Tallapragada Subba Row

Fall 2012

Great Esotericists of the Past Tallapragada Subba Row

allapragada Subba Row was born on July id book. But this mystical side of his char- T 6, 1856 into a family of Brahmins at Ka- acter he showed only to kindred souls. kinada in Andhra Pradesh State, India. (His What may seem strange to some is the fact name is sometimes spelled Rao, and probably that, while he was obedient as a child to his that was the original form of the family name.) mother in worldly affairs, he was strangely His grandfather was an administrator in the reticent to her, as he was to all his relatives district court, and his maternal uncle was a and ordinary acquaintances, about spiritual high government official in the service of the matters.2 Raja of Pithapuram. When he was six months old his father died, and the young Tallapragada Esoteric Teachings was raised by the uncle. T. Subba Row seemed to have an innate knowledge of the ancient scriptures of India. That On a visit to Benares with his mother, four- knowledge and his deep understanding of Ve- teen-year-old Tallapragada met a yogi who initiated him into Brahmavidya, a form of yoga dantic philosophy helped Blavatsky make the transition from her western esoteric orienta- based on the Upanishads. For the rest of his tion, evident in Isis Unveiled, to the strong life Subba Row performed the prescribed daily eastern orientation that took shape in her mon- prayers and meditations. umental work The Secret Doctrine. Subba Row T. Subba Row showed no particular talents in told his mother that Blavatsky was a “great high school, but he soon blossomed academi- Yogi, and that he had seen many strange phe- cally. He rose to the top of his class at Madras nomena in her presence.”3 For her part, Blavat- Presidency College, where he earned a Bache- sky considered him to have greater occult lor of Arts degree in 1876. After passing the knowledge than herself. Bachelor of Law examination Subba Row joined a respected law firm and practiced for A rift developed after Blavatsky asked Subba Row to review her manuscript of The Secret ten years. He could probably have become a Doctrine. He found the work “diffuse and cha- prominent attorney or politician had he not otic” and did not feel able to evaluate it. But he developed “an irresistible attraction” to philos- 1 also questioned the wisdom of revealing so ophy. much occult knowledge to the masses. Blavat- Helena Blavatsky, along with Henry Olcott, sky left Adyar in March 1885 and completed president of the Theosophical Society, arrived The Secret Doctrine in Europe; it was pub- in India in 1878, initially settling in Bombay. lished three years later. She died in May 1891.4 Subba Row corresponded with Blavatsky early Despite their differences, Blavatsky never wa- in 1882 and persuaded the group to move the vered in her respect for Subba Row’s work. Society’s headquarters to Adyar, near Madras, She commented: “We know of no better au- on the southeast coast of India. He became the thority in India in anything concerning the eso- Society’s secretary, served on the General tericism of the Advaita Philosophy.” Council, and also served for a while as editor T. Subba Row contributed articles to The The- of The Theosophist. Olcott commented on osophist and gave lectures to the expanding Subba Row’s personal style: group of Theosophists at Adyar. Copies of his As a conversationalist he was most brilliant articles, transcripts of the lectures, and some and interesting; an afternoon’s sitting with unpublished material were collected into his him was as edifying as the reading of a sol- Esoteric Writings. The unpublished material,

