Theos-Talk Archives (July 2007 Message tt00039)

The Peopling of the Earth: A Commentary on Archaic Records in The 
Secret Doctrine, by Geoffrey A. Barborka. The Theosophical Publishing 
House, Wheaton, Illinois, 1975, 233 pages, index, Cloth, $10.00

Geoffrey A. Barborka is known for his lucid and profound expositions 
on The Secret Doctrine philosophy, and this latest work of his will 
be a valuable addition to the library of every Theosophical student. 
It is a remarkable book, a commentary on the Anthropogenic Stanzas of 
Dzyan (Numbers I through IV), throwing vivid light upon many obscure 
and cryptic passages in the Stanzas and Commentaries.

Especially impressive are the chapters on "The Lunar Pitris" and "The 
Lords of the Flame," those "Beings" known in The Secret Doctrine 
under a multitude of names, many of which are Sanskrit. (As in 
previous works, Mr. Barborka carefully explains all Sanskrit and 
technical Theosophical terms. So interesting is this "language of the 
gods" that one is almost inclined to take a course in Sanskrit!)

Who are these strange entities who played such an important role in 
Man's evolution? The following excerpts from The Secret Doctrine give 
some insight into this mysterious subject:

Concerning the Lunar Pitris:

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They could only create, or rather clothe, the human Monads with their 
own Astral Selves, but they could not make man in their image and 
likeness. Their creating the semblance of men out of their own divine 
Essence means, esoterically, that it is they who became the first 
Race, and thus shared its destiny and further evolution. - II, pp. 94-
95, orig. ed; An Abridgement of The Secret Doctrine, p. 170
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On the Solar Pitris, the Lords of the Flame:

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These are ... those 'Flames' (the Agnishwatta) who, as shown in Sloka 
13, 'remain behind' instead of going along with the others (the Lunar 
Pitris) to create men on Earth. But the true esoteric meaning is that 
most of them (Lords of the Flame) were destined to incarnate as the 
Egos of the forthcoming crop of mankind. - II, 79; Abridgment, 166

The Fall was the result of man's knowledge, for his 'eyes were 
opened.' Indeed, he was taught Wisdom and the hidden knowledge by 
the 'Fallen Angel', for the latter had become from that day his 
Manas, Mind and Self-Consciousness... Satan, or the Red Fiery Dragon, 
the 'Lord of Phosphorous' ... and Lucifer or 'Light-Bearer,' is in 
us: it is our Mind - our tempter and Redeemer, our intelligent 
liberator and Savior from pure animalism. Without this principle - 
the emanation of the very essence of the pure divine principle Mahat 
(Intelligence), which radiates direct from the Divine mind - we would 
be surely no better than animals. - II, 513
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Mr. Barborka also dispels several misconceptions which have crept 
into the original teachings and have been prevalent in some 
Theosophical circles for years. Concerning one of these he says:

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Whence came the Lords of the Flame? A question which has been raised 
concerning the coming of the Lords of the Flame to the Earth from 
Venus. In all probability this assumption was
formulated because of a statement made in a Commentary from the Book 
of Dzyan that each one of the Seven Root-Races comes under the 
regency of one of the Seven Sacred Planets. The Dhyani of Venus is 
the Regent of the Third Root-Race, and it was during the fifth sub-
race of the Third Root-Race that the enlightenment of humanity was 
brought about by the Lords of the Flame ... They are said to have 
come down into the present sphere because of having descended from a 
superior sphere of the Earth planetary system. - pp. 170-71
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It is hoped that some of Erich Von Daniken's readers and followers 
will read Peopling of the Earth. Admittedly, Von Daniken's Chariots 
of the Gods contains a few gems of truth concerning man's origin and 
evolution on this planet, but Chariots embodies an extremely naive, 
garbled, and materialistic interpretation of the ancient myths and 
legends concerning man's origin and relationship to the "gods". The 
Secret Doctrine and The Peopling of the Earth are on a totally 
superior plane.

Special attention should be given to the last chapter which deals 
with "The Chronology of the Peopling of the Earth." Specific figures 
for the time-periods of the Rounds, Races and Sub-Races are given. 
This chronology is based upon an unfinished article written by H.P.B. 
but not published during her life, entitled "On Cosmic Cycles, 
Manvantaras and Rounds", which will appear in Vol. XIII of her 
Collected Writings. The interested student might compare this 
chronology with the "Dzyan Chronology" discovered and worked out by 
Victor A. Endersby, another deep student of H.P.B.'s teachings. (See 
June 1974 issue of Theosophical Notes, P.O. Box 427, Napa, California 
94558. See also Jean Raymond's article "The Evolutionary Cycles and 
Their Chronology" in the book H.P. Blavatsky and the Secret Doctrine 
edited by Virginia Hanson; and also Elizabeth W. Preston's The Earth 
and Its Cycles and The Story of Creation and of Man.

We hope Mr. Barborka will write another book embodying a commentary 
on the remaining Stanzas (Nos. V through XII). In the meantime The 
Peopling of the Earth will help many sincere and earnest students of 
Theosophy digest and make fuller use of H.P. Blavatsky's magnum opus.

                                              - Daniel H. Caldwell

[Reprinted from THE ECLECTIC THEOSOPHIST, No. 34, May 15, 1976, pp. 6-
7.]