Theos-Talk Archives (February 2005 Message tt00541)

Testimony of R. Casava Pillai, 
May --- October 1882, 
Nellore, Bombay and Darjeeling, India. 

Abridged from:
Pillai, R. Casava. "How a Hindu of Madras 
Interviewed a Mahatma at Sikkim." The Indian 
Mirror (Calcutta), Vol. XXV, March 3, 1885, 
p. [2] and March 7, 1885, p. [2]. 

In 1881, I had the good fortune to come in 
contact with a chela, who was then in the 
lower stages of his spiritual development 
at Nellore. He is a Vaishnava by caste, and 
had lived for some time before 1881 with a 
Mahatma in the North, having left his parents 
and family from whom he has now separated 
himself for good. He is a chela of a high 
order. His friendship with me brought me 
in contact with Brother Damodar K. Mavalankar, 
F. T. S., early in 1881. Just at this time, 
the familiar and sacred face of my Guru Deva 
[Kut Humi] used to appear before me oftener 
in my dreams, and with a more gracious and 
approving countenance. 

Early in 1882, under the auspices of the chela 
I have above referred to --- who then happened 
to be at the head-quarters of the Theosophical 
Society at Bombay --- arrangements were made 
for the organization of the Nellore Branch. On 
an application from the members here, Madame 
Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott arrived at Nellore [in May, 1882], and 
this branch has been opened. While the Founders were here, I 
received, for the first time, a letter from Mahatma M., addressed to 
me and some Theosophists, containing certain instructions as to the 
management of this Branch, &c. Myself, Mr. Narayana Swamy Naidu, 
F. T. S., G. Subbia Chetty Garu, F. T. S. (Madras Branch), and 
Singaravelu Mudalyar, B. A., F. T. S., of the Guntar Branch, were 
present in the Apstani Hall, Madame Blavatsky was writing at the 
table, we were seated, and on her telling us that she felt the 
presence of her Guru in the room, we all looked up, and then within 
a minute or two, a letter fell before us from the ceiling in broad 
daylight at about 3 P.M. There were no contrivances or trap-doors to 
perform the phenomena at the time. 

That very day, an hour afterwards, in the presence of about a dozen 
or more persons (both Theosophists and non-Theosophists), the 
subject of conversation was to know a certain date, and then one of 
us (I believe it was G. Subbia Chetty) suggested that Madame might 
be requested to give us an almanac, and another suggested that it 
should be one, not available at Nellore. Then all of us joined in 
the request. Madame Blavatsky remarked, that she would try, as a 
high chela, Jwalkool, was present in his astral body somewhere near. 
We were all seated in the same hall, and a verandah adjoining opened 
to the roof with nothing but the sky overhead. She then called out 
for the chela to make us a gift of an almanac, and within 3 or 4 
minutes one "Almanac for 1882 and Diary Phoenix" were flung at us 
with some force as if it fell from the sky overhead, and this was 
handed to me by Madame Blavatsky, and it is with me still. 

Madame Blavatsky told me, while she was at Nellore, that 
the "Brothers had spoken to her about me, and that they were 
watching me long before this," and I replied "that I knew it to be 
the case." This conversation took place while T. Vijaraghava Charlu, 
F.T.S., and C. Kotiah Chetty Garu, F. T. S., Deputy Inspector of 
Schools, and some others were present. It was after this that I 
really thought more seriously of the appearance of the Mahatmas 
before me in dreams and otherwise. I then began to concentrate my 
attention upon the beautiful features of the latter Mahatma, my most 
revered Guru Deva, whom I then knew to be Mahatma Kut Humi. It was 
not in vain I did so. Within four or five days I had a response to 
my prayer. The blessed Mahatma from that time forward used to give 
me instructions in my dreams --- not exactly dreams --- but a state 
of half-wakefulness, for want of a better word I call them dreams, 
and that in one of I believe, it was about the end of May --- I 
fervently prayed to Him that I might be allowed the happiness of 
seeing Him in his physical body, to which, after a moment's 
consideration, the Guru Deva replied that I should have to cross the 
Himalayas alone. 

I left Madras on the evening of the 11th September 1882 by the mail 
train, and reached the [Theosophical] Society's head-quarters at 
Bombay on the 13th September. 

That day in the afternoon, in the presence of Madame Blavatsky, 
Madame Coulomb, Mr. Tukaram Tatya, Damodar K. Mavalankar, and 
another Theosophist whose name I do not know, I received a letter 
which fell just on my head from the ceiling. It was from my Guru --- 
in reply to which I kept my letter in the presence of the above 
persons (except Tukaram Tatya who had left the place then) just near 
the Statue of Lord Buddha over the shelf in the hall. And in our 
presence, the letter disappeared. That very night while I was going 
to bed in Col. Olcott's room, with all doors closed, and in good 
lamp light, I was startled to see coming out, as it were, of the 
solid wall, the astral form of my most revered Guru Deva, and I 
prostrated before him, and he blessed me and desired me to go and 
see him beyond the Himalayas, in good Telugu language. The 
conversation that passed between us is too sacred to be mentioned 
here. He disappeared in the same way as he appeared. 

