Compilation  Agnishvattas

 

The Agnishvattas have passed through the human stage

(CF 780) There are also in connection with our peculiar Earth scheme, those lunar Pitris who reached their present stage of activity in the moon chain.  They are deva groups but (unlike the Agnishvattas) they have not passed through the human stage

 

(CF 836) The goal for the devas (below the rank of solar Pitris) is individualisation, and their objective is to become men in some future cycle.  The goal for a man is initiation, or to become a conscious Dhyan Chohan, and in some distant cycle to do for the humanity of that age what the solar Pitris have done for him, and make their self-conscious expression a possibility.  The goal for a solar Pitri is, as said earlier, to become a logoic Ray.

 

(IHS 115) At the first initiation the initiate becomes aware of the third, or lowest, aspect of the Ego, that of active intelligence.  He is brought face to face with that manifestation of the great solar angel (Pitri) who is himself, the real self.  He [Page 115] knows now past all disturbance that that manifestation of intelligence is that eternal Entity who has for ages past been demonstrating its powers on the physical plane through his successive incarnations.

1st initiation contact with the Solar Pitri (IHS 114)

3rd initiation contact with the Solar Angel (IHS 115)

5th initiation contact with the Solar Lord (IHS 117-118)

7th initiation Solar Lord "nirvanis" or Manasadeva on the Solar mental plane (IHS 136) (CF 687)

 

 

(CF 1243)  This leaves Path IV to be accounted for.  Upon this Path pass all those who, through devotion and activity combined, achieve the goal but who lack as yet the full development of the manasic principle.  This being the solar system of love-wisdom, or of astral buddhic development, the fourth Path includes the larger number of the sons of men.  In the hierarchy of our planet the "Lords of Compassion" are numerically greater than the "Masters of the Wisdom." (CF 1243) The former must therefore all pass to the sun Sirius there to undergo a tremendous manasic stimulation, for Sirius is the emanating source of manas.  There the mystic must go and become what is called "a spark of mahatic electricity."

 

(CF 843)   This caused a cessation of certain types of activity, producing a quiescence in certain of His centres, and an increased activity in others.  It also had an effect upon the solar Angels, and consequently upon the Heart of the solar system from whence they are drawn.  Floods of energy or streams of force from the heart of the sun (the subjective Sun) were arrested and directed elsewhere, while the Pitris already active began to centre their attention upon the work begun, and temporarily new beginnings were out of order.  It must not be forgotten here that the work of the solar Pitris from their point of view, is not primarily the evolution of man, but is the process of their own development within the plan of the solar Logos.  The evolution of the human race is, for them, but a method.

 

Perfected men are in the councils of the planetary Logos of their particular ray; the solar Pitris are in the council of the solar Logos.69

 

4. The informing life of a kingdom      in nature

 Transference in one of three directions

 a.  To the line of the solar Pitris.

 b.  To Sirius, as a karmic adjuster.

 c.  To the solar system of the next order to work in connection with the  planetary Logos of his own line as ruler of a kingdom or life wave in the system, and not just in a scheme.

 

(CF 843)  5. The solar pitris

The highest three groups will become major planetary Logoi; the lower four groups will become minor planetary Logoi.

 

6. The human evolution.    

To become the solar Pitris of another cycle.  To follow any of the paths earlier enumerated.  Those who become solar Pitris, being the bulk of humanity, return to Sirius to be breathed out again into activity.

 

7.  The lunar Pitris 

To become men. They will in their higher grades pass directly into the animal evolution of the next cycle and so eventually individualise. Their three higher grades will become animal-men, and the lower four will contribute to the quaternic forms of the men of the next creation.

 

 (CF 780) There are also in connection with our peculiar Earth scheme, those lunar Pitris who reached their present stage of activity in the moon chain.  They are deva groups but (unlike the Agnishvattas) they have not passed through the human stage; for them it has yet to be achieved, and their present experience in connection with the human Hierarchy has that end in view.

 

(CF 821) The first is the summation of experience and developed consciousness; the second is the application of that knowledge in love and service, or the expression of the Self and the Not-Self in reciprocal vibration; and the third is the full expression of knowledge and love turned toward the conscious sacrifice of all to the furthering of the plans of the planetary Logos, and to the carrying out of His purposes in group work.  Each of these three groups of petals come under the definite guidance of three groups of Agnishvattas, who form them out of their own substance and who in essence are the threefold Ego during its manifestation.  Through them flows the force and coherent energy of those mysterious Entities whom (when considering the human family as a whole) we call—

 

a. The Buddhas or Lords of Activity.

b. The Buddhas or Lords of Compassionate Love.

c. Buddhas of Sacrifice, of Whom the Lord of the World is, to man, the best known exponent.

 

Through these three groups flows that threefold energy which, on the mental plane, finds its medium of expression in connection with the human kingdom, in the three groups of Agnishvattas or solar Pitris above referred to.  These groups form the substance of the three circles of petals, and each group has also a special influence upon the particular petal belonging to their especial scale of vibrations.

