Theosophical Light on The Ramayana
The vast writings of H. P. Blavatsky – totalling more than 10,000 pages in the form of books and articles – do not endeavour only… Read More »Theosophical Light on The Ramayana
vedic india
Writings related to the Vedic Age and Pre-Historic India.
Evolution in the Vishnu Purana
In H. P. Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine we find over 100 direct references to the Vishnu Purana, largely in her discussions of cosmic and human evolution. Purana means “old,” hence a… Read More »Evolution in the Vishnu Purana
A Wonder of Ancient India: The Mahabharata
Daunted by its size and a misconception that an intimate understanding of Hinduism was needed, I never considered taking the Mahabharata off the shelf. By accident I… Read More »A Wonder of Ancient India: The Mahabharata
The Vedic Schism
Somewhere in the third millennium BC a great conference was held on the slopes of the Himalayas to discuss a problematic Vedic injunction which was… Read More »The Vedic Schism
The Vedas: Soil of Buddhism
In ancient cultures, such as that of the Indo-Aryans or the Druids, literacy and education were not considered of general major importance, because they were… Read More »The Vedas: Soil of Buddhism
The Art of Writing in India
Part I Though the art of writing was known to the ancient Vedic sages, it was used extensively only in the inscriptions of the Indus… Read More »The Art of Writing in India
Unbroken Chain of Oral Tradition
Didactic ballads and folklore are the most precious remnants of a glorious culture that disappeared from the surface of our globe many centuries prior to… Read More »Unbroken Chain of Oral Tradition
India—“The Alma-Mater”
I: The Eternal Religion Forty years ago, expounding Theosophical tenets, W. Q. Judge called them “Echoes from the Orient.” His words convey a deeper truth… Read More »India—“The Alma-Mater”
Rajput and Brahman in Buddha’s Day
The understanding of Buddhism by Western scholars is in general marked by certain limitations. To begin with, they are inclined to lay too much stress… Read More »Rajput and Brahman in Buddha’s Day
Kshatriya and Brahman
In the Pali Suttas the teachings of the Buddha are conveyed, not in philosophical abstractions, but in lively narratives with a picturesque background of Indian… Read More »Kshatriya and Brahman
The Religion of India
I. When we come to India, the contrast with Egypt and Chaldea is strongly marked. Of the ancient Sumerian culture and religion of Chaldea, nothing… Read More »The Religion of India
The Antiquity of India
In previous articles on Primeval Man,1 we have tried to outline and develop a view of the unfolding of history, in the light of our… Read More »The Antiquity of India
India, Mother of Nations
It is a hundred years now since Schopenhauer foretold that India and the genius of India would produce an effect on the spirit of western… Read More »India, Mother of Nations
Aryan Origins and the Primeval Savage
In discussing the question of Indian Chronology, and the almost inextricable confusion it had been thrown into by the conjectures of the first generation of… Read More »Aryan Origins and the Primeval Savage
Arjuna’s Beliefs
In Vedic India there were two quite distinct beliefs as to death and the soul’s future destiny; the one belief belonging to the Vedic Hymns,… Read More »Arjuna’s Beliefs
Indian Chronology
“It holds through all literature, that our best history is still poetry. It is so in Hebrew, in Sanskrit, and in Greek.”—EMERSON. A curious chapter… Read More »Indian Chronology
The Upanishads and the Brahmans
“Thinking sacrifices and offerings are best, these fools know not the better way.” —Mundaka Upanishad. It has always been accepted as one of the established… Read More »The Upanishads and the Brahmans
Yugas
In reading Theosophical literature one is often confronted by the words Mahayuga, Kaliyuga, Manvantara, Kalpa, etc. No doubt all of the older members of the… Read More »Yugas
Rajput and Brahman
Aruna’s grandson Shvetaketu came to the gathering of the Panchâlas. He came to Pravâhana the son of Jibala, in the midst of his followers. Looking… Read More »Rajput and Brahman
The Races of Ancient India
Of the Brahmans, white is the color; of the Kshattriyas, red; of the Vaishyas, yellow is the color; of the Shudras, black. There was no… Read More »The Races of Ancient India
Talks About Indian Books
I. Introductory “When to the session of sweet silent thought”, as Shakespeare says, “I conjured up remembrance of things past”—as one feels in duty bound… Read More »Talks About Indian Books
The Old Wisdom-Religion
All readers of T. S. [Theosophical Society] literature are aware that the terms Theosophy, Secret Doctrine, and Wisdom-Religion are generally used as synonymous. While such… Read More »The Old Wisdom-Religion
The Antiquity of Indian Writing
If the negative argument as to the newness of Indian writing is entirely worthless, can we build up any positive argument in its place? Let… Read More »The Antiquity of Indian Writing
The Heritage of the Brahmans
It is said that long ago, in the childhood of the world, the senses were so fine that we could hear the growing of the… Read More »The Heritage of the Brahmans
The Red Rajputs
“It is well known that, from the point of view of the colouring, human races can be divided into four principal groups: white, yellow, black,… Read More »The Red Rajputs
The Kali Yuga in Hindu Chronology
Several weeks ago a communication was read at a regular meeting of this Branch, in which some references to the Kali Yuga were quoted from… Read More »The Kali Yuga in Hindu Chronology
The Seven Dwipas
I. It is the opinion of many at the present day that the almost grotesque myths and fantastic geographical and astronomical descriptions contained in the… Read More »The Seven Dwipas
Tales of the Ancient Rajputs
There is an old tradition, so old that it has almost died from the memories of men, that veils eventful epochs in the archaic history… Read More »Tales of the Ancient Rajputs
The Origin of Evil
The problem of the origin of evil can be philosophically approached only if the archaic Indian formula is taken as the basis of the argument.… Read More »The Origin of Evil
Hindu Symbolism
I. The student of Hindu metaphysical religious philosophy, will find most of its important formulations, veiled under a mystical symbolism; to understand which, is a… Read More »Hindu Symbolism
The Puranas on the Dynasty of the Moryas and on Koothoomi
Letter from R. Ragoonath Row | Editor’s Note by H.P.B. It is stated in Matsya Puran, chapter 272, that ten Moryas would reign over India, and… Read More »The Puranas on the Dynasty of the Moryas and on Koothoomi
The Aryan-Arhat Esoteric Tenets on the Sevenfold Principles in Man
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Probably the Aryan (we shall for the present call it… Read More »The Aryan-Arhat Esoteric Tenets on the Sevenfold Principles in Man
Antiquity of the Vedas
A journal interested like the THEOSOPHIST in the explorations of archæology and archaic religions, as well as the study of the occult in nature, has… Read More »Antiquity of the Vedas