Mohandas Gandhi, the famous leader of the independence movement in
India, met the Theosophical Society when he was a young law student at the
University of London.
In November 1889, he met Madame Blavatsky personally, and on March 26,
1891, he became an associate member of the Blavatsky Lodge.
About Theosophy, Gandhi 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 say Islam is the
Brotherhood of Man. As a matter of fact, it is the Brotherhood of Moslems.
Theosophy is the Brotherhood of Man. » (1)
Later, Annie Besant took command of
the Adyar Theosophical Society and although Gandhi maintained the friendship
with her, he had a firm position with regard to the new situation in the
Theosophical Movement. With his characteristic frankness he gave his
opinion responding to his friend Dr. Pranjivan Mehta, the following:
« Tolstoy Farm,
Vaisakh Sud 10 [May 8, 1911]
Dear Shri Pranjivan,
Your two letters reached me this
week.
I have held since 1899 the same
views that you do about Theosophy and Neo-Theosophy.
They pressed me hard that year to
join the Adyar Theosophical Society, but I refused in no uncertain terms,
saying that, though the Society’s rule respecting brotherhood appealed to me, I
had no sympathy for its search for occult powers.
I do not think that Mrs. Besant
is a hypocrite; she is credulous and is duped by Charles 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.
All the same, I have drawn from
Theosophy the lessons which seemed to
me worth drawing. Blavatsky’s book The
Key of Theosophy had made a good impression
on me. Theosophy sent many Hindus inquiring into their own religion.
Moreover, Theosophists believe in
the same basic principles as we do and therefore it is easy enough to come
across good persons among them. Though there are no dearth of crooks at all
levels from the highest to the lowest among the Vaishnav and other sects, we do
find gems like Narasinh Mehta and Bhojo Bhagat amongst them.
Ritch was a Theosophist. He urged
me to become a member. Not only did I not become one, I helped him to be free
from that humbug.
Polak is a Theosophist, but he
stays miles away from the practices and writings of Theosophists. The same is
true of Kallenbach. When I was in India, I sent Gokaldas to the College at Benares
(founded by Annie Besant, but later she
transformed it into a worship center for her and Krishnamurti).
Then also I was disappointed.
Even after wards, as long as I had not come to see the light, which I have now,
that is, as long as I had not outgrown the fascination for modern education, I
used to inquire about institutions like the Benares College and even wished to
send the boys there, thinking that something was better than nothing. All that
is over now.
Cordes, at Phoenix, is a staunch
Theosophist. I have not yet been able to get him out of the hold of Neo-theosophy.
In himself, he appears to be a sincere man. He has gone to Adyar at present,
against all persuasion.
Being honest, he will see the
fraud that is there and turn his back on it, unless he is taken in. It is worth
ascertaining what humbug prevails there safe under the cover of Mrs. Besant’s
goodness. Her desire to pass off as the “Master” is understandable. One who
runs after occult powers cannot but become so intoxicated.
It is for these reasons that all
our shastras have looked upon occult powers and Yogic attainments as unworthy
pursuits. And that is the reason, I think, why bhakti-yoga is regarded as
superior to hatha-yoga. » (2)
Gandhi showed a great
discernment in his opinion, because that was exactly what other renowned
witnesses like Krishnamurti or Dharmapala also said.
Gandhi and Annie Besant at Madras in 1921
Notes
- “The Life of Mahatma Gandhi” by Louis Fischer, p.437
- “The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi”, vol. XI, p.393-395
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