Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), better known to the world as Mahatma Gandhi, was
the most influential leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India.
And
employing non-violence (ahimsa) and
peaceful protest in his methods, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired
many subsequent movements for non-violence, civil rights, and freedom all over
the world.
But
something that people know little about is that Gandhi had a direct contact
with the Theosophical Society and he knew to identify both truth and falsehood
in the Theosophical Movement.
Meeting with Theosophy
The first time that Mahatma
Gandhi heard about Theosophy was when he went to England to
study law at the University of London. About this, he wrote the following
in his Autobiography:
« Towards the end of my second
year in England I came across two Theosophists, brothers, and both unmarried.
They talked to me about the Bhagavad Gita.
They were
reading Sir Edwin Arnold's translation “The
Song Celestial” and they invited me to read the original with them.
I felt
ashamed, as I had read the divine poem neither in Samskrit nor in Gujarati. I
was constrained to tell them that I had not read the Bhagavad Gita, but that I would gladly read it with them, and that
though my knowledge of Samskrit was meager, still I hoped to be able to
understand the original to the extent of telling where the translation failed
to bring out the meaning.
I began
reading the Bhagavad Gita with them.
The verses in the second chapter made a deep impression in my mind, and they
still ring in my ears. The book struck me as one of priceless worth. The
impression has ever since been growing on me with the result that I regard it
as the book par excellence for the knowledge of truth. » (1)
Gandhi's visit the Theosophical Society in London
A few lines
later in his Autobiography, Gandhi says that he visited the Blavatsky Lodge in
London and was personally introduced to Helena P. Blavatsky. And he writes:
« They ['the two brothers'] also took me on one occasion to the Blavatsky
Lodge and introduced me to Madame Blavatsky and Mrs. Besant. The latter had
just then joined the Theosophical Society, and I was following with great
interest the controversy about her conversion. The friends advised me to join
the Society, but I politely declined saying, 'With my meagre knowledge of my
own religion I do not want to belong to any religious body.' I recall having
read, at the brothers' instance, Madame Blavatsky's Key to Theosophy. This book stimulated in me the desire to read
books on Hinduism, and disabused me of the notion fostered by the missionaries
that Hinduism was rife with superstition. » (2)
We see,
therefore, that it was through Theosophy that Gandhi was induced to study his
own Hindu spiritual heritage, and this effect of being interested in his
ancient sacred texts was also generated in many other Indians (3).
And that is
why the missionaries sought to destroy the reputation of Blavatsky, because she
was spoiling their project to evangelize the Indians.
In South Africa
When he
sailed to South Africa for the second time, he again found comfort within the
Theosophical influence:
« During my first sojourn in
South Africa it was Christian influence that had kept alive in me the religious
sense. Now it was theosophical influence that added strength to it. Mr. Ritch
was a theosophist and put me in touch with the Theosophical Society at
Johannesburg.
I never
became a member, as I had my differences, but I came in close contact with
almost every theosophist. I had religious discussions with them every day.
There used to be readings from theosophical books, and sometimes I had occasion
to address their meetings.
The chief
thing about theosophy is to cultivate and promote the idea of brotherhood. We
had considerable discussion over this, and I criticized the members where their
conduct did not appear to me to square with their ideal. The criticism was not
without its wholesome effect on me. It led to introspection. » (4)
It was in
November 1889 that Gandhi met Madame Blavatsky. At that time, he said, he did
not join the Theosophical Society because “with my meager knowledge of my own
religion, I did not want to belong to any religious body.”
However, a
year and a half later, on March 26, 1891, he became an associate member of the
Blavatsky Lodge. Three months later, on June twelfth, he returned to
India (5).
In India
In 1911, two decades after the death of H.P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant had
taken political power in the Adyar Theosophical Society. Gandhi and his wife visited the Theosophical Society headquarters in
Adyar in 1915, and about this visit, Annie Besant wrote the following:
« Friends will be
interested in the picture of some of the guests at our party in honor of Mr.
and Mrs. Gandhi, at the Blavatsky Gardens in Headquarters. The party was under
the great Banyan tree so familiar to our readers, and the photograph was taken
near the bungalow. Sir S. Subramanian sits in the centre, with Mr. and Mrs.
Gandhi on his right and left. Practically all the leading Indians of Madras —Hindus and Musalmans— were present, and we had a very pleasant two hours.
