R. Keshava Pillai was a member of the
Theosophical Society in the city of Nellore (located in southeastern India) who
became a disciple in approval of the master Kuthumi, and in the following
article he recounted the encounters and experiences he had with Kuthumi, Morya
and Djwal Khool:
HOW A
HINDU OF MADRAS INTERVIEWED
A MAHATMA
AT SIKKIM
by R. Casava Pillai
Nellore, 27th January 1885
Mr. Casava Pillai, F. T. S.,
Head-Quarter Inspector of Police, Nellore, writes:
Having heard that the now famous
Madame Coulomb has published a pamphlet against Madame Blavatsky, in which she
has spoken about me as an "accomplice," I sent for the pamphlet, and
on perusal of the same, I found myself referred to, at pages 45, 49, 50 and 74.
I now feel it my duty, and have
obtained the permission of my most Revered Guru Deva, to state the
particulars regarding my travels up to and over the Himalayas and their object,
with a humble hope that this may, to some extent, convince the readers of
Madame Coulomb's slanderous writings of the perfect innocence of the venerable
and much-abused Madame Blavatsky; who has, for the sake of India and humanity,
almost fulfilled the sad prediction of the Venerated Mahatma Kut Humi, who
says:
"The devoted woman who so
foolishly rushes into the wide, open door leading to notoriety. This door * * *
would prove very soon a trap – and a fatal one * * *" (Vide page 95
f the bok "Occult World" 2nd Edition)
Encounters
during his youth with Master Morya in dreams
To begin with my account of travels,
I shall have to go so far back as the year 1869, when I was only about 17 years
old, and was reading in the Sydapett Anglo-Vernacular School, the Head Master
of which Mr. J. D. Voz, a very pious Catholic, who finding my early religious
tendencies, used to give me some spiritual instructions at his leisure hours.
I was, at the same time, in the
habit of attending the Sunday discourses of the Protestant preachers at
Sydapett and St. Thomas Mount Mission Schools. These discourses, aided by the
entire absence of my parents – not to mention the easy road to Heaven, promised
by the modern Christians, "by the simple faith in Christ that he is the
Son of God, and that he died for us," turned my youthful head, and I was
determined to become a convert to Christianity.
About that time my father happened
to come to Madras. This was in July 1869, and I informed my father about my
determination, and he, in vain, tried his best to persuade me to change my
mind. We parted that night in tears. I went to bed with a fervent prayer to God
"to open my eyes and show me the Truth."
That memorable night, which I shall
never forget – the 21st of July 1869 – I had a dream, I cannot say it was
exactly a dream, because I was not fully asleep.
I saw a figure, a majestic figure in
the very likeness of the Great Mahatma M., whom I have subsequently seen on the
other side of the Himalayas – and whose portrait is now to be seen in the Adyar
head-quarters – with a book in hand, which he gave me.
On my opening it, I found an English
translation of the paragraph in the Upanishads:
"Prana or Pranava (Om) is the
Bow; the Atma, the Arrow; and the Brahman, the Mark".
And He then recited to me the
corresponding Sanskrit:
"Parnodhanuswarohyate
Bramhatallakshyamuchyate"
And, in the most impressive manner,
told me that "the Aryan Sages by practicing this have become Muktas,
and not by simple faith in any person or God." He added further – "My
child, do not be hasty, the labors of many births alone entitle one to Moksha."
On this I awoke, and could not sleep
the whole night. The result was I had to change my resolution of becoming a
convert to Christianity. The next morning when I went to school, a friend of
mine, Chetty, happened to bring a tract of translations of the Upanishads
(thinking it was a copy of Niti Chandrika, of the same size, by mistake)
from his uncle's library.
When I asked him for the Text-book (1), he placed the copy of the translation in my hands, and on
opening the book I found the very exact translation of the Upanishads above
quoted, meeting my eye!
I begged my friend to lend me the
book, which he did, and subsequently I got one from Calcutta. The perusal of
this book and other translations of the Upanishads, made me thoroughly give up
the idea of embracing Christianity, and showed me the superiority of Hindu religion
over all other religions.
My trials and labors in this
direction, while I was a student, are well known to my early friend, Mr. C.
Survothum Row, B. A., F.T.S.
In 1873, on a certain night, I saw
the same Mahatma in my dream presenting me a Tamil book, and after saying it
was by "Ramalinga Paradesi," he disappeared. This Ramalinga Paradesi
was the celebrated Sage in Southern India, who was then at Vadalore – of whom
mention is made in the Theosophist for July
1882.
