Page 71 (part 4)

As Meru is the high abode of the Gods, these were said to ascend and descend periodically; by which (astronomically) the Zodiacal gods were meant, the passing of the original North Pole of the Earth to the South Pole of the heaven." "In that age," adds the author of that curious work, the " Sphinxiad " and of " Urania ' s Key to the Revelations " -- "at noon, the ecliptic would be parallel with the meridian, and part of the Zodiac would descend from the North Pole to the north horizon; crossing the eight coils of the Serpent (eight sidereal years, or over 200,000 solar years), which would seem like an imaginary ladder with eight staves reaching from the earth up to the pole, i.e ., the throne of Jove. Up this ladder, then, the Gods, i.e ., the signs of the Zodiac, ascended and descended. (Jacob's ladder and the angels) . . . . It is more than 400,000 years since the Zodiac formed the sides of this ladder." . . . . This is an ingenious explanation, even if it is not altogether free from occult heresy. Yet it is nearer the truth than many of a more scientific [[Vol. 2, Page]] 358 THE SECRET DOCTRINE. and especially theological character. As just said, the Christian trinity was purely astronomical from its beginning, which made Rutilius say -- of those who euhemerized it -- " Judaea gens, radix stultorum. " But the profane, and especially the Christian fanatics, ever in search of scientific corroboration for their dead-letter texts, will persist in seeing in the celestial pole the true Serpent of Genesis, Satan, the Enemy of mankind, instead of what it is -- a cosmic metaphor. When the gods are said to forsake the earth, it does not only mean the gods, protectors and instructors, but also the minor gods -- the regents of the Zodiacal signs. Yet, the former, as actual and existing Entities which gave birth to, nursed, and instructed mankind in its early youth, appear in every Scripture, in that of the Zoroastrians as much as in the Hindu Gospels. Ormazd, or Ahura-Mazda, the "Lord of Wisdom," is the synthesis of the Amshaspends (or Amesha-Spenta -- " Immortal Benefactors"),* the "Word," however, or the Logos and its six highest aspects in Mazdyanism. These "Immortal Benefactors" are described in Zamyad yasht as the "Amesha-Spentas, the shining, having efficacious eyes, great, helpful . . . . imperishable and pure which are all seven of like mind, like speech, all seven doing alike . . . . which are the creators and destroyers of the creatures of Ahura-Mazda, their creators and overseers, their protectors and rulers . . . ." These few lines alone indicate the dual and even the triple character of the Amshaspends, our Dhyan-Chohans or the "Serpents of Wisdom." They are identical with, and yet separate from Ormazd (Ahura-Mazda). They are also the Angels of the Stars of the Christians -- the Stary-azatas of the Zoroastrians -- or again the seven planets (including the sun) of every religion.** The epithet -- "the shining having efficacious eyes" -- proves it. This on the physical and sidereal planes. On the spiritual, they are the divine powers of Ahura-Mazda; but on the astral or psychic plane again, they are the "Builders," the "watchers," the Pitar (fathers), and the first Preceptors of mankind. When mortals shall have become sufficiently spiritualised, there will be no more need of forcing them into a correct comprehension of ancient Wisdom. Men will know then, that there never yet was a great World-reformer, whose name has passed into our generation, who ( a ) was not a direct emanation of the L OGOS (under whatever name known to us), i.e. , an essential incarnation of one of "the seven," of the "divine Spirit who is sevenfold"; and ( b ) who had not appeared before, during the [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * Also translated as "blissful Immortals" by Dr. W. Geiger; but the first is more correct. ** These "seven" became the eight, the Ogdoad, of the later materialized religions, the seventh, or the highest principle, being no longer the pervading Spirit, the Synthesis, but becoming an anthropomorphic number, or additional unit. [[Vol. 2, Page]] 359 GOD AND NATURE ANTHROPOMORPHIZED. past Cycles. They will recognise, then, the cause which produces in history and chronology certain riddles of the ages; the reason why, for instance, it is impossible for them to assign any reliable date to Zoroaster, who is found multiplied by twelve and fourteen in the Dabistan ; why the Rishis and Manus are so mixed up in their numbers and individualities; why Krishna and Buddha speak of themselves as re-incarnations, i.e., Krishna is identified with the Rishi Narayana, and Gautama gives a series of his previous births; and why the former, especially, being "the very supreme Brahma," is yet called Amsamsavatara -- "a part of a part" only of the Supreme on Earth. Finally, why Osiris is a great God, and at the same time a "prince on Earth," who reappears in Thoth-Hermes, and why Jesus (in Hebrew, Joshua) of Nazareth is recognised, cabalistically, in Joshua, the Son of Nun, as well as in other personages. The esoteric doctrine explains it by saying that each of these (as many others) had first appeared on earth as one of the seven powers of the L OGOS, individualized as a God or "Angel" (messenger); then, mixed with matter, they had re-appeared in turn as great sages and instructors who "taught the Fifth Race," after having instructed the two preceding races, had ruled during the Divine Dynasties, and had finally sacrificed themselves, to be reborn under various circumstances for the good of mankind, and for its salvation at certain critical periods; until in their last incarnations they had become truly only "the parts of a part" on earth, though de facto the One Supreme in Nature. This is the metaphysics of Theogony. And, as every "Power" among the SEVEN has (once individualized) in his charge one of the elements of creation, and rules over it,* hence the many meanings in every symbol, which, unless interpreted according to the esoteric methods, generally lead to an inextricable confusion. Does the Western Kabalist -- generally an opponent of the Eastern Occultist -- require a proof? Let him open Eliphas Levi's Histoire de la Magic, " p.