 

(CF 703)   These five Kumaras are the channels for this force and one of Them, the Lord of the planet Venus, embodies in Himself the function of the fifth Hierarchy.  This accounts for the activity of Venus at the moment of individualisation in this round.  In the next round, this fifth Hierarchy will be utilising our Earth scheme in this way, and we shall then see manas in full fruition working out in the human family.  This fifth Hierarchy of Agnishvattas in their many grades embody the "I principle" and are the producers of self-consciousness, and the builders of man's body of realisation.  In time and space, and on the mental plane, they are Man himself in essential essence; they enable him to build his own body of causes, to unfold his own egoic lotus, and gradually to free himself from the limitations of the form which he has constructed, and thus to put himself—in due course of time—into the line of another type of energy, that of buddhi. (4TH Creative Hierarchy )  To word it otherwise, through Their work man can become conscious without the manasic vehicle, for manas is but the form through which a higher principle is making itself known.  The life of God comes cyclically under the influence of the different Hierarchies or forces, all of which temporarily build for it a vehicle, pass it through their substance, give to it in this way a certain quality or colouring, and increase thereby its vibratory capacity until eventually the life is set free from hierarchical limitation.  It then returns to its eternal Source plus the gain of its experiences and with the increased energy which is the result of its various transitions.

Let us bear carefully in mind, that the Rays are the positive aspect in manifestation and pass down into [Page 704] negative matter, deva or hierarchical substance, thus causing certain evidences of activity.  The Hierarchies are the negative aspect as far as the Rays are concerned and are responsive to Ray impulse.  But within each Ray and each Hierarchy in this system a dual force again will be found.  The Sons of God are bisexual.  The deva substance is also dual, for the evolutionary devas are the positive energy of the atom, cell or subhuman form, for instance, while the electrons or lesser lives within the form are negative.

 

The mystery of the Manasaputras is hidden in this, and in the function of the fifth Hierarchy, and it is not possible to reveal more of it.  The secret of Buddhi, the sixth or Christ principle, which concerns these Sons of God, and the secret of the fifth Hierarchy which is the vehicle or recipient of buddhi, cannot be mentioned outside initiated circles.  It holds hid the possibility of egoic unfoldment, and keeps secret the karma of the Heavenly Men, the five Kumaras.

 

(CF 704) The fifth principle of manas is embodied in the five Kumaras, and if the student studies the significance of the first five petals which are unfolded in the egoic lotus, he may touch upon the fringe of the mystery.  The fifth Ray, which is the Ray of the fifth Kumara, is potently responsive to the energy flowing through the fifth Hierarchy.  As the student of occultism knows, the Lord of the fifth Ray holds that place in the Septenary enumeration, but under the fivefold classification, he holds the third or middle place.

 

(EINA 5 )  That Son of Mind, which we call the Ego or Soul.  This is the intelligence principle, and is called by many names in the esoteric literature, such as the Solar Angel, the Agnishvattas, the Christ principle, etc.  With this, religion in the past has professed to deal.

 

(LOS 298)

                  |                               |   7. Satya....the world of those Gods who

                  |                               |                      are unmanifest.

                  |             Brahme   <    6. Tapas...the world of the self-luminous

                  |                               |                      Gods.

Svar        <                                |   5. Jana.....the lowest of the Brahma world.

                  |             4. Mahar Prajapatya.........the great world

                  |             3. Mahendra.....................the home of the Agnishvattas

                  |            (the Egos).

                                2. Antariksa......................the intermediate space.

                                1. Bhu..............................the earth world.

 

This differentiation of the world into seven [Page 298] great divisions is also interesting in so far as it demonstrates the equal accuracy of the fivefold division which some of the commentators hold.

 

(LOS 299) Vyasa notes that the mind world is peopled by six groups of Gods (the six groups of egos and their six rays, the six subrays of the one synthetic ray, which is apparently inferred).  These are the sons of mind, the Agnishvattas (referred to at length in the Secret Doctrine and in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire) and they are portrayed as:

 

(CF 476) II. He who transfers the life from out the lower three into the ready fourth seeketh the agency of fire hid in the heart of Brahma.  He worketh with the forces of the Agnishvattas, that emanate, that blend, and thus produce the needed warmth.

 

(CF 551) 3. The Solar Angels . . . the Agnishvattas.

 

Introductory remarks.

a. On the fifth Principle.

b. On Individualisation.

c. On Incarnation.

d. On the Building of the Causal Body.

 

(CF 633) This matter is of real difficulty, for the subject is abstruse and profound.  We will now leave these basic ideas, and deal more specifically with the devas with whom we are immediately concerned, or with the three groups I have outlined—the Agnichaitans, the Agnisuryans, and the Agnishvattas.  They are concerned primarily with the evolution of the dense body of the Logos, the liquid, gaseous and dense subplanes of the [Page 633] cosmic physical, or the three worlds of human endeavour; with the magnetic radiation of the Logos through His physical vehicle, and with the radiatory emanations of the particular Heavenly Man Who is expressing Himself through our planet.  Finally they are concerned with the evolution of consciousness7 in the three worlds, and particularly with the individualisation of the human unit of consciousness, and with the vitalisation of the centres in the body of the Heavenly Man with Whom we are peculiarly connected.

 

(CF 635) The Agnishvattas are the builders on the fifth or gaseous subplane of the cosmic physical, and—from the human standpoint—are the most profoundly important, for they are the builders of the body of consciousness per se.  From the psychic standpoint of occult physiology, they have a close connection with the physical brain, the seat or empire of the Thinker, and as at this stage all that we can know must be viewed kama-manasically, it will be apparent that between the sympathetic nervous system and the brain is such a close interaction as to make one organised whole.  This microcosmic correspondence is of interest, but in studying these groups of devas at present we will view them principally in their work as systemic and planetary builders, leaving the student to trace out for himself the human analogy.  He will learn thereby.  Having indicated certain lines of thought, we will now take up these groups one at a time and consider them.

