Theos-Talk Archives (February 2011 Message tt00133)

Hodson's biography "Aquarian Occultist" was written in 1971 with the help of Hodson himself. It was never published. 

One of the TS sections has the full manuscript and might publish it. I'll ask about the status of the project.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MKR 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 1:41 AM
  Subject: Re: theos-talk Hodson on Rishi Agastya


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

  On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 8:09 PM, Govert Schuller <schuller@m11NZmZyonihtLlaodLd8XqNscnJAXNnhzYYu0kth7wffaZz1nNvjRMxGKl2eH8oLveQLlZme2gZwvXO.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 "Aquarian Occultist: The Life and Teachings of Geoffrey Hodson" (unpublished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
  >
  > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  >
  > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  >
  > 
  >

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]