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 67 The Esoteric Quarterly based on notes taken by students, came from Subba Row was familiar with the work of An- private instruction he gave to a select group of na Kingsford and her colleague Edward Mait- Theosophists, which included Charles Lead- land, whose work was grounded in the western beater and Alfred Cooper-Oakley. traditions of Hermeticism and Rosicrucianism. For a short time, Kingsford was president of Much of Subba Row’s work concerned Hindu- the London Lodge of the Theosophical Socie- ism and Buddhism. For example, he contrasted ty. A dispute ensued with notions of the septenary Sinnett on a number of constitution of man, The First Ray, according to issues, including the reli- discussed by Arthur P. Subba Row, sees God as a ability of Blavatsky’s Sinnett and which be- king, demanding worship; sources. She left the Soci- came the standard The- ety and, with Maitland, osophical model, with he linked it with Brahman- founded the Hermetic the four-body model ism and the Vedas. The Se- Society, a forerunner of discussed in Taraka the Order of the Golden Raja Yoga. While he cond Ray sees God as a Dawn. showed that Sinnett’s teacher and is linked with description was con- Buddhism. He also de- The Seven Rays sistent with Vedantic thought, he considered clared: “There is a Ray spe- Of particular interest is Subba Row’s involve- the fourfold description cially adapted to women; it ment in early teachings on “the best and the sim- 8 5 is sometimes called the the seven rays. Lead- plest.” Interestingly, beater studied under Sub- western esoteric sys- “body of love.” Its Logos is tems, like Rosicrucian- ba Row from the time he rather a female than a male. arrived in Adyar in 1884. ism, also favor a four- He described an incident when the Tibetan fold model of the human constitution. Master Djwhal Khul appeared to him, Cooper- Leadbeater, an influential member of the The- Oakley, and “a Hindu brother” at the Theo- osophical Society, and Annie Besant, the soci- sophical Society headquarters in Adyar.9 The ety’s second president, cited a comment on the Hindu brother is believed to have been Subba skin color of the human root races, probably Row. During the visitation, the Tibetan gave made during the private instructional sessions: them a table of the seven rays, which, decades “T. Subba Rao [sic] distinguished the Lemu- later, found its way into books by Leadbeater rians as blue-black, the Atlanteans as red- and his secretary Ernest Wood. That table is yellow, and the Aryans as brown-white.”6 believed to have been the first definitive in- T. Subba Row demonstrated considerable formation on the rays revealed to humanity in knowledge of western esotericism. He was modern times. familiar with Egyptian and Greek mythology T. Subba Row gave a series of lectures at and the writings attributed to Hermes Trisme- Adyar in 1886 to his select group of Theoso- gistus. In one article he discussed the claims phists. The lectures wove references to the made concerning the goddess Isis: seven rays into many aspects of traditional Isis is the mother of the Logos manifested Hindu and Buddhist thought. He spoke as if in the Cosmos, as the soul is the Virgin the rays and their qualities required no particu- mother of the regenerate spirit; Isis is the lar explanation. We do not know how much mother of Adonais, while the incarnated those in the audience understood, but perhaps soul is the mother of Christ; but the former the information provided by the Tibetan had alone is entitled to be called the Cosmic already been discussed among them. Virgin. . . . [I]n the discourse of the Cosmic Subba Row declared that the seven rays “rep- Virgin to her divine son, we find a general resent the outflowing energy from the seven account of cosmic evolution.7 centers of force in the Logos.”10 He discussed