 

(CF 680) 3. THE SOLAR ANGELS, THE AGNISHVATTAS.

 

Introductory Remarks.

 

We start here upon the consideration of the Agnishvattas, or the Fire devas of the mental plane, and are [Page 680] thus launched upon the most stupendous subject in connection with our planetary evolution; it is the one having the most occult significance for man, for these solar Angels19 concern his own essential nature, and are also the creative power by which he works.  For all practical purposes, and for the elucidation of the spiritual evolution of man, this immediate section is of the greatest interest and importance; it should be one of the most widely studied sections of this treatise.  Man is ever profoundly interested in himself, and before he can duly develop must comprehend scientifically the laws of his own nature, and the constitution of his own "mode of expression."  He must realise likewise somewhat of the inter-relation of the three fires in order that he may himself at some future date "blaze forth."

 

(CF 681) There are two statements in the Secret Doctrine which are often overlooked by the casual reader but which, if [Page 681] duly pondered upon, convey much information.  Let us make note of these two statements:

 

1. Two connecting principles are needed.  This requires a living spiritual Fire of the middle principle from the Fifth and third states of Pleroma.  This fire is the possession of the Triangles.

2. These Beings are Nirvanis (they passed through the human stage in the last solar system) from a preceding Mahamanvantara.

 

We have been considering somewhat the devas of evolutionary tendency who are grouped roughly together as the lunar Pitris.20  These lunar Pitris are divided into four groups and are concerned with the building of man's dual physical body, with his astral body and with his lower mental body; these sheaths are energised by their force through the medium of the permanent atoms.  But for the purposes of the subjective nature of man, they are to be considered in their three groups—etheric, astral and lower mental.  The work of the Agnishvattas (the self-conscious principles, the Builders or constructors of the egoic body on the higher mental levels) is to unite the higher three principles—atma, buddhi, manas—and the lower three, and thus become in very truth the middle principle in man.  They themselves originate from the logoic middle principle.21  Thus the esoteric seven is completed.  The physical body in its denser manifestation is, as we know, not esoterically considered a principle.

 

The devas of the lower mental levels in relation to [Page 682] man work through the mental unit, and are, roughly speaking, divided into four groups, being in fact the first condensation of the threefold lower body of man.  They form part of his lunar body.  They are directly linked with the highest spiritual essences, and represent the lowest manifestation of force emanating from the cosmic mental plane, and finding its link with the human Hierarchy through the mental units.  They are the gaseous devas of the logoic physical body.  We will not deal with them in greater detail at this moment for as we study the subject of the fifth principle certain points will become clearer; their work in connection with man can be enlarged upon as we proceed.  More detail at this moment would but serve to complicate.

 

Much confusion exists in the minds of students as to the distinction between the Agnishvattas who incarnated in man, and those who simply were responsible for the implanting of the manasic or mental spark in animal man.  This opens up for us the entire question of individualisation itself, and the incarnation of certain spiritual existences who—when in bodily form—are spoken of as Avatars, as Buddhas of Activity, or as direct manifestations of the Logos.  The entire mystery is hidden in the relationship of the individual Monads who form the various centres in the body of a planetary Logos and the self-conscious Identity of that planetary Logos Himself.  The student must here bear in mind the fact that the mental plane is the first aspect of the dense physical body of the planetary Logos, the buddhic plane being a cosmic etheric plane, and the one whereon are to be found the etheric centres of a Heavenly Man.

 

(CF 684) It is on the mental plane (the reflection in the three worlds of the third and fifth states of Pleroma), that the full force of etheric vitality is felt.  A hint as to the [Page 684] significance of this may be found in the fact that the etheric body of man receives, and transmits prana directly to the physical body, and that the vitality of the physical frame is to be gauged largely by the condition and action of the heart.  The heart circulates vitality to the myriads of cells that constitute the dense physical sheath; something analogous is seen in the fact that these fire devas are "the Heart of the Dhyan chohanic body,"23 for their energy comes from the spiritual sun, in the same sense that the energy of the pranic devas of the etheric body comes from the physical sun.  This energy of the Agnishvattas manifests on the mental plane, the gaseous subplane of the cosmic physical just as the energy of the etheric centres on the fourth etheric subplane manifests first and potently on the gaseous matter of the physical body.  This is why the Sons of Wisdom, embodying the buddhic principle, the life force, or love aspect, are nevertheless known on the fifth plane as the self-conscious principles; buddhi uses manas as a vehicle, and occult writers often speak in terms of the vehicle.  The Ego, or the self-conscious Identity is in essence and in truth Love-Wisdom, but manifests primarily as intelligent consciousness.

 

(CF 685) Only as the heart centre of a Heavenly Man (each in His cycle and each differing cyclically) becomes vitalised and attains a certain vibratory capacity does the individualisation of the Monads become possible under the Law.

 

Again, it is only as the threefold dense physical body of a planetary Logos (as expressed by our three worlds, the mental, astral and dense physical planes) has reached [Page 685] a corresponding vibration and retraced the cyclic development of the previous mahamanvantara, that there is produced that vibratory contact which causes the shining out upon the mental plane of the egoic groups.  It brings forth a manifestation of the heart impulses of the Heavenly Man, and thus swings into objectivity those Monads (energised by the life of the Heart) who form various centres.

