NINE PEOPLE SAW MASTER KUTHUMI ON JULY 13, 1881

TESTIMONY OF BHAVANI SHANKAR

Bhavani Shankar Ganesh Mullapoorkar was one of the first Hindus to join the Theosophical Society when it was installed in India, and about this encounter with Master Kuthumi, he mentioned the following:

« The recent attack made by the Christian Missionaries connected with the "Christian College Magazine," to prove the falsity of occult phenomena by imputing them to the fraudulent tricks of Madame Blavatsky, forces upon me the duty of relating some of my experiences, so that the educated public may have a fair opportunity to draw their own conclusions concerning these phenomena after weighing all the evidences for and against their genuineness. My experience of these phenomena commenced so early as 1881, when the Head-quarters of the Theosophical Society were not removed from Bombay to Adyar, Madras. While I was at Bombay, I have had several occasions to visit its Head-quarters at Breach Candy.

My first encounter with Master Kuthumi was on the night of the 13th July 1881, in a bright moonlight, we were engaged in a talk with Madame Blavatsky as usual in the same verandah. Monsieur Coulomb and Madame Coulomb were present on the spot as also all the persons of the house and Madame Blavatsky's servant.

While we were conversing with Madame B., the Mahatma, known as Mr. Sinnett's Correspondent and the Author of the letters published in "The Occult World," made his appearance in his "Mayavi Rupa" or "Double," for a few minutes.

He was clad in the white dress of a "Punjabee" and wore a white turban. All of those, who were present at that time, saw his handsome features clearly and distinctly, as it was a bright moonlight night.

On the same night, a letter was drafted to the "London Spiritualist" about our having seen the Mahatmas. As we were reading the letter in question, the same Mahatma showed himself again.

The second time when he made his appearance, he was very near us, say at the distance of a yard or two. At that time, Monsieur and Madame Coulomb said, "Here is our Brother," meaning the Mahatma. He then came into Madame Blavatsky's room and was heard talking with her and then disappeared.

Mr. Coulomb and Mrs. Coulomb signed the letter drafted to the London "Spiritualist," testifying to the fact of their having seen the "Mahatma." Since Madame Coulomb now says that the Mahatmas are but "crafty arrangements of muslin and bladders" and her husband represented the Mahatmas.

How are we to reconcile this statement with the fact that in the London "Spiritualist" of the 19th August 1881, appeared a letter signed by five witnesses, including myself, testifying to the fact of their having seen a Mahatma, while they were writing that letter; and that this document is signed by both the Coulombs?

There is, therefore, no doubt that they were with the company who signed the paper. Who was it then that appeared on that occasion as a Mahatma? Surely neither Mr. nor Mrs. Coulomb with their "muslin and bladders" nor Madame Blavatsky's servant who was also present, but the "double" of a person living on the other side of the Himalayas.

The figure in coming up to Madame Blavatsky's room was seen by us "to float through the air," and we also distinctly heard it talking to her, while all of us, including her servant and the Coulombs, were at the time, together, in each other's presence. »

(This statement was first published in Report of the Result of an Investigation into the Charges against Madame Blavatsky Brought by the Missionaries of the Scottish Free Church of Madras, and Examined by a Committee Appointed for That Purpose by the General Council of the Theosophical Society. Madras, India: Theosophical Society, 1885, p.75-80.)

TESTIMONY OF BABAJI NAGNATH

Martundrow Babaji Nagnath was also one of the first Indian members of the Theosophical Society when it was installed in Bombay, and on this meeting with Master Kuthumi, he narrated the following:

« In a strong moonlight on another night, I, in company with three Brother Theosophists, was conversing with Madame Blavatsky. Madame Coulomb was also present. About eight or ten yards distant from the open verandah in which we were sitting, we saw a Brother known to us as Kuthumi. He was wearing a white loose gown or robe, with long wavy hair and a beard; and was gradually forming, as it were, in front of a shrub or number of shrubs some twenty or thirty yards away from us, until he stood to a full height.

Madame Coulomb was asked in our presence to Madame Blavatsky:

-      “Is this good Brother a devil?” as she used to think and say so when seeing the Brothers, and was afraid.

Madame Blavatsky then answered:

-      “No; this one is a man”.

He then showed his full figure for about two or three minutes, then gradually disappeared, melting away into the shrub.