Little tables were scattered under the wide-spreading hospitable branches of
the great tree, and people ate fruits and cakes and savories and ices —all
Indian— in the friendliest way. » (6)
Gandhi and Annie Besant at Madras in 1921
In 1926, Theosophist Max Wardall
reported on his visit to Gandhi in Ahmedabad. After a long description of the
place and the "Indian Saint" Wardall asked questions related to the
Theosophical Society:
« Wardall: "Have
you heard the message announced by Annie Besant that a World-Teacher is soon to
appear, and will use the body of Krishnamurti, a Brahman youth, as a
vehicle?"
Gandhi: "Yes, I have heard
of it," he said with a faint smile and a shake of the heavy head.
"But it does not interest me. Teachers and Prophets have come to the world
from time to time to give help to men, and I believe They will come again. The
idea of the Coming I am prepared to accept, but that the Divine Teacher will
use as a vehicle the body of this or that disciple - such a statement I am
unable to verify, to affirm, or deny..."
Wardall: "You were once a
Theosophist. Were you not?
Gandhi: "Yes, when in South
Africa I worked with Major Peacock in the building-up of the Theosophical
Movement. I am still a Theosophist but I am not in sympathy with the Movement.
I am not in favor of any institution which fosters secrecy. Any secret training
or discipline like that practised in the inner school of Theosophy offends my
democratic sympathies. I want everything open and free to all. I have steadily
advocated the leveling of all barriers between peoples of all classes." » (7)
What does Gandhi think of Theosophy?
In this
regard he wrote:
« Theosophy is the teaching of Madame
Blavatsky. It is Hinduism at its best. Theosophy is the Brotherhood of Man. …
Jinnah and other Moslem leaders were once members of the Congress. They left it
because they felt the pinch of Hinduism patronizing. … They did not find the
Brotherhood of Man among the Hindus. They say Islam is the Brotherhood of Man.
As a matter of fact, it is the Brotherhood of Moslems. Theosophy is the
Brotherhood of Man. » (8)
What does Gandhi think of Neo-theosophy?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Besant allowing herself to be manipulated by Charles Leadbeater, she made that the
Adyar Theosophical Society abandoned the Original Theosophy replacing it with
the Neo-Theosophy invented by Mr. Leadbeater.
And although
Gandhi maintained the friendship with Annie Besant, he had a firm position with
regard to the new situation in the Theosophical Movement. With his
characteristic frankness, the leader of the movement for India’s independence
described what he thought about Annie Besant’s work, after she had left true
esoteric philosophy aside.
He expressed
himself in clear words:
« I do not think that Mrs. Besant is
a hypocrite; she is credulous and she is duped by Leadbeater. When an
Englishman suggested to me to read Leadbeater’s “The Life After Death,” I flatly refused to do so as I had grown
suspicious of him after reading his other writings. As to his humbug, I came to
know of it later. » (9)
Gandhi says
Mrs. Besant was credulous and not a hypocrite. The sentence makes one remember
the opening sentences in the famous 1900 letter, which a Master Kuthumi wrote
to Annie Besant:
« Says a Tibetan proverb: “credulity
breeds credulity and ends in hypocrisy.” » (10)
Thus the
Master clarifies that credulity and hypocrisy often occur together, for one
leads to the other. In fact, the history of the theosophical movement has been
confirming this statement ever since 1900.
Yet history
has also confirmed the axiom according to which, since nothing in the universe
is eternal as a separate form, no illusion or power manipulation can last
beyond its “time of validity.” When the time comes, truth is unveiled.
Then we see
that Mahatma Gandhi rejected pseudo-theosophy, but maintained his admiration
for authentic theosophical philosophy.
And it is
important to note that the only Theosophy recognized by Gandhi as actually
being Theosophy was the original and genuine Theosophy taught and presented by
H.P. Blavatsky.
He very
clearly expressed, when necessary, his distinctly negative view of the
pseudo-Theosophy of Annie Besant and in particular C.W. Leadbeater.
Since Alice
Bailey’s teachings are largely based on those invented by Leadbeater, it is
perhaps partly for this reason that Alice Bailey expressed a distinctly
unfavorable view of Gandhi.