68 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Fall 2012 the characteristics expressed by logoi and written by a fellow of the Theosophical Socie- adepts as a result of their rays; and he stressed ty. The criteria were revised in 1891 to honor that “Every Initiate must find his own Ray.”11 anyone who made the most valuable contribu- He singled out the first two rays as being of tion of the year to Theosophical Literature. special importance: “[I]t is only the first two The first award under the new rules was made Rays that have ever given rise to universal re- to Besant four years later. Later recipients in- ligions.” He added: “In the case of the other cluded Rudolf Steiner, Jiddu Krishnamurti, five Rays, a man is merely concerned with his Ernest Wood, and Geoffrey Hodson. own particular Ray, but in the case of these first two every Adept will have to come under 12 the influence of every other Ray.” 1 Source: Theosophical Society, Adyar, India. The First Ray, according to Subba Row, sees Online: http://www.ts-adyar.org/content/t- subba-row-1856-1890. (Accessed June 12, God as a king, demanding worship; he linked it 2012.) with Brahmanism and the Vedas. The Second 2 Henry S. Olcott, “Death” The Theosophist, July Ray sees God as a teacher and is linked with 1890, 578. 13 Buddhism. He also declared: “There is a Ray 3 Ibid. specially adapted to women; it is sometimes 4 Josephine Ransom, A Short History of the Theo- called the “body of love.” Its Logos is rather a sophical Society: 1875–1937 (Adyar, India: female than a male. By contrast, he continued: Theosophical Publishing House, 1938), 222. 5 “I do not think there will even be a female T. Subba Row, “Buddhism and Ancient Wis- Adept of the First Ray, because it belongs en- dom-Religion,” Esoteric Writings ( Adyar, In- tirely to the positive pole.”14 dia: Theosophical Publishing House, 1895), 58- 59. Subba Row was referring to the ancient sys- Subba Row did not cite specific sources to tem of Taraka Raja Yoga, not to modern sys- support his comments on the rays, and his tems of the same name. 6 characteristic response to questions was that he Annie W. Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, “dared not reveal any of the secrets revealed to Man: Whence, How and Wither (Adyar India: Theosophical Publishing House,1913/1971), him by his Guru.” But he did indicate that 114. some knowledge of the rays came from antiq- 7 T. Subba Row, “The Virgin of the World,” Eso- uity: “Ideas connected with the First Ray seem teric Writings, 230. to have crept into Chinese Buddhism before 8 John F. Nash, “The Seven Rays: A Case Study 15 the time of Gautama.” in the Dissemination of Esoteric Knowledge,” The Esoteric Quarterly, Winter 2007, 33-50. Legacy 9 Charles W. Leadbeater, The Masters and the Tallapragada Subba Row succumbed to a mys- Path (Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1925/1953), 263. terious illness and passed away, shortly before 10 his thirty-fourth birthday, on June 24, 1890. T. Subba Row, “Occultism of Southern India,” Esoteric Writings (Adyar, India: Theosophical Blavatsky outlived him by nine months. Short- Publishing House, 1895), 108. ly before his death Subba Row asked his wife 11 T. Subba Row, “Incarnation and Religions,” to adopt a son, since their marriage had not Esoteric Writings, 537. produced offspring. Olcott eulogized him as a 12 T. Subba Row, “First Ray in Buddhism,” Eso- “brilliant young Indian mystical philosopher... teric Writings, 527 an intellectual phenomenon.”16 Subba Row is 13 Subba Row, “Incarnation and Religions,” 536. remembered as one of the greatest of the early 14 T. Subba Row, “Women Adepts,” Esoteric Writings, 568. Theosophists and a key figure in the develop- 15 ment of the Society. Despite his reticence in Subba Row, “First Ray in Buddhism,” 526. sharing esoteric knowledge, he contributed That comment raises eyebrows. Gautama is cus- tomarily viewed as the founder of Buddhism, much to the dissemination of traditional Hindu which only later spread from India to China. teachings to a western audience. 16 Olcott, The Theosophist, 576. The Subba Row Medal was established in Contributed by John F. Nash 1883 as an annual award for the best essay

Modern Science and Its Connection with Ancient Spiritual Traditions

David C. Galloway

Abstract primitive superstition or evidence of intellectual and emotional immaturity, simply has no odern science, heavily influenced by the place in the reductionist world-view of materi- M Newtonian-Cartesian paradigm, consid- alistic science. Classical science is limited in ers matter to be inert and to lack an animating its scope and therefore hindered the growth of force. This model collapses at the subatomic human knowledge. level where quantum behavior comes into play. Classical science is also limited in its ability to Quantum events are characterized in terms of explain natural phenomena on the subatomic probabilities. The indeterminate nature of level. Developments in physics over the last quantum theory has substantial theological and ninety years, especially in the area of particle philosophical implications. Mechanistic and physics, have demonstrated that the original materialistic science fails to account for a model is flawed. Subatomic particles can ex- number of well-documented phenomena. Spir- hibit either wave particles or particle properties itual evolution has occurred with varying pro- depending on the set-up of the experiment. portions of spirit and matter at each state of According to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Prin- development. ciple, the position and momentum of an elec- Challenges to Traditional tron cannot be measured simultaneously due to the observer’s influence on the measurement. Science Thomas S. Kuhn explains the scientific dis- ewtonian-Cartesian science held sway in covery process in his book The Structure of N the West for three centuries. Newton con- Scientific Revolutions (1996).1 A new discov- sidered the Universe to be mechanistic in na- ery creates a new paradigm, opening up a vast ture with matter composed of immutable parti- area for scientists to explore. Those scientists cles known as atoms. René Descartes, the who do not adopt the new paradigm will be French philosopher considered that the Uni- ignored and marginalized, and their view will verse was in the form perceived objectively by eventually disappear. the human observer. Its existence was separate from the process of observation. As part of the new paradigm, quantum theory now incorporates concepts previously associ- The creation of the Universe by the Big Bang ated with mysticism and spiritual science. was seen as a purely random mechanical event without the guidance of a creative intelligence. ______Similarly, life began from a series of chemical About the Author reactions that occurred by chance. Cellular organization and Darwinian evolution by ge- David C. Galloway is currently enrolled in the Eso- netic mutations and natural selection was teric Philosophy Teaching Program at Sancta So- phia Seminary near Tahlequah, OK. Before coming thought to take place by the same process. At a to Sancta Sophia Seminary he spent many years as certain, indefinable stage of the development a chemist working both in industry and in govern- of the brain, consciousness appeared and the ment. He has also taught chemistry courses at the organism became self-aware. Thus it became a college level. product of matter. Religion, considered to be a