On the following day, the 15th September, myself and Madame 
Blavatsky started for the North. Mr. and Mrs. Coulomb, Damodar K. 
Mavalankar, Mr. Tukaram Tatya and another Theosophist (all in three 
carriages) accompanied us to the platform. 

On our way, on the 16th idem, beyond the Bhosawal Junction between 
the Stations of Chandani and Khandwa, I found the bridges over a 
small tributary of the Tapti had been washed away by the overflow of 
the latter river; and the road for about two miles or so suffered 
therefrom. Then we had to get down and cross the river by a boat. 
Some boxes of Madame Blavatsky containing her clothing and other 
necessary articles were left behind by mistake in the boat, and we 
all got into the train on the other side of the river, without 
noticing the boxes so left behind. After passing the Khandwa 
Station, I believe, Madame found out that some boxes were missing, 
and she got down with her servant, Babula, and things. The train 
left for the North, leaving Madame, &c., behind, I myself traveling 
in a 3rd-class carriage. So I had to meet her again at Allahabad on 
the 18th September . On the 17th idem, when I was some few stations 
south of Allahabad, with only two or three passengers in the 
compartment, I had the good fortune of seeing a letter falling over 
me from the top of the carriage. Madame Blavatsky at that time must 
have been somewhere between Sahagpore and Jabbalpore, about 250 
miles distant from me. This letter was in the familiar hand of my 
Mahatma, having reference to a letter I had sent at Bombay, which 
disappeared from the statue of Lord Buddha. 

On my meeting Madame Blavatsky at Allahabad, we both, along with 
Babula, started for the North, and reached Chandernagore on the 
morning of the 19th idem by the mail train. 

I there left Madame Blavatsky and her servant near the Railway 
Station, and crossed the Hughly by a boat to the other side, and 
walked about 5 miles to the Nalhati Station, and then took the mail 
train for Siliguri, which I reached on the 20th idem early in the 
morning, and took the rail for Darjiling which place I reached about 
evening and met Babaji Dharbagirinath that very night just when I 
was in the greatest fix to find my way to the North. 

We were both together until the 28th idem. We travelled together, 
both on horse-back and on foot in Bhutan, Sikkim, &c. We visited 
several "Gumpas" (temples). I had to cross and recross the Ranjit 
River more than twice, by the swinging bridge as well as the ferry 
boat. 

In the course of these travels, just about Pari or Parchong on the 
northern frontier of Sikkim, I had the good fortune and happiness to 
see the blessed feet of the most venerated Masters Kut Humi and M
[orya] in their physical bodies. The very identical personages whose 
astral bodies I had seen in my dreams, &c., since 1869, and in 1876 
in Madras, and on the 14th September 1882 in the head-quarters at 
Bombay. Besides, I have also seen a few advanced chelas, and among 
them, the blessed Jwalkool who is now a Mahatma. 

On the 26th September evening, we both having heard that Madame 
Blavatsky and Ramaswamy Iyer had come to Darjiling, and was putting 
up in Babu Parvati Churn Roy's (Deputy Collector and Deputy 
Magistrate, and Superintendent of the Dehra-Dhun Survey) bungalow ---
"Willow-Cot," we met them there. 

I took leave from Madame Blavatsky and my other friends at Darjiling 
on the 28th idem, and took the train for Siliguri at 10 A.M., and 
reached it at 7 P.M. On the 29th, I got into the train for 
Calcutta, and reached the place on the morning of the 30th idem. 

I reached Madras on the morning of the 9th October 1882. 

On the 10th October 1882, I visited Mr. G. Muttu Swamy Chetty, Small 
Cause Court Judge, Madras, and informed him and his sons Mr. 
Lalpett, and Mr. Rajulu Naidu, F. T. S., that I had seen the 
Mahatmas. 

On the 11th idem, I saw my esteemed friend, T. Velayudam Mudelliar, 
Tamil Pundit, Presidency College, Madras, to whom also I told the 
fact of my having seen the Mahatmas. 

On my reaching Nellore and joining my office on the 16th idem, a 
meeting of the members of the Nellore Branch Society was convened, 
when I informed my brothers how I had seen the astral body of my 
Guru at the Bombay head-quarters, and also how I had been blessed in 
being allowed to see, and be in company of the Most Revered 
Mahatmas --- the Himalayas beyond Bhutan. 

In conclusion, let me say --- that I am, owing to the grace of my 
Guru Deva, in direct correspondence with Him and have received 
several letters from Him since 1882, and that even so late as 
January 1885, I received a letter directly from Him, permitting me 
to publish an account of my travels. 

Quoted from the Blavatsky Archives
http://blavatskyarchives.com/compitems3.htm

Daniel H. Caldwell