On the same night again, at about 11 p.m., we, about seven or eight in number, were hearing a letter read to us, addressed to the London Spiritualist about our having seen Brothers, which one of our number had drafted, and which we were ready to sign. At this instant Mr. and Mrs. Coulomb called out and said:

-      “Here is again the Brother.”

This Brother (Kuthumi) was sometimes standing and walking in the garden here and there, at other times floating in the air. He soon passed into and was heard in Madame Blavatsky’s room talking wit her. On this account after we had signed the letter to the London Spiritualist we added a postscript that we had just seen him again while signed the letter. Kuthumi was in his Mayavi-rupa* on that evening. »

(Source: this testimony was published in Alan Hume’s book: “Hints on Esoteric Theosophy, No.1: Is Theosophy a Delusion? Do the Brothers Exist?”, edited by Calcutta Central Press, 1882, p.103-106)

TESTIMONY IN THE “SPIRITUALIST” MAGAZINE

Below is the facsimile of the letter they sent to the editor of the "Spiritualist" magazine and which appeared in the publication of August 19, 1881 (pages 88-89):

And below, I transcribe the text:

« Sir,

Will you kindly permit the undersigned members of the Theosophical Society, to say a few words concerning the existence and status of the Brothers of our First Section, whom we are proud to see associated with us in our cause, and whom we shall always be proud to look up to, though you and your correspondents like the self-styled “Adept,” (heaven save the mark!) “J.K.” may ever so vehemently ignore their very existence, or at best to pass them by, with the flippant sneer:

     -   "Oh, they are deceitful lazy beggars—at best mediums?"

You are scarcely justified in asserting that Colonel Olcott is the only testimony to "support his colleague." Such an assertion, so naively made, must not go unchallenged. We, too, have seen the Brothers, and know something about them. But the little we know is more than we can reveal. But we will say that the Brothers are no more "disembodied spirits'' than yourself or the sage “J.K.;” but our personal experience has enabled us to perceive that, though men and mortal like us, a life-long course of self-sacrifice, devotion to the highest and purest aspirations, and a complete psychic training, all these, we repeat, have enabled them to rise above the ordinary conditions of humanity, and surrounding them-selves with their own self-chosen conditions to perform what are vulgarly termed "miracles," or what with you pass for  "spiritual phenomena'' as exhibited through strong physical mediumship.

One of us, Moorad Alee Bey, knew the Brothers even before he joined the Theosophical Society. He has seen them, conversed with them, and has had other relations with them before as well as after joining the Society, but more than that (being under obligation as all of us are) he is not at liberty to say.

Mr. Damodar K. Mavalankar, Joint Recording Secretary of the Theosophical Society, has repeatedly seen them, talked to them, even when Madame Blavatsky was far away in Northern India, and he at the headquarters at Bombay. He has been at the residence of some of them, and on one occasion in company with Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott. And both, Moorad Alee Bey and Mr. Damodar K. Mavalankar know “Koot Hoomi” personally.

The rest have also seen some other Brothers on various occasions. We have stated the whole truth. Further than that, those of us who know and are preparing for further initiation, having devoted their lives to that highest goal, are not at liberty to disclose.

The Spiritualists may dogmatise as much as they will. We Hindus, Parsees, and Mahomedans of India, like our forefathers ages ago, know of the existence of Raj Yogis who are neither Hath Yogis nor mediums; and who, notwithstanding the denials of the sceptics, do mostly reside in the Himalayas and beyond.

We have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

R. MOORAD ALEE BEY,

President of the Saorashtr Theosophical Society at Bhaunagar.

DAMODAR K. MAVALANKAR,

Joint Recording Secretary, Central Theosophical Society.

MARTAUDROW BABAJEE NAGNATH,

Treasurer, Bombay Theosophical Society.

BHAVANISHANKAR GANESH MULLAPOORCAR,

Former of Theosophical Society

SOHRAB JAMASP PADSHAH,

Assistant Recording Secretary Central Theosophical Society

Bombay, 13th July, 1881.

P.D.: as we were reading the foregoing over, a “Brother” was with us. Monsieur and Madame Coulomb, the latter Assistant Corresponding Secretary of the Central Theosophical Society, have seen him and will testify to the same.

The above Postscript is correct.

 E. Coulomb, F.T.S.

 As. Coulomb, F.T.S.

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