Stanislav Grof, editor of Ancient Wisdom and form and behavior of organisms. In the 1970s Modern Science (1984), compares and con- Lawrence Blair and Lyall Watson drew atten- trasts Western science and technology with the tion to the “hundredth monkey phenomenon.” perennial spiritual philosophies of the East.2 Reportedly, when a young female Japanese The chasm that exists between these two monkey learned a new behavior, namely wash- world-views reflects the emphasis that science ing sweet potatoes free of grit in the sea, all places on material existence and concrete ob- other monkeys in her species immediately servations and the im- adopted that behavior on portance Eastern religions Albert Einstein and that island as well as on place on consciousness and Max Planck both be- nearby islands. Evidently, if creative intelligence. The lieved that scientific enough individuals of a par- latter view of existence is ticular species acquire a cer- both transcendent and im- work of the highest cal- tain behavior, then all mem- manent. iber promoted religious bers of that species will ex- hibit that behavior. The quantum state of a par- feelings and an appre- ticle can influence that of ciation of cosmic order. Research by noted neuro- another particle located a surgeon Karl Pribram indi- considerable distance away. Science for them was a cates that the brain performs Thus the particles illustrate type of spiritual path. parallel calculations based a kind of superluminal con- on holographic principles. nectiveness. Modern scientists such as Fritjof Parapsychological investigators such as Joseph Capra (The Tao of Physics) and David Bohm, B. Rhine, Russell Targ, and Harold Putoff postulate that factors such as intelligence and have conducted detailed scientific studies that consciousness, rather than being a trivial part suggest that phenomena such as telepathy, re- of matter, are in fact, overwhelmingly im- mote viewing, and psychokinesis are real. portant parts of existence. Transpersonal experiences resulting from the ingestion of psychedelic substances as well as Even at scales where classical science is still from certain kinds of psychotherapies also in- applicable, the concept of determinism has dicate that the mechanistic model of science is come under attack. Complexity theory has deficient. Near-death experiences cannot be shown that certain phenomena are unpredicta- explained by conventional mechanistic sci- ble, except in the very short term, even if the ence. People who have been declared clinically current and past states are known in minute dead have come back to life and accurately detail. Moreover, systems can become self- reported conversations that took place in the organizing. Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine and emergency room. colleagues in Austin, TX and Brussels, Bel- gium have demonstrated in their studies of os- Ravi Ravindra, editor of Science and Spirit3 cillating chemical reactions that entropy can (1991) and author of Science and the Sacred, decrease locally because of the transfer of en- (2002), covers much of the same ground as ergy from the environment. A decrease of en- Grof’s book.4 Ravindra contends, as does Grof, tropy would seem to contradict the Second that traditional science regards matter as essen- Law of Thermodynamics, but that is not in fact tially inert and lacking consciousness and an the case because the chemical reactions do not animating force. Ravindra goes on to state that occur in a closed system. the Newtonian-Cartesian model sees nature as indifferent and even hostile. In human beings Science and the body is the domain of nature and the mind Consciousness the realm of the soul or consciousness. upert Sheldrake, in his well-known theory Ravindra next seeks common ground for sci- R of morphogenetic fields, shows that ence which is the province of reason and reli- mechanistic science does not account for the gion which is the domain of faith. Albert Ein- stein and Max Planck both believed that scien-

