The Culture-Language of the Future
It has often seemed to me that even the best Sanskrit scholars in Europe and America alike have no very… Read More »The Culture-Language of the Future
The Theosophist
Karma and Ancient Law
Some points in ancient law, which furnish coincidences with the occult doctrine of cyclic progression, and some legal theories which… Read More »Karma and Ancient Law
[The Original Programme of The Theosophical Society]
[Note: for historical context, see the introduction by C. Jinarajadasa and the appendices in the 1931 printing, as well as… Read More »[The Original Programme of The Theosophical Society]
Ancient Magic in Modern Science
Paulthier, The French Indianist, may, or may not, be taxed with too much enthusiasm when saying that India appears before… Read More »Ancient Magic in Modern Science
Namastae!
The foundation of this journal is due to causes which, having been enumerated in the Prospectus, need only be glanced… Read More »Namastae!
Reincarnations in Tibet
So little is known by Europeans of what is going on in Tibet, and even in the more accessible Bhootan,… Read More »Reincarnations in Tibet
[Was Jehovah Inspired by Indra?]
Article selection from “Indra”, by Rajendro Nauth Dutta | Notes by H.P.B. Indra1 is the name of one of these… Read More »[Was Jehovah Inspired by Indra?]
Premature and Phenomenal Growths
A Russian Theosophist in a letter dated November 1883, writes as follows:— The Petersburg and Moscow papers are greatly concerned… Read More »Premature and Phenomenal Growths
The Missing Link
A good many of the Western papers are terribly excited over a bit of news just arrived in Europe from… Read More »The Missing Link
The Ensouled Violin [1st Ed.]
The almost supernatural or magic art of Nicolo Paganini—the greatest violin player that the world has ever produced—was often speculated… Read More »The Ensouled Violin [1st Ed.]
A Hindu Professor’s Views on Indian Yoga
We lay aside other matter already in type to give place to the essential portions of an “Introduction to Indian… Read More »A Hindu Professor’s Views on Indian Yoga
Zoroastrianism in the Light of Occult Philosophy
The following letter having been sent to us from a Parsee gentleman, we publish the paragraphs containing his queries seriatim… Read More »Zoroastrianism in the Light of Occult Philosophy
Hindu Theism
Old readers will recollect our desire, long ago expressed, that some respectable Brahmo would undertake, in these columns, a candid… Read More »Hindu Theism
The Theosophist and Hindu Pantheism
It is upon the above subject 1 that we find Mr. Henry Atkinson, of Boulogne, France, treating in the Philosophic… Read More »The Theosophist and Hindu Pantheism
Astrology Verified
Writing in the Theosophist upon the subject of Astrology, C.C.Massey says that he thinks at present we are not fully… Read More »Astrology Verified
[Difference between “Spiritualists” and “Spiritists”]
Article selection by M. Camille Flammarion | Note by H.P.B. “Spiritism feels too grateful to the great scientist William Crookes… Read More »[Difference between “Spiritualists” and “Spiritists”]
[Notes on the “Philosopher’s Stone”]
Selections from HPB’s translation of Éliphas Lévi’s “Rituel de la Haute Magie” | Notes by H.P.B. . . . This stone… Read More »[Notes on the “Philosopher’s Stone”]
Psychism and the Fourth Dimension
At the present day, though science has added to its former treasures many things rich and rare, its wildest admirer… Read More »Psychism and the Fourth Dimension
A Reply to Our Critics
In the ordinary run of daily life speech may be silver, while “silence is gold.” With the editors of periodicals… Read More »A Reply to Our Critics
Should Men Cut Their Hair?
Article selection by Alexander Wilder | Note by H.P.B. Whether the hair should be cut I could never quite satisfy… Read More »Should Men Cut Their Hair?
Doomed!
A letter signed by a Mr. R. Barnes Austin of Heathfield, England, addressed to the editor of The Theosophist, has… Read More »Doomed!
Are the “Arabian Nights” All Fiction?
For many years it has been customary to regard that collection of interesting stories called “The Arabian Nights,” as pure… Read More »Are the “Arabian Nights” All Fiction?
The Occultism of Southern India
[A Note on Authorship: In its original printing this article closed with the following note: “The foregoing is a summary… Read More »The Occultism of Southern India
A Thunder Cloud With Silver Lining
“All comes in good time to him who knows to wait,” says the proverb. The small party of New York… Read More »A Thunder Cloud With Silver Lining
Is the Desire to “Live” Selfish?
The passage “to Live, to live, to Live must be the unswerving resolve,” occurring in the article on the Elixir… Read More »Is the Desire to “Live” Selfish?
