Theos-Talk Archives (December 2000 Message tt00028)

"Talks with Sri Aurobindo"

CopyRight reserved by Sri Aurobindo Ashram 
15 August, 1966

pp. 36-37

Daniel,

I did find an additional reference by Sri Aurobindo to Kuthoomi 
from a book "Talks with Sri Aurobindo":

December 14, 1938

The talk turned to theosophy.

Dr. M.: The theosophists speak of mahatmas from who they 
receive messages.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, Moria and Koothoomi are two of their 
Mahatmas. The Mahatmas are said to be living somewhere in 
Bhutan among rishis who are thousands of years old, I hear.

Dr. M.: Not true? You wrote a long time ago a poem on koothumi 
in the Standard Bearer. From it we have thought of a being with 
great spiritual realisation.

Sri Aurobindo: it was purely a play of the poetic imagination.

Dr. M.: What do you think of Madame Blavatsky?

Sri Aurobindo: She was a remarkablewoman.


- Art







--- In theos-talk@egroups.com, arthra999@y... wrote:
> --- In theos-talk@egroups.com, "Blavatsky Archives" 
<info@b...> 
> wrote:
> > 
> > Art wrote in reply to Daniel:
> > 
> > > I hadn't heard of that before and your suggestion it was a 
> poem 
> > >led me to consult my own volume of the "Collected Poems- 
> The 
> > >Complete Poetical Works"- 1989 edition of Sri Aurobindo!
> > >
> > >Sure enough on page 83 is a poem entitled " The 
> Mahatmas"...
> > >>Being fair about this I doubt we could say this is any 
> evidence of 
> > >Sri Aurobindo having seen or met Kuthumi, but nice try 
> anyway.
> > 
> > Daniel replies:
> > 
> > Art, the 2 poems are certainly not evidence
> > that Sri Aurobindo saw or met Kuthumi.
> > 
> > But that is not what I said.
> > 
> > Aurobindo's OWN WORDS are as follows:
> > 
> > "Once when I was practising yoga, He
> > whom the Theosophists call Master K.H.
> > came and stood before me and watched
> > my yoga. I requested him to accept me
> > as his disciple; but he said, 'Your 
> > Master is different.'"
> > 
> > Quoted on p. 214 of HAMMER ON THE 
> > MOUNTAIN by Howard Murphet. I believe
> > I verified that this quote
> > is from MAHAYOGI SRI AUROBINDO by Diwaker.
> > 
> > Art, these words of Aurobindo are not part of
> > any poem but apparently what he wrote
> > about an experience he had. I see
> > no "literary device" here.
> > 
> > ---------------------------------------
> > Daniel H. Caldwell
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Daniel 
> 
> And as I said i had not heard of the sources you mentioned 
> before... that's why i was appreciative when you did site the 
> poem.
> 
> The books you mentioned Hammer on the Mountain and 
> Mahayogi are not generally available as they are apparently no 
> longer in print.
> 
> I notice the sources you mention are not citations from any of 
> Aurobindo's writings that are generally accepted and available. 
> The poem would indicate though that he used "Kuthumi" at 
least 
> in a literary way. The poem as you said is not an evidence.
> 
> Generally, a context is provided when one is using a source 
and 
> other than a statement from you that these are Aurobindo's 
> words, we are left with little .
> 
> Aurobindo wrote and talked about a vast number of issues and 
it 
> would interest me to know what if anything he said about the 
> "theosophical mahatmas".... I'm still open to explore this area 
> with you.
> 
> 
> 
> On another note, I also came across an interesting reference 
in 
> my reading about Swami Vivekananda having met Col. Olcott 
> before he travelled to America to speak before the World 
> Parliament of Religions in 1893. It's found in The Life of 
> Vivekananda by Romain Rolland. In a footnote on page 5, it 
> says, "...on the eve of his departure for America,...he (Swami 
> Vivekananda) went to Colonel Olcott, then President of the 
> Theosophical Society for letters of introductionto America, it 
was 
> under the name of Satchidananda that Col. Olcott knew 
himand 
> instead of recommending him to his friends in America, 
warned 
> them against him.."
> 
> I was curious to know from your sources whether you have any 
> references on this from Col. Olcott's side. It would appear that 
> Vivekananda at least in some respects saw the Theosophical 
> Society as an important resource before he embarked to 
> America.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> Arthur Gregory