I sent for the book, and used to get
the philosophy contained in it explained to me by a friend of mine who has been
his disciple. It was from this author that I learnt the philosophy of the Seven
Principles in Man and the cosmogony of the world, which have of late been more
clearly, and from the more Western scientific point of view, set forth in
"Esoteric Buddhism".
It is after reading this author and
the later work of Mr. Sinnett, I could understand the same sublime, but more
mystical philosophy, contained in the "Maha Narayana" and other Upanishads
about the "Dhyan Chohanic" solar Pralayas and the number of
planetary chains in each solar system.
Encounter
Master Kuthumi in Madras
with
In 1874, I believe it was in the
month of February, I had to go to Madras, and then, while in my uncles' house,
met a very famous Astrologer, well-versed in "Nadi Shastram;" he was
relating the past, present, and future of the lives of my uncles and others.
I asked him:
"What was in my mind, and if that would be realized,
and when?"
The object of my thought at the time
was the personage who had twice before appeared before me in my dreams, and
presented me with books, and given me certain instructions as to whether I
would ever attain true knowledge; and this was known to no one else present
there.
The Astrologer for a while
considered, and said me:
-
"The object of your thought is
now beyond the Himalayas and within two years exactly you will see one, but
your ignorance will then prevent you from reaping the benefit of his visit at
the time. But you need not be sorry for it, as in your 32nd year, you will see him
in the flesh, and he will take you under his protection from that date."
My uncles were present at the time
and also _____, an Hospital Assistant of St. Thomas' Mount.
In 1876, when I had again occasion
to go to Madras owing to certain heavy family calamities, one day as I was
driving to Madras from Sydapett in a jutka, I was brooding over the fact that
the whole responsibilities of a very large family had devolved on my shoulders.
The Jutkawallah stopped the carriage
near Tenampett on the road-side, and went to buy something in the bazaar close
by.
In this state of mind, I was seated
in the carriage, when I felt a hand over my shoulders from behind – the
sensation that was produced in my mind and body was something heavenly – so
pleasant, and at the same time so solemn, that I could not utter a word – and
while in this state, I saw him from the window of the carriage, and He placing
his blessed hand on my head told me in plain northern Hindustani with an
admixture of Sanskrit:
-
"My son, be not grieved – you
will have better days – and, in the meanwhile, you have my blessings."
With these words he walked away; and
I recovered from my abstract mood, perceived Him going into the "Parveta
Mandapam" compound adjoining the road, and then he was out of sight.
The Jutkawallah having returned,
drove the carriage towards the Black Town. As the carriage was approaching
Neil's Statute, the idea that the person who appeared before me, dressed in
white, as a Punjabi, might be the Sage or Mahatma, predicted by the Astrologer
in 1874 – flashed in my mind, and I at once got down the carriage, and almost
ran back to Tenampett, and entered the compound, and searched for Him, but in
vain; nor could any one then give me any traces of Him.
As I had to leave Madras that very
night, I could not make any further search. He was no other than my most
revered Guru Deva, who is now known as Mahatma Kut Humi to the
Theosophical world. To some of my friends at Nellore, I have related this fact.
Encounters
with Kuthumi in dreams
Between 1876 and 1880, I had
occasion to learn the secrets of the Adwitah Philosophy under two teachers.
When I had any doubts, and was not satisfied with their interpretations of the
Philosophy, and was very anxious about it, on 4 or 5 such occasions I had the
good fortune to see the last-mentioned Mahatma's blessed face in my dreams.
When His countenance was smiling and gracious, I would take it as favorable,
and if not, otherwise. On one or two occasions he cleared my doubts by word of
mouth.
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 [disciple]
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 used to appear
before me oftener in my dreams, and with a more gracious and approving
countenance.
Foundation
of Theosophical Lodge in Nellore
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, 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.
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 [Djwal Khool], 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.
While Madame Blavatsky and Col.
Olcott were on their way to Nellore from Guntur, after having opened a Society
there, another letter addressed to herself was received from Mahatma M., in the
presence of some Nellore, Guntar, and Madras (Branches) members, dropping, as
it were, from the top of the boat; the letter is still in the possession of one
of the members of the Nellore Branch.
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.
Physical
encounter with the Masters
From that moment forward I took the
"Diksha" (vow) which my brothers here know very well. After
the expiry of about four months, and as soon as my private affairs would allow,
I started for Madras, having clearly told two or three of my friends and
brothers that I was going to see the blessed feet of my most revered Guru – on
the other side of the Himalayas.
