Theos-Talk Archives (September 2004 Message tt00125)

Caldwell

Very interesting the connection between what the Guru foresaw and the facts towards the first members of the Society such as Col. H. S. Olcott, Blavatsky and Judge.
The adepts kept a very close contact among them, and HPB was the bridge between Eastern and Western wisdom.
Very interesting article.

Krishtar
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Daniel H. Caldwell 
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 10:20 PM
Subject: Theos-World To John: Article in July 1882 Theosophist on Ramalinga Pillay Avergal


I found this transcription on the WWW. I assume it is
verbatim with the original.

Daniel

==================================================

Vallalar and the statement of Tholuvure Velayudham Mudaliar
Extract from 
"THE THEOSOPHIST" 

July 1882 

AND 

Edited by: MADAME H.P BLAVATSKY*

"Coming events foretold""
When, in answer to a direct challenge, the author of the Occult World 
wrote to the Bombay Gazette (April 4, 1882), he began his letter with 
the following profession of faith: 
"I was already sure, when I wrote "The Occult World," that the 
Theosopical Society was connected through Madame Blavatsky, with the 
great Brother-hood of Adepts I described. I now know this to be the 
case, with much greater amplitude of knowledge." Little did our loyal 
friend fancy, when he was penning these,- lines that his assertion 
would one day be capable of corroboration by the tesitimony of 
thousands. But such is now the state of the case. Sceptics and 
prejudiced or interested witnesses in general may scoff as they like, 
the fact cannot be gainsaid. Our friends-and we have some who, regard 
us neither as lunatics not imposters-will atleast be glad to read the 
Statement which follows: 

While at Madras, we were told that a well known Tamil Scholar, a 
Pandit in the Presidency College, desired to have a private 
conversation with us, The interview occurred in the presence of Mr. 
Singaravelu, President of the Krishna Theosophical Society, and of 
another I trustworthy Theosophist. Mr. C. Aravamudu Ayangar, a 
Sanskritist of Nellore. We are no more at liberty to repeat here all 
the questions put to us by the interviewer than we are to divulge 
certain other facts which would still more strongly corroborate our 
repeated assertions that (1) our Society was founded at the direct 
suggestion of the Indian and Tibetan Adepts; and (2) that in coming 
to this country we but obeyed their wishes. But we shall leave our 
friends to draw their own inferences from all the facts. We are glad 
to know that the learned Pandit is now engaged in writing in the 
Tamil and Telugu languages a more amplified narrative than he has 
given here and that he is taking steps to obtain certificates of 
respectable living witnesses who heard his Guru prefigure the events 
which have had so complete a fulfilmant- (ED)

* Madame H.P Blavatsky, daughter of Lieutenant General Alexis Hahn 
von Rottenstern-Hahn : grand daughter of Privy Councillor Andrew 
Fadeew and of Princess Helene Dolgorouk and the relict of the 
Concillor of State. Nicephore Blavatsky late Vice Governor of the 
province of Erivan Cancasus of H.I.M. the Czar of Russia. 
**Reproduced with the kind permission of the Society. 

Statement of 

THOLUVURVELAYUDRAMMUDAILIAR 

Second Tamil Pandit of The Presidency College, Madras 

To the Author of "Hints on Esoteric Theosophy"

Sir, - I beg to inform you that I was a Chela of the 
late "Arulprakasa Vallalar," otherwise known as Chithambaram 
Ramalinga Pillay Avergal the celebrated Yogi of Southern India. 
Having come to know that the English Community as well as some Hindus 
entertained some doubts as to the existence of the Mahatmas (Adepts) 
and as to the fact of the Theosophical Society having been formed 
under their special orders and having heard moreover, of your recent 
work in which much pains are taken to present the evidence about 
these Mahatmas pro and con-I wish to make public certain facts in 
connection with my late revered Guru. My belief is, that they ought 
effectually to remove all such doubts, and prove that Theosophy is no 
empty delusion nor the society in question founded on an insecure 
basis. 

