Conversations with Mrs Burnier Radha Conversations with Mrs Radha Burnier PEDRO OLIVEIRA FROM 1983 until shortly before her best way to come to know a person’s mind.’ passing day I had the great privilege of In April 1983, the President visited my holding conversations with Radha home town of Porto Alegre, in the south Burnier, the President of the Theosophical of Brazil. During the lunch in the house Society. Most of these conversations took of her hostess I asked her the following place at Adyar, the International Head- question: ‘In The Key to Theosophy HPB quarters of the Society, between 1992 and mentions a new torchbearer who would 1996 when I served as international come in the twentieth century? What is Secretary of the TS. Others took place your view about such a statement?’ She between 2001 until the present time. replied: ‘In my opinion the new torch- Soon after Radha Burnier was elected bearer is Krishnaji. I know that some President of the TS, in June 1980, I started members do not agree with it, but that is translating her articles in The Theosophist, my opinion.’ During this visit she gave a beginning wit her Inaugural Address which public lecture for more than 400 people was published in the August 1980 issue at an educational institution in the city of the magazine. This work continued for besides addressing TS members. almost five years and each article, In August 1987 she again visited Porto including her ‘On the Watch-Tower’ notes Alegre and delivered a public lecture at were published in the Brazilian Section the Auditorium of the State Legislative magazine O Teosofista. Later on, a com- Assembly which was packed to capacity. pilation of her articles was published under I mentioned to her that I had recently read the title Sociedade Teosófica Hoje (The in a theosophical magazine that she had Theosophical Society Today). As a young been offered the position of President Theosophist I met Eunice and Felix Emeritus of the International Centre at Layton in Rio de Janeiro in July 1981 and Naarden, The Netherlands. Her reply was told Felix of my work of translating the quite firm: ‘I have informed them that I President’s articles. He said: ‘That is the will not lend my name to a nominal Mr Pedro Oliveira, now a member of the Australian Section of the TS, has worked at Adyar and elsewhere. January 2014 23 The Theosophist function. If they want the Centre to have Convention. On 6 January 1992 I went to a real connection to Adyar they should her house and we sat on the verandah agree that the President of the TS should overlooking the sea. She said: ‘I think that also be the President of the Centre.’ In people of your age should come to Adyar 1988, at a meeting at Naarden, the and stay for two years or so. Here they Presidency of the Centre was formally could learn about the significance of offered to Mrs Radha Burnier as President Adyar to the work of the TS, the work of the TS, thus consolidating the link Annie Besant did for this Centre and also between the Centre and Adyar. learn about the deeper work of Society. I In October 1989, I attended the School would like you to come and work as the of the Wisdom at Adyar, with Rohit Mehta Secretary of the Society for two years. as Director. I had some brief meetings After that you can work anywhere.’ I said: with the President at her office and she ‘Don’t you think I am too young for this invited me to be one of the speakers at a position?’ She said: ‘You are young but Convention symposium on N. Sri Ram, not too young.’ as December 1989 marked the centenary I arrived at Adyar on 26 March 1992 of his birth. The symposium was chaired and went to see the President the next day by Mr Achyut Patwardhan. in her office. She said: ‘I am about to send In July 1990 I attended the ‘Human out the notice of your appointment [as Regeneration’ seminars at Naarden. They international Secretary] to all departments. attracted people from different countries But before I do that there is something I and generated great interest. While there need to tell you. You are going to serve she mentioned that there was need for as Secretary of the Society while you are more international speakers in the TS still young. Some people may start to and said that perhaps I could help in this flatter you, saying that you give good work. When I mentioned that I was still talks, etc. Remember this: no matter what struggling with my spoken English she other people say you are what you are. If said that I could be understood while we are honest with ourselves we will see speaking in English and that that was that there are many impurities within that sufficient for the time being. She said she need to be dealt with.’ Her words had an would arrange for me to give some talks impact on me and I still remember the in Europe next year on my way to Adyar. earnestness in her eyes when she spoke In November 1991 I visited England, them to me. To put it simply, this was one Spain, Portugal, where I gave talks, and of the most important pieces of advice I the Naarden Centre in Holland, where I have received in this life. participated in a dialogue. When I arrived Between March 1992 and October at Adyar in December 1991 for the HPB 1996, when I left Adyar, I used to meet Centenary Convention, the President said her regularly in her office. She made it she would like to talk to me after the clear to me that I should consult with her 24 Vol. 135.4 Conversations with Mrs Burnier Radha on matters of importance. I therefore went the main gate of the compound. From there to her office several times each week to he walked, at a vigorous pace, through show her some correspondence and obtain the compound up to Parsi Quarters, the her advice on certain difficult matters President’s residence. before I could address them. But one of Later on Krishnaji expressed the the most valuable aspects of my regular opinion to Radhaji that the ES should be visits to the President’s Office was not only closed down. She mentioned to him: her advice on administrative matters but ‘Why should the ES be closed down? also the conversations I had with her on a It is not telling its members about their number of subjects, ranging from Adyar, occult status, probation, Initiation and so Annie Besant, N. Sri Ram, to the essential on, repeating what happened in the 1920s work of the TS and to Krishnaji and her and after. The ES is solely imparting contact with him. Below I try to convey teaching to its members on the nature some of the conversations I had with and qualifications for the spiritual Path.’ the President during one of the most Radhaji mentioned that after hearing her significant periods in my life. views Krishnaji dropped the subject. John Coats, the sixth President of While walking along with her and with the TS, died on 26 December 1979. As others, Krishnaji said to her on seeing the determined by the Rules of the TS an Garden of Remembrance: ‘Something is international election took place in which not right.’ He then asked her what kind of Rukmini Devi Arundale and Radha ceremonies were being held at Adyar and Burnier were the only candidates. Mrs she told him that only the usual ones were Burnier was declared elected in June 1980 being performed like Masonic rituals, the and assumed office on 17 July 1980. When Ritual of the Mystic Star, ES meetings, the results were declared Mrs Burnier was etc. He said: ‘It is none of these.’ He then in Switzerland and on being informed asked her: ‘Has anything been changed about them she decided to go to Saanen here?’ Radhaji then told him that during to see Krishnaji. Sunanda Patwardhan John Coats’ administration many changes who, along with others, was with Krishnaji had been made including the two pillars at that time said that he was jubilant at the which were shifted from their original news. He said to Mrs Burnier, ‘Radhaji, location near the six-pointed star to the now you are the President and I am the entrance. ‘That’s it!’, he said, ‘there were Vice-President’, to the smiles of those magnetized jewels under them. They present. He had said that if Radhaji was should not have been moved.’ After an elected President of the TS he would visit absence of forty-seven years from Adyar Adyar again, after an interval of forty- he was aware of a change that had taken seven years! In October 1980 he was place without his knowledge. welcomed by the President, the Vice- After she offered him some orange President and many workers of the TS at juice and they talked for a while in her January 2014 25 The Theosophist house, Krishnaji left in the car with Radhaji She also mentioned that there was a accompanying him. When the car was kind of a myth that Krishnaji did not like about to reach the main gate he asked her: obese people, possibly because of their ‘What are you going to do now?’ Radhaji magnetism. A lunch had been arranged said: ‘I will walk back’, to which Krishnaji at Parsi Quarters where she stayed for a said: ‘No, we will drive you back.’ When few guests, amongst who was a weight- the car started off from the main gate area challenged lady.