The Fraternity of Religions
Gandhi was a
friend of B.P. Wadia and Sophia Wadia, influential figures in the United Lodge
of Theosophists (ULT), an international association of Theosophical students
whose expressed mission statement is “To spread broadcast the original
teachings of Theosophy as recorded in the writings of H.P. Blavatsky and
William Judge.”
In 1939,
Mrs. Sophia Wadia, one of the most significant leaders of the United Lodge of
Theosophists in India, had her book “The Brotherhood of Religions”
published. In the Foreword to the work, Mahatma Gandhi wrote:
« These essays of Sophia Wadia show
at a glance how much similarity there is between the principal faiths of the
earth in the fundamentals of life.
All our
mutual quarrels centre round non-essentials. Sophia Wadia’s labors will be
amply rewarded if people belonging to different faiths will study faiths other
than their own, with the same reverence that she has exhibited in her essays.
An
understanding knowledge of and respect for the great faiths of the world is the
foundation of true Theosophy. » (11)
Mahatma
Gandhi clearly echoed the words and message of H.P. Blavatsky and her
mysterious Teachers who stood behind her and the Theosophical Movement when he
said:
« The soul of religions is one, but
it is encased in a multitude of forms. The latter will endure to the end of
time. Wise men will ignore the outward crust and see the same soul living under
a variety of crusts.
Truth is the
exclusive property of no single scripture. We may call ourselves Christians,
Hindus or Mohammedans. Whatever we may be, beneath that diversity there is an
oneness which is unmistakable and underneath many religions there is also one
religion. » (12)
Similarity between Gandhi's teaching and
Theosophy
The affinity
between Gandhi’s philosophy and the authentic esoteric philosophy is very deep.
For example, Gandhi called his ashram in India “Satyagraha”, and he wrote that truth was the reason for the
existence of this community of people who search for universal wisdom (13).
On the other
hand, the motto of the Theosophical Movement is: “There is no Religion higher
than Truth.” As H.P. Blavatsky wrote in the first paragraphs of “The Key to Theosophy”, theosophists are
“Philaletheians” or “friends of
truth”.
And Mahatma
Gandhi in his speech at UNESCO declared:
« Our scriptures have declared that there is no dharma
higher than truth. » (14)
And just as
Theosophy advocates, Gandhi also expressed that active force through his famous
phrase:
« Be the change you want to see in the World. »
Notes
- “An Autobiography - or The Story of My Experiments with Truth”, M.K. Gandhi, Penguin Books, London, 1982, 454 pp., see chapter 20 of Part I, p.76-77. Also see “Young India” 12th November 1925.
- “Gandhi’s Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by M.K. Gandhi, p.60, 90-91, 321
- “Gandhi in London” by James D. Hunt, p.31
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, [1940]), p.196-197.
- “HPB – The Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky” by Sylvia Cranston, p.195, also see “The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 1: 1884-1896” by M.K. Gandhi, p.355
- The Theosophist, June 1915, p.189.
- The Messenger, June 1926, p.1-3.
- “The Life of Mahatma Gandhi” by Louis Fischer, p.437
- “The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi”, vol. XI, letter to Dr. Pranjivan Mehta, dated 08 May 1911. These sentences are quoted by Gregory Tillett in his book “The Elder Brother”, a biography of Charles Webster Leadbeater, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, Boston, Melbourne & Henley, 1982, p.7.
- “Letters From the Masters of the Wisdom”, first series, transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa, TPH, India, 1973, see letter 46, p.99.
- “The Brotherhood of Religions”, Sophia Wadia, Asian Book Trust, in Association with Theosophy Co. (India), Bombay, 1996, p.3. This 1996 edition has also a Foreword by the XIV Dalai Lama.
- “The Message of Mahatma Gandhi”, compiled and edited by U.S. Mohan Rao, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1968, New Delhi, p.38.
- “Cartas ao Ashram” (Letters to the Ashram), by Gandhi, Editora Hemus, São Paulo city, Brazil, p.25. Original edition in French, “Lettres à l’Ashram”, copyright Jean Herbert.
- “All Men Are Brothers”, Life and Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, As Told In His Own Words, UNESCO (United Nations), Paris, 1958, p.47.
OBSERVATION
The word "Mahatma" is a word used in India
to express much respect towards a person, and that is why it was used both to
designate Gandhi and the Masters Kuthumi and Morya. But it must be pointed out
that Gandhi was not a great Initiate belonging to the Brotherhood of the
Masters, but only a very wise human being.
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