Let me premise with a brief description of the personality of and the 
doctrines taught by the above mentioned ascetic Ramalinga Pillay. 

He was born at Maruthur, Chithambaram Taluq, South Arcot, Madras 
Presidency. He came to live at Madras at an early period of his 
career, and dwelt there for a long time. At the age of nine, without 
any reading, Ramalingarn is certified by eye witnesses to have been 
able to recite the contents of the works of Agustia and other Munis 
equally respected by Dravidians and Aryans. In 1849, 1 became his 
disciple and though no one knew where he had been initiated. Some 
years after he gathered a number of disciples around him. He was a 
great' Alchemist. He had a strange faculty about him, witnessed very 
often, of changing carnivorous person into a vegetarian, a mere 
glance from him seemed enough to destroy the desire for animal food. 
He had also the wonderful faculty of reading other men's minds. In 
the year 1855, he left Madras for Chidambaram and thence to Vadalur 
and Karungooli where he remained a number of years. Many a time 
during his stay there, he used to leave his followers, disappearing 
and no one knew whither, and remaining absent for more or less 
prolonged period of time. In personal appearance Ramalingam was a 
moderately tall spare man - so spare, indeed as to virtually appear a 
skeleton - yet withal a strong man, erect in stature and walking very 
rapidly with it face of a clever brown complexion, a straight thin 
nose very large fiery eyes and with a look of constant sorrow on his 
face. Towards the end, he let his hair grow long, and what is rather 
unusual with Yogis, he wore shoes. His Garments consisted but of two 
pieces of white cloth. His habits were excessively abstemious. He was 
known to hardly ever take any rest. A strict vegetarian, he ate but 
once in two or three days and was then satisfied with a few mouthfuls 
of rice. But when fasting for a period of two or three months, he 
literally ate nothing living merely on warm water with a little sugar 
dissolved in it. 

As he preached against caste, he was not very popular. But still 
people of all castes gathered in large numbers around him. They came 
not so much for his teachings as in the hope of witnessing and 
learning phenomena or "miracles" with the power of producing which he 
was generally credited though he himself discredited the idea of 
anything super natural asserting constantly that his was religion 
based on pure science. Among many other things, he preached that 

1. Though the Hindu people listened not to him, nor gave ear to his 
counsels yet the esoteric meaning of the Vedas and other sacred books 
of the east would be revealed by the custodians of the secret - the 
Mahatmas - to foreigners who would receive it with joy. 

2. That the fatal influence of the Kalipurusha cycle, which now rules 
the world, will be neutralized in about 10 years. 

3. That the use of animal food would be gradually relinguished. 

4. That the distinction between races and castes would eventually 
cease and the principle of Universal Brotherhood would eventually be 
accepted, and Universal Brotherhood would be established in India. 

5. That what men call "God" is, in fact, the principle of Universal 
Love - which produces and sustains perfect Harmony and Equilibrium 
through out all nature; 

6. That men when once they have ascertained the divine power latent 
in them, would acquire such wonderful powers as to be able to change 
the ordinary operations of the Law of gravity etc. 

In the year 1867, he founded a society under the name of SAMARASA 
VEDA SANMARGA SANGAM which means a society based on the principle of 
Universal Brotherhood, and for the propagation of the true Vedic 

doctrine. I need hardly remark that these principles are indentically 
those of the Theosophical Society. Our society was in existence for 
five or six years during which time a very large number of poor and 
infirm persons were fed at the expense of its members. 

