is the most incomprehensible, because the most closely connected with the occult doctrines -- especially with the secret cycles and Kalpas ( vide supra ) . Certain contradictory statements about this Sage have much distracted the Orientalists. Thus he is shown as refusing positively to create (have progeny), and even as calling his father Brahma "a false teacher" for advising him to get married ( "Narada-Pancha-Ratra "); nevertheless, he is referred to as one of the Prajapati, "progenitors"! In Naradiya Purana, he describes the laws and the duties of the celibate adepts; and as these occult duties do not happen to be found in the fragment of about 3,000 Stanzas in the possession of European museums, the Brahmins are proclaimed liars; the Orientalists forgetting that the Naradiya is credited with containing 25,000 Stanzas, and that it is not very likely that such MSS. should be found in the hands of the Hindu profane, those who are ready to sell any precious olla for a red pottage. Suffice it to say, that Narada is [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * Seth, as Bunsen and others have shown, is not only the primitive god of the Semites -- early Jews included -- but also their "semi-divine ancestor." For, says Bunsen ( "God in History," vol. i, pp. 233, 234), "the Seth of Genesis, the father of Enoch ( the man) must be considered as originally running parallel with that derived from the Elohim, Adam's father." "According to Bunsen, the Deity (the god Seth) was the primitive god of Northern Egypt and Palestine" (Staniland Wake, "The Great Pyramid"). And Seth became considered in the later Theology of the Egyptians as "AN EVIL DAEMON," says the same Bunsen, for he is one with Typhon and one with the Hindu demons as a logical sequel. [[Vol. 2, Page]] 83 "FIRES," "SPARKS," AND "FLAMES." the Deva-Rishi of Occultism par excellence; and that the Occultist who does not ponder, analyse, and study Narada from his seven esoteric facets, will never be able to fathom certain anthropological, chronological, and even Cosmic Mysteries. He is one of the Fires above-mentioned, and plays a part in the evolution of this Kalpa from its incipient, down to its final stage. He is an actor who appears in each of the successive acts (Root-Races) of the present Manvantaric drama, in the world allegories which strike the key-note of esotericism, and are now becoming more familiar to the reader. But shall we turn to other ancient Scriptures and documents for the corroboration of the "Fires," "Sparks," and "Flames?" They are plentiful, if one only seeks for them in the right places. In the "Book of the Concealed Mystery," they are clearly enunciated, as also in the "Ha Idra Zuta Qadisha," or the lesser holy Assembly. The language is very mystical and veiled, yet still comprehensible. Therein, among the sparks of Prior Worlds, "vibrating Flames and Sparks," from the divine flint, the workmen proceed to create man, "male and female" (427); which "Flames and Sparks" (Angels and their Worlds, Stars and Planets) are said, figuratively, to "become extinct and die," that is to say, remain unmanifested until a certain process of nature is accomplished. To show how thickly veiled from public view are the most important facts of anthropogenesis, two passages are now quoted from two Kabalistic books.