I left Madras on the evening of the
11th September 1882 by the mail train, and reached the Society's head-quarters
at Bombay on the 13th September. On that day I was introduced by Madame Coulomb
and other Theosophists who then happened to come there as "R. Casava
Pillai, Secretary of the Nellore Branch".
On the 14th idem, Madame Coulomb and
myself both drove in the Society's carriage to the Office of Mr. Tukaram Tatya,
F. T. S., and she introduced me to him. Mr. Tukaram Tatya and myself both then
went to the Oriental Life Insurance Company.
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 Deva.
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.
Now I shall have to refer to page 49
of Madame Coulomb's book, giving a description of my dress, She says in reference to me:
"Before
he left he had his costume made, consisting of yellow cotton satin blouse, a
cap consisting of the same shape as that of Mr. Deb, a pair of top boots, and a
pair of very thick cloth trousers.
. .
.
They
started very quietly, and Madame begged us not to say to any one that she had
left. This was to give the thing a mysterious appearance as usual."
I was "dressed in yellow cotton
blouse." That is the custom of the chelas. Does that imply any
trick?
Ramaswamy Iyer, at page 67 of the Theosophist
for December 1882, says that he travelled in his "ascetic robes" – I
believe it is no sin to do so. I have seen the "Geluckpas," the
"Yellow caps," wear the same costume in Bhutan, and further north,
and also the chelas of the Mahatmas!
"They started very quietly and
Madame * * * * had left." I have shown above that I was introduced to
three or four Theosophists of Bombay, and that Madame Coulomb herself
introduced me to Mr. Tukaram Tatya, and that we were accompanied to the Railway
Station by M. and Madame Coulomb.
I believe this is not "leaving
very quietly" – if it is, perhaps, she expected that I should have sent an
account of it to the papers, or put it in the Theosophist, that I was
leaving for the North in my pilgrim's dress to find my Guru Deva. I do
not believe pilgrims ever make any fuss about their pilgrimages.
Except informing some of my close
friends and my brothers at Nellore and Madras, and the very few I have been
introduced to at Bombay (during my stay of two days there) that I was going to
the North, in the fervent hope of seeing my Mahatma, I did not think it proper
or necessary to proclaim the fact to the world abroad. Further, in case of
failure, I should have been put to the necessity of telling every one
particulars of my failure to see the Mahatma. (2)
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, behind, I myself traveling in a 3rd-class carriage. So I had to
meet her again at Allahabad on the 18th September (myself having stayed there on
the night of the 17th idem).
On my way from Khandwa to Allahabad,
between the 16th and 17th idem, I had to travel alone. 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 on
the 18th 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, 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 Morya in their physical
bodies.
The very identical personages whose
astral bodies I had seen in my dreams, 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.
Attacked
by black magicians
On the 26th September evening, we
both having heard that Madame Blavatsky and Ramaswamy Iyer had come to
Darjilling, 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; and, I believe, Babu Nobin Krishna
Bannerji and others of Bengal joined us subsequently.
In the course of our travels in
Bhutan, Sikkim and Thibet, we had to sojourn for a night or two at a village in
Bhutan where the Dugpas abound. Having staid all day long in a
"Gumpah" belonging to that sect of "Dugpas" or the
"Red Caps" who are so proficient in Black Magic, and having been
rather indiscreet in talking ill of their sect, we had unwittingly placed
ourselves in great danger.
These "Dugpas" or their
"Lamas" having suspected that we belonged to the other sect the
Gelukpas or the White Magicians to whom they are inveterate enemies, began to
exercise their evil influence, or "Jadu" over us that night, while we
were taking shelter in the verandah of a poor man's house at Darjiling.
All of a sudden I was disturbed in
my sleep – but was unable to get up, and saw in my half wakeful condition that
some most poisonous and dire influence was coming upon me from two of the Lamas
(Dugpa Sect) whom we were talking to in their "Gumpah" that day.
This influence I was clearly
conscious of, and saw it attempting to approach my companion who slept by, but
was kept off by the brilliant glare going out of a talisman which he wore on
his person. This was a most powerful talisman given to him by the Mahatmas, and
by which he was protected.
Myself having no such shield, the
dark and poisonous influence having surrounded me I began to feel a choking
sensation in my heart, and was most miserable. Just at this moment I saw (in my
vision of course) Madame Blavatsky in a very disturbed mood, making some passes
over me with her hand, and also taking hold of her large ring (with the
"Sree-yentra" on it) and touching my forehead with it.
Then the bad influence about me
vanished, and I awoke and began to vomit, and felt ill for some time, and got
better by the morning.