 

(CF 689) Our present solar Angels or fire devas will then have a position analogous to that of the lunar Pitris now, for all will form a part of the divine consciousness, and yet, will be esoterically considered as "below the threshold" of consciousness.  Man has to learn to control, guide and use the deva substances of which his lower sheaths are made; this goal involves the development of full self-consciousness, which is brought about through the agency of the solar Angels or builders and vitalisers of the egoic body; they are those through whom self-consciousness becomes a fact.  In the next solar system they too will no longer embody the type of consciousness towards which man aspires; he will have to rise to still greater realisations, and again by occultly "putting his foot upon" them these higher realisations will become possible.  In this solar system he has to mount by the putting his foot upon the serpent of matter.  He rises by domination of matter and becomes himself a serpent of wisdom.  In the next solar system he will mount upward by means of the "serpent of wisdom," and by the domination [Page 689] and control of the Agnishvattas, achieve something of which even the illuminated mind of the highest Dhyan-chohan can not yet conceive.

 

a. The Fifth Principle.

 

The solar Angels are the Pitris, the builders of the body of the Ego, and the producers of individualisation or the realised consciousness, the Agnishvattas, the great devas of Mind.

 

(CF 698) (c.) The Solar Angels and the Fifth Principle.  We can now study the Entities concerned with this fifth principle and their effect upon the evolution of consciousness.

 

Where man is concerned these solar Angels, the Agnishvattas, produce the union of the spiritual Triad, or divine Self, and the Quaternary, or lower self.  Where the Logos is concerned, whether solar or planetary, they produce conditions whereby the etheric, and the dense physical become a unit.

Commentary- For a human this takes place on the path of probation or purification

 

They represent a peculiar type of electrical force; their work is to blend and fuse, and above all else they are the "transmuting fires" of the system, and are those agents who pass the life of God through their bodies of flame as it descends from the higher into the lower, and again as it ascends from the lower into the higher.  They are connected in their highest groups with that portion of the logoic head centre which corresponds to the heart, and here is the clue to the mystery of kama-manas.  The kamic angels are vitalised from the "heart" centre and the manasic angels from the logoic head centre, via the point within that centre connected with the heart.  These two dominating groups are the sumtotal of kama-manas in all its manifestations.  The solar angels exist in three groups, all of which are concerned with the self-consciousness aspect, all of which are energised and connected with the fifth spirilla of the logoic permanent atom, and all of which work as a unit.

 

One group, the highest, is connected with the logoic head centre, whether solar or planetary.  They work with the manasic permanent atoms and embody the will-to-be in dense physical incarnation.  Their power is felt on the atomic subplane and on the second; they are the [Page 699] substance and the life of those planes.  Another group is connected definitely with the causal bodies of all Egos and are of prime importance in this solar system.  They come from the heart centre, and express that force.  The third group, corresponding to the throat centre, show forth their  power on the fourth subplane through the mental units.  They are the sumtotal of the power of the Ego to see, to hear and to speak (or sound) in the strictly occult sense.

 

A hint may here be given to those who have power to see.  Three constellations are connected with the fifth logoic principle in its threefold manifestation:  Sirius, two of the Pleiades, and a small constellation whose name must be ascertained by the intuition of the student.  These three govern the appropriation by the Logos of His dense body.  When the last pralaya ended, and the etheric body had been co-ordinated, a triangle in the Heavens was formed under law which permitted a flow of force, producing vibration on the fifth systemic plane.  That triangle still persists, and is the cause of the continued inflow of manasic force; it is connected with the spirillae in the logoic mental unit and as long as His will-to-be persists, the energy will continue to flow through.  In the fifth round, it will be felt at its height. 

 

(CF 712)  A final point which is of profound significance is that the Agnishvattas construct the petals out of Their Own substance, which is substance energised by the principle [Page 712] of "I-ness," or ahamkara.  They proceed to energise the permanent atoms with Their own positive force, so as to bring the fifth spirilla in due course of time into full activity and usefulness.  All possibility, all hopefulness and optimism, and all future success lies hid in these two points.

 

As we have seen, the work of the Agnishvattas on the mental plane resulted in a downflow of force or energy from the Monad (or Spirit) and this, in conjunction with the energy of the lower quaternary produced the appearance of the body of the Ego on the mental plane.  In ordinary electric light, we have a faint illustration of the thought I seek to convey.  By the approximation of the two polarities, light is created.  By an analogous type of electrical phenomena, the light of the Monad shines forth, but we have to extend the idea to the subtler planes, and deal with seven types of force or energy in connection with the one polarity and with four in connection with the other.  A scientific formula for the process of individualisation conveys this dual approximation with its differing types of energy in one symbol and a number, but it cannot here be revealed.

 

The Manasadevas are themselves energised by force from the cosmic mental plane—a force which has been in operation ever since the individualisation of the solar Logos in kalpas far distant.  They, in Their corporate nature, embody the will or purpose of the Logos, and are the cosmic "prototypes" of our solar Angels.  The solar Angels on the mental plane of the system embody as much of that will and purpose as the Logos can work through in one single incarnation and as They, in Their groups, can develop.  They work, therefore, through egoic groups and primarily, after individualisation, upon the mental units of the separated identities who go to the constituency of the groups.  This is Their secondary work. 

