Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00209)

According to owner-theos-talk-digest@proteus.imagiware.com:

My main focus here is to thank Daniel for getting this discussion
back on track (and away from being an argument, and an irrelevant
one at that) and to comment on his post.  First, though, I
wholeheartedly agree with this comment by Jerry.
>
> Maybe I'm missing something here, but not always telling the truth is a
> human trait, and as far as I'm concerned it is always a given for all
> humans, including HPB.  What concerns me more than a lie, or incorrect
> information, or misleading information would be the reasons behind
> them.jhe
>
Daniel wrote:
>
> I believe there are several "confusions" in both Paul and Jerry's
> postings.

You're too modest-- should have said "I know..."
>
> First of all, HPB's letter quoted from HPB SPEAKS, vol. 1, pp. 198-99
> is misdated.  My research indicates 1878 as the probable date.  I have
> two good reasons for this opinion.  A careful reading of the
> letter should uncover those reasons.

That thought occurred to me simply because the acquaintance with
Krishnavarma and Dayananda would indicate a later date.  The
former was welcomed into the TS May 1878.
>
> Secondly, this same letter appears to mention TWO Krishnavarmas.
> The first one is referred to in the text quoted above by Paul.  But in
> the same letter on p. 200, HPB writes:  "The *second* Krishnavarma
> Sheyamaji
> the chief apostle and pupil of our Swami will come for the next
> winter here to teach."

True.  I quote that too in TMR.  But she refers to the *first*
Krishnavarma as being in communication with the Swami.  My
conclusion stated in the book is that there was in reality only
one Krishnavarma with whom she was acquainted at that time.  But
at any rate the visit from the Punjab to New York, the stay with
the Founders, the trip to Milwaukee and Nevada, all point to an
invention.
>
snip
>
> Jerry, are you confusing letters?  HPB SPEAKS is in 2 volumes and is
> a compilation of HPB's letters obtained from *various* sources.  In Jean
> Overton Fuller's BLAVATSKY AND HER TEACHERS, one finds an appendix (pp
> 235-238) devoted to "The 'Bolt' or Dondoukoff-Korsakoff Letters."
> Ms. Fuller writes:
snip
>
> Ms. Fuller believes THESE letters are forgeries. They were
> published by C. Jinarajadasa in HPB SPEAKS, volume II, pp. 11-159.
>
> On the other hand, Paul is quoting from a letter in Vol I of HPB
> SPEAKS.


DUH.  I should have remembered that, as I recall writing the
phrase in one of my books that "this is not among the letters
whose authenticity has been disputed"-- either in ISM or TMR
somewhere.  So I did mention that part of HPB Speaks *had* been
disputed, which makes me innocent of the charges made.  OTOH, I
cited the Dondukov-Korsakov letters in Initiates without raising
the issue again, so would be judged guilty by Jerry in one of
the three books.

> THIS letter is one of three HPB letters to her relatives purchased
> about 1947 at an auction of "some manuscripts...from the library
> of the late Earl of Crawford and Balcarres" in England.
>
> As far as I can tell, Ms. Fuller does *not* doubt the authenticity of
> any of these three HPB letters.  In fact, she quotes from one of them on
> p.
> 57 of her HPB biography.  And from the context, she appears to believe
> HPB wrote the letter quoted.

Another example of forgetting more than I remember, since I knew
this at the time of writing!  Maybe reading and absorbing 24,000
pages of Cayce readings in the meantime has permanently messed up
my memory of the Theosophical literature:)
>
> I hope these clarifications will get Jerry and Paul back on the
> "track".  And
> I do hope that Dallas and other Blavatsky students will attempt to
> answer
> Paul's comments and conclusions concerning this "Krishnavarma" letter of
> HPB's.

I would also hope that you and others might comment on the Morya
letter that I quote as an epigraph in TMR and recently quoted
here, saying that the Masters were involved in a network of
secret organizations around the globe and that HPB was ordered to
mislead people when necessary about who they were.

You earn my respect with this post, Daniel...

PJ