The same night the above-mentioned
"Dugpas" having failed in their attempt to injure us by
"Jadu," they about 20 or more of them with torches and lights came to
the place, and asked the owner of the house to show them where we were. Between
them and us lay a slender woodwork. Then the very powerful talisman worn by my
friend and the protection of our Masters saved us from falling into their hands,
and diverted their attention.
I mention the above rather long
account as only one of the ways in which we were protected by the Masters
in that dreadful country of Black Magic.
Madame Blavatsky – though at the
time somewhere about Calcutta or Chandernagore or somewhere else, was not over the Himalayas, and was
taking an active part in my personal safety.
On my meeting Ramaswami Iyer at
Darjiling, he asked me if any thing very particular had happened to us that
night (the dangerous night in which we were exposed to Dugpa influence).
On my asking him why he put the
question, he told me that Madame Blavatsky was telling him the previous day
"that we (myself and D. Nath) were exposing ourselves to the
"Dugpa" influence, and were in the midst of the greatest danger. (3)
The return trip
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.
A Bengali Babu – a tea-planter who
travelled with me from Darjiling asked me to stay for the night at Siliguri, as
I was much tired. I slept for the night in the Railway Store-keeper's house – a
Bengali gentleman and a very hospitable one. On the 29th, I got into the train
for Calcutta, and reached the place on the morning of the 30th idem. I stayed
at Calcutta and had been to Kalighat that day.
Started that night for Gya via
Bankipore, and reached the place on the 1st October. I was at Gya on the 1st
and 2nd idem, and saw a great Buddhist sage – who is about the place. Here I
received a letter from my Guru Deva in the usual occult manner.
On the 2nd, about noon, I started
for Allahabad which place I reached early on the 3rd idem. I stayed at Allahabad
on 3rd and 4th, and left it on the evening of the 4th for Jubbulpore by mail
train which I reached on the 5th. That morning I went to the River Nerbudda
which is about five miles from Jubbulpore, and bathed in the river.
On the 6th I took the mail train for
Bombay, and reached the place at about 10 A.M. I went to the head-quarters and
started that very day by 2 P.M. by the mail. I intended to stay a day or two at
Bombay, but the telegrams and letters that were waiting for me from Madras did
not allow me the option. I reached Madras on the morning of the 9th October
1882.
From Siliguri and Gya, I had written
to my brother-in-law at Madras about my having seen my most Revered Guru Deva
on the Himalayas, and he tells me that he has got the letters intact.
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.
The above are facts and facts are
stubborn things.
Inconsistencies
in Mrs. Coulomb's statements
Now I shall offer Madame Coulomb a
hard nut to crack.
1) Madame Coulomb says in her
pamphlet that herself and her husband were the accomplices of Madame Blavatsky
in the phenomena of letters falling and disappearing. I tell her (she knows the
fact) that she was present in the Bombay Hall, along with others when
the letter fell on the 14th September 1882. I have not got the letter in my
possession.
Did Madame Coulomb drop it on our heads?
If so, why was it not mentioned in
her book?
Perhaps, the incident was not
thought to be more significant than my top-boots and thick trousers (which I
had not the foresight to buy, and carry from Nellore knowing that I had to go to
the coldest of regions in the world – and which Madame Blavatsky kindly advised
me to take).
2) She was present when my letter to
the Mahatma was placed near the statue of Lord Buddha, and it did disappear (I had carefully
examined the surroundings before I laid the letter there).
Who removed the letter? Was it Mr. Coulomb? or who?
3) I have mentioned above how I saw
the astral form of my Guru Deva at the head-quarters of the Society on
the night of the 14th, and that he talked to me in Telugu.
You cannot say that I have planned
this for the occasion now. Because this fact was mentioned by me to my
friends and brothers at Madras and Nellore long before Dr. Hartmann's
pamphlet and the letters appeared in the Christian College Magazine and
even before Mr. Ramaswamy Iyer or Brother Damodar K. Mavalankar's account of
their having seen the very identical masters, whose astral shapes they
had seen at the head-quarters of Bombay.
Vide their accounts in the Theosophist for December 1882,
page 69, and December [1883] and January 1884, page 61, respectively.
Did Mr. Coulomb act the part of the Mahatma for me as he did
for Ramaswamy Iyer over the balcony?
If you have the honesty to say
"Yes," do so. But the story would appear rather too stale now. Had
you the happy knack of giving an account of this along with your description of
boots, it would have gone into the market for Christian charity pitying a poor
dupe of Madame Blavatsky and for checking the tide of immorality which the
Theosophical Society is now spreading far and wide. But now the world will draw
its own conclusions.