 

It might here be noted that it is the positive force of the Manasadevas that produces initiation.  Their function is embodied by the Hierophant.  He, seeing before Him the vehicle for buddhi, passes the voltage from the higher planes through His body, and by means of the Rod (charged with positive manasic force) transmits this higher manasic energy to the initiate so that he is enabled to know consciously and to recognise the plan for his group-centre through the immensely increased stimulation.  This force descends from the manasic permanent atom via the antaskarana and is directed to whichever centre the Hierophant—under the Law—sees should be stimulated.  He stabilises the force, and regulates its flow as it circulates throughout the egoic Lotus, so that when the work of unfoldment is accomplished the sixth principle at the Heart of the Lotus can stand revealed.  After each initiation the Lotus is more unfolded [Page 714] and light from the centre begins to blaze forth—a light or fire which ultimately burns through the three enshrining petals, and permits the full inner glory to be seen, and the electric fire of spirit to be manifested.  As this is brought about on the second subplane of the mental plane (whereon the egoic lotus is now situated) a corresponding stimulation takes place in the dense substance which forms the petals or wheels of the centres on the astral and etheric levels.

 

(CF 732)   Cosmic, Planetary and Human.  We leave now the consideration of self-consciousness, as it is produced through the medium of the particular type of deva substance which the Agnishvattas provided for the body of the Ego, and pass on to the study of incarnation, cosmic, planetary and human.  A hint as to the constitution of these solar Pitris and Manasadevas may come to the student who ponders upon the place of the egoic unit in the body of the planetary Logos, and in the particular centre of which it forms a component part.  These Manasadevas and Dhyan Chohans who produce self-consciousness in man are indeed the energy and substance of the cosmic Heavenly Man.

 

(CF 742) Before we take up planetary and cosmic pralaya, we might here consider the relationship of the Agnishvattas [Page 742] (who caused the individualisation of animal man on this planet), to other and previous cycles of evolution, and why we have only dealt with them from the point of view of a mahamanvantara, and of a kalpa.  The reason we have not considered specifically the group of Agnishvattas, Kumaras and Rudras connected with the Earth has been because we have handled the entire subject from the planetary standpoint, and not from that of the human family.  The student who seeks detailed information as to the Agnishvattas of the Earth chain has but to study the Secret Doctrine.  We have attempted to carry the thought of the student beyond his own tiny sphere to the consideration of the work of the Manasadevas in the solar system.  In every scheme They have Their place, but in some—as in the Jupiter scheme—They are just beginning Their work, and in others—as in the Vulcan and Venus schemes—Their work is nearly completed.  Venus is in her last round, and has nearly developed her fourth kingdom to perfection, or as much as it is possible in the system.  In the Earth scheme, They are in full tide of work, and only in the next round will They demonstrate the height of Their activity.  They pass cyclically through the schemes and under Law—the Law of Karma for the planetary Logos, for They are essentially concerned with His Life as it actuates His centres.  They come into a scheme on a wave of manasic energy from the head centre of the Logos, and in the process of passing through his Heart centre three things occur:

 

1. They become differentiated into seven groups.

2. They direct Themselves as streams of energy to some particular scheme.

3. Their contact with a scheme is that which produces the manifestation of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, and leads to the Monads taking form in the three worlds.

 

[Page 743]

These entities who sacrifice Themselves for the human Hierarchy (and we must note here the accuracy of the fact that They emanate from the logoic head centre, or from the will aspect), are the true Saviours who give Their lives for the good of the race.  They stand in relation to the totality of the schemes as the Occult Hierarchy of any particular planet stands to men upon that planet.  During pralaya They are withdrawn (as all else), from manifestation, and return to a cosmic centre of which the logoic head centre is but a dim reflection; they return the richer for experience.

 

(CF 774) (f.) Activity of the Pitris.  The joint activity of the solar and the lunar Pitris53  in the process pursued by the reincarnating Ego is our next subject of consideration.  The Ego, driven by desire for physical experience, has made the initial move and a vibration, emanating from the centre of the lotus bud, has reached the lotus petals, and has consequently vibrated in deva substance, or in [Page 774] matter vitalised by the Agnishvattas.  As they are galvanised into activity (according to the group affected) the vibration is increased, and a dual sound is emitted.  This dual sound is the basis of the mantram upon which the Ego's cycle of incarnation is founded.  The vibration, pulsating through the outer circle of petals (for the two inner circles and the three central petals are not as yet responsive) arrives at the triangle formed by the three permanent atoms, and vivifies the three lower spirillae, causing a slight response in the fourth, and leaving the higher three yet dormant.  In each round one of the spirillae has been 'created,' and in this fourth round (through the creation of the fourth spirilla) the fourth or human kingdom can come into being.  The word 'creation' must be occultly understood, and means the appearance in active manifestation of some form of energy.  Only in the next round will the fifth spirilla be an active functioning unit in a sense incomprehensible now.