[The Sacred Brahmanical Thread]
Article selections from “Two Words about Chelaship” by A. Sankariah | Note by H.P.B. There were days when all had… Read More »[The Sacred Brahmanical Thread]
The Idyll of the White Lotus [An Explanation]
The interesting story published under the above title has already attracted considerable attention. It is instructive in more ways than… Read More »The Idyll of the White Lotus [An Explanation]
[On the Siddhis “Anima” and “Mahima”]
Article selection from “An Indian Aethrobat”, by Babu Krishna Indra Sandyal | Note by H.P.B. In the November issue of… Read More »[On the Siddhis “Anima” and “Mahima”]
The Six-Pointed and Five-Pointed Stars
Our authorities for representing the pentagram or the five-pointed star as the microcosm, and the six-pointed double triangle as the… Read More »The Six-Pointed and Five-Pointed Stars
Spirit Identity and Recent Speculations
Editorial Note by H.P.B. on an article by “M. A. (Oxon.)” Of all the Spiritualists, “M.A. (Oxon),” is the last… Read More »Spirit Identity and Recent Speculations
Mr. William Eglinton’s Departure from India
The enemies of Spiritualism and Theosophy can rejoice and triumph, and the Calcutta bigoted and dyspeptic fogies—old or young—are invited… Read More »Mr. William Eglinton’s Departure from India
The Seventeen-Rayed Sun-Disc
The following interesting letter was received by us from Fresno, California. As it is a private one, we can give… Read More »The Seventeen-Rayed Sun-Disc
The Trinity of Righteousness
Three other victims “smelling sweet in the nostrils of the Lord!” The names of Justice North, the Rev. Dr. S.… Read More »The Trinity of Righteousness
Nature’s Human Magnets
If any of us now-a-days ventures to relate some weird experience or seemingly incomprehensible phenomenon, two classes of objectors try… Read More »Nature’s Human Magnets
“Nature-Spirits and Elementals”
A correspondent of Light having asked Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten, the famous Spiritualist speaker and author, to state her beliefs… Read More »“Nature-Spirits and Elementals”
The Metaphysical Basis of “Esoteric Buddhism”
The pamphlet of Mr. C. C. Massey, an F.T.S., of the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society, is a valuable… Read More »The Metaphysical Basis of “Esoteric Buddhism”
Facts and Ideations
The current of public attraction runs towards psychic phenomena and is becoming in Europe stronger every year. Even German science… Read More »Facts and Ideations
[On Sir Richard Temple’s Lecture]
Sir Richard has done our Society the great honour of misrepresenting its character and objects to an English audience. A… Read More »[On Sir Richard Temple’s Lecture]
Sanskrit’s Nearest Neighbour
There is a charming story in one of the Upanishads, a story full of the most delicate humour, which tells… Read More »Sanskrit’s Nearest Neighbour
[Missionary Tactics in India]
Article selection from “Swami verses Missionary”, The Debate at Ajmere between Pandit Dayanund Saraswati Swami and the Rev. Dr. Gray,… Read More »[Missionary Tactics in India]
Sanskrit Study in the West
I. No event in the intellectual history of the nineteenth century is, perhaps, of so great importance, and likely to… Read More »Sanskrit Study in the West
Theosophy and Miracles
Article selection by Gilbert Elliot, Esq. | Note by H.P.B. . . . The main difficulty in the way of ascertaining the… Read More »Theosophy and Miracles
“Praise Him With The Timbrel And Dance”
. . . “Let the children of Zion . . . praise the Lord’s name in the dance. . .… Read More »“Praise Him With The Timbrel And Dance”
The St. James Gazette and Esoteric Buddhism
“Learning is light, ignorance is darkness,” says a proverb. It is good to be learned, when one’s knowledge rests on… Read More »The St. James Gazette and Esoteric Buddhism
A False “Witness”
The Lucknow Witness, it appears, indulged some time since in a bit of casuistical morality at the expense of the… Read More »A False “Witness”
The Drift of Western Spiritualism
Late advices from various parts of the world seem to indicate that, while there is an increasing interest in the… Read More »The Drift of Western Spiritualism
[Notes on Symbolism in Selections by Eliphas Levi]
Selections from Eliphas Levi’s “Dogme de la Haute Magie” | Notes by H.P.B. Gleanings from Eliphas Levi1 Extracts from the… Read More »[Notes on Symbolism in Selections by Eliphas Levi]
The Origin of the Gospels and the Bishop of Bombay
The ignorance which commonly prevails among English Christians concerning the history of their own religious books and, it is feared,… Read More »The Origin of the Gospels and the Bishop of Bombay