Theos-Talk Archives (March 2006 Message tt00462)

In the totality of context the Mahatma letters and HPB constitute, I 
interpret the call to armed force to conquer the self, rather than 
externally projected enemies.  This interpretation is consistent 
with the battleground in the Bhagavad-Gita analogous to the 
battleground in which the initiate must do good battle with the 
self.  

The Mahatma's letter states, "He [who would lift up the banner of 
mysticism] must be the first to change his modes of life; and, 
regarding the study of the occult mysteries as the upper step in the 
ladder of Knowledge must loudly proclaim it such despite exact 
science and the opposition of society."  The opposition of society 
might be exemplified in the opposition of Damodar's family when he 
renounced the caste system and made arrangements to care for his 
child bride in order to pursue Theosophy and, ultimately, life with 
the adepts.  In order to pursue the ladder of Knowledge, Damodar 
took responsibility for his wife.  Damodar did not murder his wife 
with an armed hand to be free of her, which would have engaged even 
further karma, preventing him from pursuing the ladder of Knowledge 
that he desired.  He arranged for her care in his absence, thus 
fulfilling his societal responsibility as husband.

The hand of force must be exerted in the battle for self-Knowledge, 
that requires uncompromising (even painful) honesty of self with 
self.  It cannot be accomplished for others by proxy, and, I 
believe, that those who have started the conquest of the lower self 
are often most compassionate of the battle that others must wage in 
this regard.  

The ladder of Knowledge is not for sissies.  The Mahatma offers 
advice for the modern mystic.  "`The Kindgdom of Heaven is obtained 
by force' say the Christian mystics. It is but with armed hand, and 
ready to either conquer or perish, that the modern mystic can hope 
to achieve his object."

Krsanna

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "carlosaveline cardoso aveline" 
<carlosaveline@...> wrote:
>
> 
> ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
> 
> A PSALM TO MARS AND ---
> 
> ONE MAHATMA'S INVITATION TO  THE GOOD COMBAT
> 
> ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
> 
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> Esoteric Philosophy cannot and must not be blindly obedient to 
> pseudo-scholars.
> 
> Its students must be ready to challenge liars and libellers,  
sophisticated 
> though they may appear to be, and even if their actions are 
disguised in 
> many different forms.
> 
> One of the Mahatmas wrote:
> 
> "He who would lift up high the banner of mysticism and proclaim 
its reign 
> near at hand,  must give the example to others. He must be the 
first to 
> change his modes of life; and,  regarding the study of the occult 
mysteries  
> as the upper step in the ladder of Knowledge must  loudly proclaim 
it such 
> despite exact science and the opposition  of society. `The 
Kindgdom of 
> Heaven is obtained by force' say the Christian mystics. It is but 
with armed 
> hand, and ready to either conquer or perish,  that the modern 
mystic can 
> hope to achieve his object." (1)
> 
> And H. Longfellow,  the poet, wrote --   while looking at certain 
planet at 
> night:
> 
> THE LIGHT OF STARS
> 
> The night is come, but not too soon;
> And sinking silently,
> All silently, the little moon
> Drops down behind the sky.
> 
> There is no light in earth or heaven
> But the  cold light of stars;
> And the first watch of night is given
> To  the red planet Mars.
> 
> Is  it the tender star of love?
> The star of love and dreams?
> Oh, no! From that blue tent above
> A hero's armour gleams.
> 
> And earnest thoughts within me rise,
> When I behold afar,
> Suspended in the evening skies,
> The shield of that red star.  (...)
> 
> Within my breast there is no light
> But the cold light of stars;
> I give the first watch of the night
> To the red planet Mars.
> 
> The star of the unconquered will,
> He rises in my breast,
> Serene, and resolute, and still,
> And calm, and self-possessed. (2)
> (...)
> 
> 
> O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O
> 
> What can I say after this?
> 
> May the  fire of good combat produce spiritual  light!
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards,  Carlos Cardoso Aveline
> 
> 
> O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O
> 
> 
> NOTES:
> 
> (1) "The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett", T.U.P., 1992, Letter 
II, pp. 
> 6-7. (Letter 2, also in the Chronological Edition, TPH, 
Philippines, p. 07.)
> 
> (2)This is from the Poem "The Light of Stars", by Henry Wadsworth 
> Longfellow. See `Longfellow Favourite Poems", Dover Publications, 
Inc., New 
> York, 1992, 86 pp., see p. 04.
> 
> 
> O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O o o O
> 
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