 

(CF 775) The work of the solar Angels is of a triple nature:

 

(1.) Directing the vibration towards the atomic triangle.  Here a very interesting fact must be borne in mind.  The three permanent atoms, or the three points of the triangle, do not always hold the same relative position as regards the centre of the lotus, but according to the stage of development so will be the position of the atoms, and so will be the apprehension of the inflowing force.  In the earlier stages, the physical permanent atom is the first to receive the inflow, passing it through its system to the astral permanent atom and the mental unit.  This force is circulated four times around the triangle (this being the fourth round) until the mental unit is again contacted and the energy becomes centralised in the fourth spirilla of the mental unit.  Then and only then do the lunar Pitris begin their work, and commence the co-ordination of the substance which will form the mental sheath, next working with the astral body and finally with the etheric body.

 

At a later stage in the evolution of man (the stage wherein the average man is now) the astral permanent atom is the first contacted, and the energy circulates through it to the other two.  At the stage of advanced intellectual man, the mental unit takes the primary place.  In this case there is now the possibility of the alignment of the three bodies which will later be an accomplished fact.  The fifth spirilla in the lower two atoms increases its vibration.  As we know, there are only four spirillae in the mental unit and the moment that that is in full activity, the co-ordination of the antaskarana becomes a possibility.  Changes are now taking place in the egoic lotus, and the petals are unfolding, that unfoldment being partially dependent upon the vibration in the spirillae and their awakening.

 

[Page 776]

The student should bear in mind the fact that as soon as the mental unit has become the apex of the atomic triangle a condition is brought about wherein force in the future will enter the three atoms simultaneously through the three unfolded petals of the outer circle, and the man has therefore reached a very definite stage in evolution.  The direction of force, and its application to the atoms is the work of the solar Pitris.  As evolution proceeds, their work in this connection becomes more complex, for the petals are unfolding, and the triangle is revolving more rapidly.

 

(2.) Pronouncing the mantram which will make possible the 777 incarnations.

 

Each of the figures in this triplicity stands for:

 

a. A cycle of egoic manifestation.

b. A particular sound which will enable the Ego to express some subray of this egoic ray.

c. The three circles of petals which will unfold as the result of incarnation.

d. The particular group of manasadevas who form the causal body of the Ego concerned.

 

The mantric sounds are therefore based on these figures, and through the mantram (which grows in volume, depth and number of sounds involved as time elapses) the force is directed, the petals concerned are stimulated into activity, and the lunar Pitris become aware of the work to be done in preparation for any incarnation.

 

(3.) Building into the causal body that which is required for its completion.

 

In the early stages this work is comparatively small but as the third stage of development is reached, and the man is demonstrating character and ability, their work is rapidly increased, and they are kept fully occupied in the work of perfecting the egoic body, in expanding the egoic consciousness, if metaphysical terms are preferred.  All [Page 777]  this is accomplished by means of the material furnished by the lower self.  When that lower Personality becomes gradually radioactive, these radiations are attracted to the positive ego, and are absorbed into its nature through the activity of the solar Angels.

 

These three activities are the main work of the solar Pitris where man is concerned.  Where the group, and not the individual, is concerned, their work lies along the line of adjusting the egoic units in their groups, and of making them group conscious, but this is only possible towards the final stages of evolution when the work of the highest group of Agnishvattas is in order.  The middle group who form the nine petals are always the most active.  They work in connection with the lower group who are the direct transmitters of energy to the atomic triangle, receiving it from the middle group.  More of their work it is not possible to detail, for the work of the Agnishvattas is vast and intricate, and differs also in the various schemes in certain particulars.  Those who are working in the Uranus, the Neptune, and the Saturn scheme work somewhat differently to those functioning in the Venus, the Vulcan, the Mars, the Mercury, the Jupiter, the Earth and the exoteric Saturn scheme, and so do the Manasadevas of the inner round.  We should note here that we again have a triplicity of groups, representing a triplicity of force, and herein lies a hint.  In the central list of schemes the middle and lower group of Agnishvattas are active.  In the others the higher group and middle group hold sway as these planets are the most occult and sacred in manifestation, and are concerned only with egos who are on the  Path, and who are therefore group-active.  In connection with Uranus, Neptune and Saturn, this might be expected as they are the synthesising planetary schemes, and provide conditions suitable only for the very advanced stages.  They are the "reaping" planets.

 

[Page 778]

Much confusion in connection with Egos exists in the minds of our students on account of their failure to realise that (as H. P. B. has pointed out)54 the Secret Doctrine is primarily concerned with the planetary scheme of our Earth, and has little to impart anent the other schemes, and their methods of evolving self-consciousness.  The general procedure on the mental levels is the same, but as each scheme embodies one particular type of force, the peculiarity of that force will colour all its evolution, and the work of the Agnishvattas will correspond.  It is not possible to state what is the peculiar colouring of the Ray which is embodied in our scheme, as it is one of the most secret of the mysteries revealed at initiation, but students must bear in mind that in the fundamentals laid down here we are not dealing specifically with our scheme.

 

(CF 778) A great deal has been said in modern occult literature anent the process followed in the perfecting of those Egos who choose to remain with the Hierarchy of our planet, and their methods of development (through chelaship to adeptship).  But nothing practically has been imparted anent the many egos who reach a certain high stage of evolution in our scheme and who are then transferred to one of the three synthesising schemes, passing first to the scheme which is the polar opposite to ours, and from thence to the synthesising scheme.  They are numerically more than those who remain within the Earth scheme.  Whichever may be the synthesising scheme to which they are attracted, it marks and initiates their start upon one of the three cosmic paths.  The work of the Manasadevas is carried on throughout the entire system, and a constant circulation transpires, and a constant transmission of energy, and of force units embodying that energy, goes on throughout the entire system.  This transmission becomes possible in any scheme when the [Page 779] fourth or human kingdom becomes radioactive; it really marks the setting in of the period of obscuration.  Venus is a case in point.  Metaphysically stated, it marks the point when the Logoi begin to dissociate Themselves from Their dense physical bodies, or from the three worlds of human endeavour.

