43
the article headed "Fragments of Occult Truth,"*[1] and in a subsequent article, referring to and completing it, published in the January number of the said journal.†[2] These seven entities in man represent the 7 principles that constitute him. But the Rishis also recognized 16 stages of ascent—not 12 as the author has erroneously supposed—from Prithwi Tatwam up to "the eternal aad infinite monad"—the augoides that overshadows every man, the blazing star at the end of Shodasantum (end of the 16th stage of ascent). Busiris himself, when in human form as Krishna Dwypâyana (!), spoke of Shodasántum, as may be seen from the many sacred writings attributed to Vyasa. From the stand-poiat of Aryan philosophy, the author is right in saying that a man becomes perfect on reaching the 11th stage, but he is wrong in saying that, on attaining the next higher step, he becomes an "angel" or Deva. The nature of the last 5 stages, spoken of by the ancient Rishis, is not clearly understood even by the ordinary initiate.‡[3] It is not surprising, then, that an author, like Mr. Oxley, who attempts to interpret the ancient Aryan doctrine without knowing either the Sanskrit language, the Hindu systems of mythology, the Eastern modes of allegorizing spiritual truths, or the physiology and psychology as taught by the ancients, should have misunderstood the meaning of the 12th stage. No one, who correctly understands the meaning of the 8th Adhyaya (chapter) of the Bhagavatgita, and compares the original with the author's translation of the said chapter, will be inclined to doubt the correctness of our assertion. In that chapter, Krishna, speaking of the future state of the human being after death, says that, generally speaking, "the life-principle" in man (the Karanasariram probably?) assumes the shape and nature of that being or entity on whom, or on which, the human being concentrates his attention deeply. Therefore, and as it is not desirable for a human being to
- ↑ * "Theosophist," October, 1881.
- ↑ † "The Aryan-Arhat Esoteric Tenets on the Seven-Fold Principle in Man.
- ↑ ‡ An initiate of the preliminary degrees.