But what about the Telugu in
which the Mahatma spoke to me? Does Monsieur Coulomb know Telugu? or was
there anybody kept in the head-quarters who knew Telugu, for the
occasion? Kindly explain this!
4) The letter (alleged to be by
Madame Blavatsky) published at pages 44 and 45, does not contain any date as
usual; and I do not believe it to be genuine for the following reasons:
When I saw Babula, Madame's servant,
at Chandernagore on 19th September 1882, he was all right and healthy; and when
I saw him at Darjiling on the 27th September, I was told by Babu Nobin K.
Bannerji and others that he had fallen ill two or three days previous to that
day.
Madame Blavatsky says (or is alleged
to say) that he was ill for one month by the time when the letter was written,
and that "she was leaving Darjiling within three days," and in the
same breath Madame Blavatsky says (or is alleged to say) the "little one
is a real Jewel and the big one is an imbecile, etc."
From the mention of "the little
one is" , and "the big one is" , one would
naturally infer that the letter must have been written about the 26th,
27th and 28th of September when I was at Darjiling with the
party.
But from the mention of Babula's
illness and Madame's saying that she would leave Darjiling within three
days," it would be clear that the letter must have been written about 20th
or 25th of October 1882.
If the letter was written about the
latter time, there could have been no necessity for Madame Blavatsky (who knew
perfectly well that I was then in Nellore via Bombay head-quarters, and
she even wrote to me from Darjiling bearing dates 9th and 13th) to write about
me to Madame Coulomb (who saw me at Bombay on my return).
I beg Madame Coulomb to explain this
apparent inconsistency.
5) At page 74, Madame Coulomb having
traced me to one of the delegates from Nellore goes on expressing her regret
for not recognising me when I went to salute her.
The facts of the case are these:
When I saw in the hall Madame Coulomb (for the first time at Madras) during the
Anniversary of the Society in the year 1883, I went up to salute her; Madame
Coulomb did not or would not recognize me.
I reminded her who I was – and of my
visit to Bombay and her introducing me to Mr. Tukaram Tatya – to all this she
said "she did not know me" Then I thought she did not want to
recognise me not for the reasons she gives in the pamphlet, but for what I
shall state hereunder.
But I must declare that
Madame Blavatsky was not at the time in the hall; nor did she come down
for an hour after this conversation had taken place.
My brother-in-law, Muruganandam
Pillay, and Bodireddy Rengareddy of the Nellore Branch, are my witnesses, and
their statements are attached.
Again, on the 27th December 1883,
when all the delegates were having their badges attached to their coats, it was
Madame Coulomb's turn to do it for me, and then I requested her if she
recollected me, and even reminded her that she had "adopted me" as
she would say in fun "and Dadasahib Tukaram Tatya as her sons".
To this she disowned me entirely in
the presence of so many members, and even spoke to me rather harshly, to which
Madame Blavatsky objected, and reminded her that she was calling me at Bombay
as such.
This was heard by some delegates. I
attached the statement of C. Aravamudu Iyengar, B. A., F. T. S., on the
subject. * * * *
Conclusion
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.
I beg leave to mention that there
are at this moment several dozens of chelas who are not known to the
world as such even to the Theosophical world – nor even to Madame Blavatsky.
Truth will triumph in the end. There is no religion higher than Truth.
(Sd.) R. Casava Pillai,
Secretary, N. T. Society.
Nellore, the 27th January
1885
Testimonials
I was personally present at Nellore
when the second phenomenon took place there. The account is to my knowledge
correct. I have seen and read the letters of the Master relating
to the first phenomenon.
(Sd.) S. Vigia Raghava Charloo,
F.T.S.
Adyar, the 31st January 1885.
So far as the Dugpa affair at
Darjiling and other facts with which I am acquainted, including Mr. R. Casava
Pillai's visit to the Himalayan regions and his seeing the Masters and some chelas,
are concerned, I affirm that the information given herein is correct. Casava
Pillai keeps a regular diary.
(Sd.) Babaji D. Nath, F.T.S.
Adyar, the 31st January 1885.
(True Copy.
N. C. Mukerji)
The 1st February, 1885.
Notes
1.
The Text-book referred to is
"Niti Chendrika," which was fixed for the year's examination)
2.
This itself shows there was no
"conspiracy."
3.
Madame Blavatsky said she should
like to be at the attest on the evening of the danger at Darjiling)
This article was
published in The Indian Mirror of Calcutta, vol. XXV, in two parts: March
3, 1885, page 2, and March 7, 1885, page 2.
I edited the text to
make it easier to read, the original text can be read at:
https://www.blavatskyarchives.com/pillai.htm
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