 

The three groups of Agnishvattas concerned with the evolution of man on the mental level have each a specific function, as we have already seen, and the lowest of the three deal primarily with the transmission of force or energy to the three permanent atoms.  In the dual sounding of the egoic mantram by the lowest of the three groups changes are brought about and the lunar Pitris (who concern themselves with the lower three vehicles) enter upon their work, the key being given to them by the solar Angels.

 

These lunar Pitris embody the substance of man's lower bodies, just as the solar Pitris sacrifice themselves to give him his egoic body, and his consciousness.55,56,57  They are substance in its dual aspect, and the Lunar Pitris in their higher grades are the positive energy of atomic substance, and in their lower are the negative [Page 780] aspect of the same substance.  They might be considered, in connection with man, as triple in their ranks:

 

a. The highest group of all receives the energy from the higher levels, and ensouls the spirillae of the three permanent atoms.

b. The second group, being the positive energy that attracts, builds and forms the body of man on the three planes.

c. The lowest group are the negative aspect of energised substance and the matter of the three sheaths.

 

In connection with the solar system they embody the Brahma aspect, being the product of earlier cycles wherein conscious activity was achieved, but self-consciousness was only arrived at by certain cosmic entities who passed through conscious substance, and gave to it that potentiality which will enable atomic substance—after many kalpas—todevelop self-consciousness.  In connection with a planet, they are called by a mysterious name which may not be revealed, as it conceals the mystery of the scheme which preceded ours, and of which ours is a reproduction.  There are Pitris who work in connection with a planet, and with a solar system as well as those working in connection with the human kingdom.  They embody the energy of substance as demonstrated in a system, a scheme and a human cycle.

 

(CF 780) There are also in connection with our peculiar Earth scheme, those lunar Pitris who reached their present stage of activity in the moon chain.  They are deva groups but (unlike the Agnishvattas) they have not passed through the human stage; for them it has yet to be achieved, and their present experience in connection with the human Hierarchy has that end in view.  It should be remembered that it is a fundamental law in occult development that any life can only give out that [Page 781] which it has possessed, and possession of the varying attributes of consciousness from that of the atom up to the consciousness of a solar Logos, is the result of long cycles of acquirement.  The solar Pitris, therefore, could give to man his consciousness; the lunar Pitris could give to him the instinctual consciousness of his vehicles.  In their aggregate in all the kingdoms of nature, on this planet and elsewhere, they give to the planetary Logos and to the solar Logos the sumtotal of the form consciousness of Their respective bodies.  This is the case in every scheme in the system, but in the Earth chain a peculiar condition of affairs was brought about through the planetary failure coincident with the moon chain; this is the cause of the present balancing of forces on this chain.  The fourth chain in every scheme  sees the work of the solar Pitris in connection with man begun.  It sees also the Pitris of his sheaths in activity through the impulse given by the solar Angels.  The matter of those sheaths has passed through three chains and three rounds and is vibrant to a note which is tuned to the....To word it otherwise, the third can be clearly sounded, and is followed naturally by the fifth, or the dominant.  The simultaneous sounding of the third and the fifth, basing it upon the planetary keynote, produces the effect of a threefold chord, or a fourth tone, a complex sound.  I am here dealing with the chord of the human hierarchy as a whole.  Within the hierarchy there is again diversity, based upon the hierarchical chord, and this produces the many egoic chords and notes; these produce in their turn objective manifestation.

 

We can now trace the progress of egoic energy as it passes down from the abstract levels to the permanent atoms.  On each plane the work is threefold, and might be tabulated as follows:

 

1. The response within the permanent atom to the vibration set up by the solar Pitris; to word it otherwise: [Page 782] the response of the highest group of lunar Pitris to the chord of the Ego.  This definitely affects the spirillae of the atom, according to the stage of evolution of the Ego concerned.

 

2. The response of the substance to the atomic vibration upon the particular plane involved.  This concerns the second group of Pitris, whose function it is to gather together the substance attuned to any particular key, and to aggregate it around the permanent atom.  They work under the Law of Magnetic Attraction, and are the attractive energy of the permanent atom.  On a tiny scale each permanent atom has (to the substance of a man's sheaths) a position relative to that which the physical sun holds to the substance of the system. It is the nucleus of attractive force.

 

3. The response of the negative substance concerned and its moulding into the desired form through the dual energy of the two higher groups of Pitris.  Some thought of the unity of this threefold work has been given in the differentiation of the substance of any plane into:

 

a. Atomic substance.

b. Molecular substance.

c. Elemental essence.

 

This differentiation is not entirely accurate, and a truer idea of the underlying concept might be conveyed if the word "energy" took the place of "substance and essence."  This third group of Pitris is really not correctly termed Pitris at all.  The true lunar Pitris are those of the first and highest group, for they embody one aspect of the intelligent will of Brahma, or of God-in-substance.  The third group are literally the lesser Builders, and are blind incoherent forces, subject to the energy emanating from the two higher groups.  Occultly these three groups are divided into the following:

[Page 783]

a. The Pitris who see, but touch nor handle not.

b. The Pitris who touch but see not.

c. The Pitris who hear but neither see nor touch.

