Theos-Talk Archives (February 2011 Message tt00130)

Where can I get hold of Acquarian Occultist? Available online?

On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 8:09 PM, Govert Schuller <schuller@KimkzXIBRr3qPcuv8JJu1c29L3L0gq6cTtqRQoPPwAuZiLGPg31C-8Z7kPkxjwD9YYLVqWVRVleSz_UuCKV-.yahoo.invalid>wrote:

>
>
> Thanks.
>
> My own summary was as follows:
>
> In the 1960s he [Hodson] was Director at the School of the Wisdom at the
> headquarters of the Theosophical Society in Adyar. On one of the trips with
> his students they visited one of the four monastic centers established by
> the sage Sri Shankaracharya at the city of Conjeeveram. Here the group was
> received by the reigning administrative head who, by tradition, also was
> named Sri Shankaracharya. After the group audience Hodson had a private
> meeting with him and was asked to submit any question he still had. One of
> them was if the Rishi Agastya was still the "Spiritual Guardian of India"
> and still reachable. Sri Shankaracharya answered that the Rishi was still in
> his physical body and lived in the Himalayas. See: John K. Robertson
> "Aquarian Occultist: The Life and Teachings of Geoffrey Hodson" (unpublished
> MS, 1971), 292.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: MKR
> To: theos-talk
> Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2011 4:18 PM
> Subject: theos-talk Hodson on Rishi Agastya
>
> There have been discussions among theosophical students about the Adept
> known as Rishi Agastya. Very little is known about Him, which should not
> surprise anyone. Here is an account of an inquiry by Hodson about Him. This
> is extracted from - LIght of the Sanctuary - his personal diary.
>
> ***
>
> On another occasion, having heard that another holy man was visiting
> Conjeeveram, [a city close to Chennai] I sent a request through a local
> Theosophist, to know whether he would receive the students of the School of
> the Wisdom.
>
> That was none other than the reigning Shri Shankaracharya, administrative
> and spiritual head of the whole monastic centre, or mutt as it is called,
> of
> the ancient temple centre at Conjeeveram. The office has been held in an
> unbroken line since the days of Shri Shankaracharya Himself, twentythree or
> four hundred years ago, according to Subba Row, one of the early
> Theosophists and occultists connected with our Society. The Lord Shri
> Shankaracharya is regarded occultly as a voluntary incarnation of one of
> the
> Lords of the Flame following the Lord Buddha to correct certain
> misconceptions, using some of the Lord Buddha's subtle vehicles.
>
> Amongst other things, He established four such temple centres and ordained,
> as we would say in Christianity, the first of an unbroken series of
> representatives of Him to bear His Name and preside over these centres
> continuously down the ages. As far as I know, this has been kept up, and
> the
> finest human beings available are called to occupy these positions,
> regarded
> as amongst the highest in India.
>
> Our request for audience was granted. We arrived on a Sunday morning, and
> in
> due time were led into his presence. He had chosen a walled garden a mile
> or
> so outside the city of Conjeeveram. It was a sacred place, because for long
> years a holy man had lived and died there. We went in through the garden
> gate. Nobody seemed to be there at first, until, over on one side, right
> across the garden, we saw a figure sitting on a mat under a tree. He was in
> a yellow robe with a chaplet of leaves around his head. In front of him was
> spread Japanese matting to which we were led. The Europeans saluted him in
> the usual fashion, and the Indians prostrated themselves before him.
>
> We sat down and, as the leader, I expressed gratitude to him for granting
> us
> this audience, addressing him as "Your Holiness", which is his title among
> his people, and told him who we were. He spoke very good English, but an
> interpreter helped, and he began to ask all the students questions in tum.
> Interestingly enough, these questions were about their Lodges and how many
> members, what they did, and what they taught ...
>
> All of us bore testimony afterwards to being bathed in an atmosphere of
> peace in the presence of this slight figure. Looking at him you would never
> have thought that he held one of the highest positions in ecclesiastical
> India, so humble was he, but he did.
>
> Towards the end I asked him if he would give us all a message to take back
> to the world for ourselves. He had a peculiar habit of closing his eyes and
> being silent for quite a time after every question, clearly allowing his
> consciousness to slip back to where it seemed to be normally living. in a
> higher realm. That was very marked with him, it appeared to me. The eyelids
> were half-closed much of the time until his full attention was arrested.
> Then the eyes were open and alive.
>
> He said, "Fix your mind upon God. Keep it there always, and whenever it
> tends to move away from the thought of God, bring it back instantly, until
> at last it becomes a habit always to keep one part of your mind
> contemplating God." He also spoke of universal truths that other holy men
> had stressed. For example, that you can do nothing in the spiritual life
> until you have purity of heart. Shiva said the same several times.
>
> Purity of heart is of the utmost importance, meaning that there must be no
> thought of personal gain or personal reward whatever from any attainment
> spiritually that may be reached. Finally, this successor in office to the
> great original Shri Shankaracharya held up his right hand and said, "This
> is
> the blessing."
>
> And certainly some of the members of the School, next morning, when we went
> over it all, bore testimony to having felt a descent of blessing. As we
> withdrew from this unforgettable experience, one of the men attendants came
> to me before we left the garden, and said that His Holiness would see me
> alone for a few minutes if I wished. I felt very highly honoured, of
> course.
> and went back, knowing that it was only because I was the Director of
> Studies of the School of the Wisdom.
>
> He asked if there were any questions that I, personally, would like to ask.
> He made me feel completely at home with him, never any embarrassment at
> all.
> I did ask a number of questions, but I wish I had been more prepared for
> the
> opportunity. One felt that one did not have any questions in his presence.
> As a result of Theosophical studies, one's mind isn't really filled with
> questions.
>
> I did ask him whether the Rishi Agastya was still in India, guarding it,
> fulfilling His Office, still reachable by men, and could be seen. He went
> off into silence, and then asked if I meant in the physical body. I
> answered
> that that was said to be the belief. He went off again for some time before
> answering. Then he said that the Rishi Agastya was still in His physical
> body, but not here; that He lived in the Himalayas. Then again he held up
> his hand and said, "This is the blessing." I further thanked him on behalf
> of us all and withdrew.
>
> I have been asked if I looked at his aura. I had not. I forbore to try to
> look at him in any kind of a research method, because I felt it would be
> unfitting and perhaps an impertinence. I was only aware that the slight
> figure was surrounded by a great light and that he was a highly advanced
> person . .. Such were the rich extra-curricular activities of our school.
>
> MKR
>
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>  
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