GANDHI AND THE THEOSOPHISTS

 

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

 

1. “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.
2. “Gandhi’s Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by M.K. Gandhi, p.60, 90-91, 321
3. “Gandhi in London” by James D. Hunt, p.31
4. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, [1940]), p.196-197.
5. “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
6. The Theosophist, June 1915, p.189.
7. The Messenger, June 1926, p.1-3.
8. “The Life of Mahatma Gandhi” by Louis Fischer, p.437
9. “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.
10. “Letters From the Masters of the Wisdom”, first series, transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa, TPH, India, 1973, see letter 46, p.99.
11. “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.
12. “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.
13. “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.
14. “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.