Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00461)

Bharati wrote:

"The Master Letters signed 'K' are quite clearly Blavatsky's own 
invention; no Indian or Tibetan recluse talks or writes like the 
European feuilleton writer of the early 20th century."

Comments:

(1) I have no idea why Bharati writes of the "Master Letters" being 
signed by "K". Most all of the letters in THE MAHATMA LETTERS, which 
were first published as a collection in 1923, are actually 
signed "K.H." Bharati could have simply paged thru that volume and 
discovered that piece of information. He also could have actually 
used the correct title: THE MAHATMA LETTERS.

(2) Why does Bharati insist on characterizing K.H. as an "Indian or 
Tibetan recluse"? What is Bharati trying to imply with his use of 
the term "recluse"? 

When Koot Hoomi was FIRST MENTIONED TO THE PUBLIC in THE OCCULT WORLD 
(first edition published June 1881), Sinnett wrote:

". . . . I found one evening on my writing-table the first letter 
sent me by my new correspondent. I may here explain, what I learned 
afterwards, that he was a native of the Punjab who was attracted to 
occult studies from his earliest boyhood. HE WAS SENT TO EUROPE while 
still a youth at the intervention of a relative - himself an 
occultist - TO BE EDUCATED IN WESTERN KNOWLEDGE, and since then has 
been fully initiated in the greater knowledge of the East." Caps 
added.

This doesn't sound like a "recluse" to me. I've never been to Europe 
so I guess I'm even more of a recluse!! :) 

(3)Bharati continues:

"In a passage, 'K' (for Koot Hoomi) criticizes a writer for saying 
that 'the sacred man wants the gods to be properly worshipped, a 
healthy life lived, and women loved.' 'K' comments 'the sacred man 
wants no such thing, unless he is a Frenchman.' The inane stupidity 
that must have gone into the early converts actually believing that 
an Indian or Tibetan guru would use these European stereogibes is 
puzzling."

Comments:

(3) I wonder how many readers on this forum will recognize 
this "passage" from "K". 

Notice that Bharati doesn't give a reference or citation to where he 
is quoting from. One might assume the quote is from THE MAHATMA 
LETTERS or Vol I or Vol II of THE LETTERS FROM THE MASTERS OF WISDOM. 

In fact, the average reader of Bharati's article might have a hard 
time finding the source of the quote. The quote is actually found in 
THE PARADOXES OF THE HIGHEST SCIENCE by Eliphas Levi. This volume 
was first published in 1883 and a second edition was published in 
1922.

Bharati doesn't quote accurately either the writer [Eliphas Levi] 
or "K" [Koot Hoomi].

Eliphas Levi, the French occultist, actually wrote:

"Magic ought to *will* whatever the Mage *wants*."

"He wants the beauty of nature, which he enjoys in its fullness, 
because he never abuses it. He wants the springs to come flower 
laden, the roses to bloom in their beauty, the children to be happy 
and the women beloved."

At this point in a footnote, one finds:

"I beg to demur to this latter. 'Le Mage' wants nothing of the kind -
unless, indeed, he be a Frenchman. - E.O."

E.O. stands for "eminent occultist" as described by A.O. Hume in the 
Preface to this work. There is evidence that all footnotes 
signed "E.O." in this book are by Koot Hoomi.

As can be seen above, Bharati, for reasons best known to him, has 
misquoted [multilated?] the text of both Levi and E.O.

Each reader will have to judge whether Bharati's assessment 
about "European stereogibes" can be appropriately applied to what 
E.O. wrote. 

Daniel H. Caldwell
BLAVATSKY ARCHIVES
http:hpb.cc