When he attained his 50th year (1873) he began to prepare his 
disciples for his departure from the world. He announced his 
intention of going into Samadhi. During the first half of 1873, he 
preached most forcibly his views upon Human Brotherhood. But during 
the last quarter of the year, he gave up lecturing entirely and 
maintained an almost unbroken silence. He resumed speech in the last 
days of January 1874, and reiterated his prophecies herein after 
narrated. On the 30th of that month at Mettukuppam, we saw our master 
for the last time. Selecting a small building, he entered its 
solitary room after taking an affectionate farewell of his Chelas, 
stretched himself on the carpet, and then, by his orders the door was 
locked and the only opening walled up. But, when a year later, the 
place was opened and examined, there was nothing to be seen but a 
vacant room. He left with us a promise to reappear some day but would 
give us no intimation as to the time, place or circumstances. Until 
then, however, he said that he would be working not in India alone. 
But also in Europe and America and all other countries to influence 
the minds of the right men to assist in preparing for the 
regeneration of the world. 

Such in short, is the history of the great man. The facts I have 
referred to above are within the knowledge of thousands of people. 
His whole occupation was the preaching of sublime moral doctrines 
contained in the Hindu Shastras and the instilling into the masses of 
the principle of Universal Brotherhood, benevolence and charity. But 
to his great disappointment, he found among his large congregations 
but few who would appreciate his lofty ethics. During the later part 
of his visible earthly career, he often expressed his bitter sorrow 
for this sad state of things, and repeatedly claimed: 

"You are not fit to become members of this Society of Universal 
Brotherhood. The real members of that Brotherhood are living far 
away, towards the North of India. You do not listen to me. You do not 
follow the principles of my teachings. You seem to be determined not 
to be convinced by me. YET THE TIME IS NOT FAR OFF WHEN PERSONS FROM 
RUSSIA, AMERICA (these two countries were always named) and other 
foreign lands will COME TO INDIA AND PREACH TO YOU THIS SAME DOCTRINE 
OF UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. Then only will you know and appreciate the 
grand truths that I am now vainly trying to make you accept. You will 
soon rind that THE BROTHERS WHO LIVE IN THE FAR NORTH will work a 
great many wonders in India, and thus confer incalculate benefits 
upon this our country." 

The prophecy has, in my opinion, just been literally fulfilled. The 
fact, that the Mahatmas in the North exist, is no new idea to us, 
Hindus, and the strange fact that the advent of Madame Blavatsky and 
Colonel Olcott from Russia and America was foretold several years 
before they came to India, is an incontrovertible proof that my Guru 
was in communication with those Mahatmas under whose directions the 
Theosophical Society was subsequently founded. 

THOLUVURE VELAYUTHAM MUDALIAR, F.T.S.
Witness: 

MUNJACUPPAM SINGARAVELU MUDALIAR, 

President of the 
Krishna Theosophical Society 
KUMBAKONUM ARAVAMUDU AYANGAR, 
Fellow of the 
Nellore Theosopical Society. 



The official position of Velayutha Pandit as one of the Pandits of 
the Presidency College is an ample guarantee 
of his respectability and trustworthiness." 

G. MUTHUSWAMY CHETTY 
Judge of the small Cause Court, Madras 
and Vice-President of the Madras Theosophical Society 

Editor's Note: This is one of those cases of previous foretelling of 
a coming event which is least of all open to suspicion of bad faith. 
The honourable character of the witness, the wide publicity of his 
Guru's announcements, and the impossibility that he could have got 
from public rumour, or the journals of the day, any intimation that 
the Theosophical Society would he formed and would operate in India 
all these conspire to support the Inference that Ramalingam Yogi was 
verily in the counsels of those who ordered us to found the Society. 
In March 1873, we were directed to proceed from Russia to Paris. In 
June, we were told to proceed to the United States where we arrived 
on July 6th. This was the very time when Ramalingam was most forcibly 
prefiguring the events which should happen. In October 1874, we 
received an intimation to go to Chittenden Vermont, where, at the 
famous homestead of the Eddy family, Colonel Olcott was engaged in 
making his investigations - now so celebrated in the annals of 
Spiritualism of the so-calls "metarialization of Spirits". 


In November 1875, the Theosophical Society was founded and it was not 
until 1878 that the correspondence began with friends in India, which 
resulted in the transfer of the society's Headquarters to Bombay in- 
February 1879. 














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