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 71 The Esoteric Quarterly tific work of the highest caliber promoted reli- Buddhism, Taoism, Kabbalah, Christian mys- gious feelings and an appreciation of cosmic ticism, Gnosticism, and various forms of yoga. order. Science for them was a type of spiritual Examination of the experiences of outstanding path. For many other scientists, however, mo- scientists performing work of the highest order tivating factors have more to do with self- shows that religious feelings were quite com- seeking and recognition and less to do with mon. Both Albert Einstein and Max Planck religious or spiritual feelings. For Ravindra the reported that their work imbued them with a true reconciliation of science and religion in sense of awe and mystery. Science may then enlightened individuals takes place in the be considered a kind of spiritual path for men mind, heart, and body. He feels that the serious of this type. Ravindra feels that the true fusion seeker needs to ponder the fusion of science of science and religion in enlightened individ- and religion into a comprehensible whole. uals occurs in the mind, heart, and body. The amounts of spirit and matter have varied over Conclusion time at each stage of development. he Newtonian-Cartesian scientific model,

T prevalent in the West, holds that matter is without consciousness or an activating princi- 1 Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific ple. Eastern religions, on the other hand, place Revolutions (Chicago, IL: The University of Chi- cago Press, 1996). great emphasis on consciousness and creative 2 intelligence. The latest developments in the Stanislaf Grof, Editor, Ancient Wisdom and hard sciences as well as in parapsychology and Modern Science (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1984). consciousness research point to a model of the 3 Ravi Ravindra, Editor, Science and Spirit (New Universe and of human nature that is congru- York, NY: Paragon House, 1991). ent with the model postulated by ancient and 4 Ravi Ravindra, Science and the Sacred Eastern spiritual philosophies such as Zen (Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 2002).

Book Reviews

Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contempo- tation. In this book he shares with us what he rary Guide to Yoga, Meditation and Indian learned in his own attempts to live out the truths Philosophy, by Eknath Easwaran. Blue Moun- he found in the passages of the Gita. He deci- tain Center of Meditation, 2012. ISBN 978-1- phers the message of each passage and shows us 58638-068-7. why the passage matters using examples from his own life. knath Easwaran, founder of the Blue Moun- E tain Center of Meditation, is the author of The main message of the Gita, as is well known, many books on spiritual topics such as medita- is the battle between the personality and the Soul tion, Gandhi, the Dhammapada and the Upani- and the duality of life. So the author begins by shads. He has written other books on the Bhaga- discussing those opposing forces felt within our- vad Gita, notably The Bhagavad Gita for Daily selves and the split in our consciousness be- Living in which he interprets each verse and il- tween the higher Self and lower self and their lustrates how its message can be applied to our opposing goals. This leads to a discussion of the daily lives. nature of reality, the limitation of our five senses, and the need to meditate in order to withdraw This recent book, published posthumously (the from the distractions the senses impose in order author died in 1999), was compiled by his stu- to discover a higher reality. dents according to Easwaran’s instructions from the transcripts of his many talks on the subject of Other chapters discuss themes such as the vari- the Bhagavad Gita and its continued relevance to ous sub-personalities and their opposing desires, living a spiritual life in modern times. the illusion of separateness and gaining wisdom through meditation. The chapters on yoga as a The modern spiritual seeker’s dilemma is no less skill in daily living and healing the unconscious challenging than it was for seekers of an earlier are particularly rich with insights and practical age. In the past gaining spiritual knowledge took techniques. persistence, passion and a long quest in search of hard-to-find wisdom. Today, the modern seeker Then Easwaran takes the long view with chap- has easy access to a confusing array of spiritual ters on death, reincarnation, the journey of evo- ideas, but the question is how do we see the trees lution. In his final chapter he encourages us to for the forest? And once we choose a particular go into battle mode armed with the wisdom path, how do we transform the learning of the gained from applying the truths and techniques head into the wisdom of the heart? How do we of the Gita to our lives. We begin to see that use this information practically to make wise de- nothing external can satisfy us for long, and the cisions and live a more spiritually attuned life? intense desire to know who we really are fuels As the author of this book points out, the Gita is us through this long battle with the lower self. not a set of commandments or rules telling us The Gita, Easwaran says, when applied to our what to do; we have to learn through experience daily lives becomes practical, compassionate how to make the right choices in life in order to psychology. reach the enlightenment we seek. Included, in the book are selections from the The author is well equipped to help us learn and Bhagavad Gita, suggestions for further reading, gain this experience. Easwaran studied the Gita and a glossary of Sanskrit terms. In addition to all his life and actively looked for ways to apply this current volume, Essence of the Upanishads the truths revealed therein to his own life. Thus has just been published, and Essence of the he has a wealth of experience to share with us. Dhammapada and Essence of Yoga are forth- To begin, he says, requires three preliminary coming. steps: hearing (or reading), reflection and medi- Gail Jolley School for Esoteric Studies

Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to come our ego, the “enemy within,” the part of Spiritual Awakening, by Andrew Cohen with ourselves that keeps us invested in our lower Forward by Deepak Chopra. SelectBooks, Inc., selves, our own personal “fears” and “issues,” New York, NY, 2011, 213 pages. our small world of insignificant events. God asks us to align with the Absolute Self, the high- ohen’s new publication, Evolutionary En- er part of ourselves, so that we can reach our lightenment, is a must-read for those who C higher potential and experience our own Evolu- are seeking enlightenment and spiritual truth, tionary Enlightenment. who are looking for their purpose in life, or who see the selfishness and greed that disrupt the To help us reach this goal, Cohen presents 5 beauty and peace of our earth and would like to very helpful tenets, along with detailed explana- help create a more equitable, loving society. tions and supportive comments: This highly acclaimed book presents a strikingly 1) Clarity of Intention. Our intention to new approach to spirituality in an engrossing, evolve must become the most important clear, and convincing manner. Ken Wilber, au- thing in the world to us, and we must, under thor of The Integral Vision, calls it “Truly one of no circumstances, allow inertia, self- the most significant books on spirituality written dishonesty, or anything else to obstruct it. in the postmodern world.” 2) Power of Volition. We must take respon- Cohen begins by redefining God as the evolu- sibility for the consequences of our past, tionary impulse, the creative energy that initiated even if it was very difficult and has left plen- the Big Bang, and that has overseen and guided ty of scars. If we can move beyond the past, the development of our world from nothingness we will be freed-up to take on greater respon- to a beautiful planet populated with complex life sibility in the future. forms, the most highly evolved being ourselves. He asserts that, as residents of this planet the 3) Face Everything and Avoid Nothing. This evolutionary/creative impulse is a part of us, ex- tenet concerns the psychological self- pressed by our impulse to procreate and our feel- protective habit of avoidance. Our ego has ing of exhilaration when we are in the creative developed an image of ourselves, and we au- flow. At the highest level, the evolutionary im- tomatically filter-out everything that doesn’t pulse expresses as our desire to evolve, to find fit. But we must face everything, our best truth and enlightenment – to become more fully and our worse, as well as the best and worst conscious. In Cohen’s words: in humanity. 4) The Process Perspective. Realize that life The energy and intelligence that initiated the is not a personal drama, but that we’re mere- big bang is compelling you, as its own crea- ly a small part of a cosmic process. This real- tion, to evolve. Why? Because to whatever ization is liberating because it helps us take degree you evolve, that very energy and in- an impersonal view of events. telligence evolves also. If that impulse is what God is, in the manifest realm, then God 5) Cosmic Consciousness. When the first 4 evolves through you – through each and eve- tenets have been achieved, we will be aligned ry one of us, as we evolve. When you really with our Authentic Self and our initial self- get this, there’s only one thing left to do: you centered goal to evolve our own conscious- have to get on with it. You have to evolve, ness will become that of evolving conscious- you have to develop, you have to become. ness itself, of evolving humanity as a This is when God’s purpose becomes your “whole.” Without the binding effects of ego, purpose. (p. 47) we will achieve our full potential and creative abilities. Using our talents, we will work God’s purpose, our purpose, is that of evolving with others in a state of egolessness in order in consciousness, i.e., reaching enlightenment. to change the world “from the inside out,” to For this purpose to be realized, we must over- co-create the future.

Evolutionary Enlightenment presents a unique every page. For those who are open to its pow- synthesis of eastern spirituality, science, and the erful message, it could have a life-changing im- transdisciplinary perspective of integral thought. pact. It is at once visionary, inspiring, accessible yet Joan Hoerlein profound, and contains gems for thought on Matthews, North Carolina