 

As they all have the gift of occult hearing, they are characterised as the "Pitris with the open ear"; they work entirely under the influence of the egoic mantram.  If these differentiations are studied a great deal may become apparent anent a very important group of deva workers.  They are a group who only come into manifestation as a co-ordinated triplicity in the fourth round in order to provide vehicles for man; the reason for this lies hid in the karma of the seven Logoi, as They energise the fourth, fifth and sixth Hierarchies.  In the earlier round in each scheme these three groups attain a certain stage of necessitated growth, and embody the highest evolution of the substance aspect.  Only the highest and  ost perfected of the atoms of substance find their way into the vehicles of man,—those which have been the integral parts of the higher evolutionary forms.

 

(g.) The Work of Form-building.  This work of form-building proceeds under definite laws, which are the laws of substance itself; the effect is the same for human, planetary and solar vehicles.  The different stages might be enumerated as follows:

 

1. The Nebulous.  The stage wherein the matter of the coming sheath begins to separate itself gradually from the aggregate of plane substance, and to assume a nebulous or milky aspect.  This corresponds to the "fire-mist" stage in the formation of a solar system and of a planet.  The Pitris of the Mist are then active as one of the many subsidiary groups of the three major groups.

 

2. The Inchoate.  Condensation has set in but all is as yet inchoate, and the condition is chaotic; there is no definite form.  "The Pitris of the Chaos" hold sway, and are characterised by excessive energy, and violent activity, for the greater the condensation prior to co-ordination [Page 784] the more terrific are the effects of activity.  This is true of

Gods, of men, and of atoms.

 

3. The Fiery.  The internal energy of the rapidly congregating atoms and their effect upon each other produces an increase of heat, and a consequent demonstration of the spheroidal form, so that the vehicle of all entities is seen to be fundamentally a sphere, rolling upon itself and attracting and repulsing other spheres.  "Pitris of the Fiery Spheres" add their labours to those of the earlier two and a very definite stage is reached.  The lunar Pitris on every scheme, and throughout the system, are literally the active agents in the building of the dense physical body of the Logos; they energise the substance of the three planes in the three worlds, the mental, the astral and the dense physical planes of the system.  This needs much pondering upon.

 

 

(CF 840) (c) The Names of the Egoic Lotuses.  We might consider briefly the work of forming the egoic lotus on its own plane; this is as the result of the work of the Agnishvattas, after its segregation in space, and the formation of its ring-pass-not.  We have touched upon the remotest and earliest stages.  One point we have not yet emphasised but which is of interest to the thoughtful student.  This is the fact of the difference existing between the egoic bodies owing to their varying stages of development.  For instance, up till the middle of the Atlantean rootrace68 (when the door of individualisation was closed), Egos were to be seen at many differing stages from the newly organised "buds," representing freshly individualised men, to the highly developed causal bodies of the different disciples and initiates, who were superintending the evolution of the race. 

 

(CF 884) Through the action of the Rod as wielded at the first two Initiations, the two outer circles unfold, the energy of the two is set free and the two sets of force as embodied in the six petals are co-ordinated and become interactive.  This stage of petal adjustment succeeds upon that called earlier "unfoldment" and has to do with the simultaneous action of the two tiers of petals.  The interplay between the two circles is completed, and the circulation [Page 884] of the force currents perfected.  According to a man's ray and subray, so is the Rod applied to what might be termed the "key" petal.  This of course differs according to the unit of force involved.  It is of interest to note here that, as the petal substance is deva substance and as the energy of the petals is the energy of certain manasadevas (one of the three higher orders of Agnishvattas) the initiate is overshadowed (the word is not entirely satisfactory in explaining the type of deva service here necessitated, but it must suffice) by a great deva who represents the equilibrium of substantial vibration which is brought about by the efforts of the initiate, aided by the adepts who present him, and who each represent one of the two polarities of force.  This is temporarily stabilised by the Initiator.  These three factors,

 

1. The representing deva,

2. The two adepts,

3. The initiator,

 

(EA 188) These planetary influences are distinctive of the Sons of Mind, of Venusian origin; they are characteristic of the Lords of Sacrifice and Will functioning in time and space as the fourth Creative Hierarchy. The form life is ruled by the Moon, veiling a hidden planet; these Sons of Mind live on the Earth and thus within the body of the planetary Logos, and are of a definitely intelligent nature, making them Lords of Knowledge, achieving their goal through the light of the mind and through the method of conflict, for they are also Lords of Ceaseless and Persevering Devotion. All the above names which are related to the planets governing Sagittarius will be remembered by students of The Secret Doctrine. They are the "quality names" of the Divine Manasaputras, the Agnishvattas who are ourselves.

 

(WM 101) 4. The blending of the deva or angel evolution and the human.  This is a mystery which will be solved as man arrives at the consciousness of his own solar Angel, only to discover that that too is also but a form of life which, [Page 101] having served its purpose, must be left behind.  The angel or deva evolution is one of the great lines of force, contained in the divine expression and the solar Angels, the Agnishvattas of The Secret Doctrine and of A Treatise on Cosmic Fire belong—in their form aspect—to this line.