Rishabha (-deva)

An empowered incarnation of the Supreme Lord who set the standard of an ideal king, gave valuable instructions to his one hundred sons, and then became an exemplar of complete renunciation.

(See also: Rishabha, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Aranyakas

The parts of the original Vedas that give more esoteric explanations than do the Brahmanas. The Aranyakas are meant for renunciants to study in the forest (aranya). The Upanishads are chapters of the Aranyakas that explain the philosophical essence of the Vedas.

(See also: Aranyakas, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ekadansa - a staff which is carried by the renunciates belonging to the monistic school and, in particular, the followers of Sri Sankaracarya. The staff consists of only one rod which symbolizes their goal of attaining oneness with nirvisesa-brahma.

(See also: Ekadansa, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ekadansa - a staff which is carried by the renunciates belonging to the monistic school and, in particular, the followers of Sri Sankaracarya. The staff consists of only one rod which symbolizes their goal of attaining oneness with nirvisesa-brahma.

(See also: Ekadansa, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sannyasa (Sanskrit) [from sam together with + ni-as to reject, resign worldly life]

Putting or throwing down, laying aside, abandonment; particularly renunciation of the world and material affairs and the assumption of the path leading to mystic knowledge. The practitioner is called a sannyasin.

(See also: Sannyasa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Samnyasa:

Samnyasa ("casting off"): the state of renunciation, which is the fourth and final stage of life (see ashrama) and consisting primarily in an inner turning away from what is understood to be finite and secondarily in an external letting go of finite things; cf. vairagya

(See also: Samnyasa, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Jnana-Yoga:

Jnana-Yoga ("Yoga of wisdom"): the path to liberation based on wisdom, or the direct intuition of the transcendental Self (atman) through the steady application of discernment between the Real and the unreal and renunciation of what has been identified as unreal (or inconsequential to the achievement of liberation)

(See also: Jnana-Yoga, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Dharma: A term of many meanings, including "law", "virtue", and "righteousness". In general, dharma means the religious discipline for the four orders of life: maintaining celibacy and studying, family life, a devout and renounced life (but living with the spouse), and total renunciation for God realization.

(See also: Dharma, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Chitta-riddhi-pada citta-riddhi-pada (Sanskrit) (from chitta intelligence, thought, memory + riddhi supernormal power + pada step, inspiring ray)

In raja yoga, the step of renunciation of the lower memory, in the attainment of supernormal faculty or power. "The third condition of the mystic series which leads to the acquirement of adeptship; i.e., the renunciation of physical memory, and of all thoughts connected with worldly or personal events in one's life -- benefits, personal pleasures or associations. Physical memory has to be sacrificed, and recalled by will power only when absolutely needed" (TG 324).

(See also: Chitta-riddhi-pada, citta-riddhi-pada, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Chhanda-riddhi-pada chanda-riddhi-pada (Sanskrit) (from chhanda desire + riddhi supernormal power + pada step, ray, beam)

Pleasure-power-training; one of the steps enumerated in raja yoga: "the final renunciation of all desire as a sine qua non condition of phenomenal powers, and entrance on the direct path of Nirvana" (TG 324). The compound itself points out that by abandoning the lower desires and pleasures, one enters upon the path of obtaining the celestial joys and vast expansion of faculty and its spiritual use, although even this last is finally abandoned for a still higher stage.

(See also: Chhanda-riddhi-pada, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Chitta Riddhi Pada (Sanskrit) " The step of memory." The third condition of the mystic series which leads to the acquirement of adept-ship ; i.e., the renunciation of physical memory, and of all thoughts connected with worldly or personal events in one’s life - benefits, personal pleasures or associations. physical memory has to be sacrificed, and recalled by will power only when absolutely needed. The Riddhi Pada, lit., the four " Steps to Riddhi ", are the four modes of controlling and finally of annihilating desire, memory, and finally meditation itself -  so far as these are connected with any effort of the physical brain -  meditation then becomes absolutely spiritual.

(See also: Chitta Riddhi Pada, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Sankhya - the path of knowledge involving an analysis of spirit and matter. This philosophy is atheistic in nature. It was propagated by the sage Kapila, who is different from the avatara of the Lord known as Kapila, the son of Kardama and Devahuti. The sage Kapila, who was born in the dynasty of Agni, is referred to in the Mahabharata (Vana-parva 221.21): kapilam paramarsin ca yam prahur yataya sada agni sa kapilo nama sankhya-yoga pravartaka - "That person whom the renunciates proclaim as the founder of the sankhya-yoga system is the great sage Kapila who appeared in the dynasty of Agni.”

(See also: Sankhya, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

TAURUS

(April 21 - May 20). The fixed earth sign of the Zodiac called "the Bull" because the Babylonians who invented the sign associated the bull with the beginning of spring. It is the Venusian Impulse, the Eros as opposed to Thanatos (Scorpio). In Egypt, Apis the Bull was an avatar of Osiris. The chief characteristics of Taurus are stubbornness, love of the arts and hedonism, which last is no doubt the reason that Gautama Buddha chose this as the sign of his birth with its Karma of Buddhistic renunciation and austerity. As one of the tetramorphs Taurus incorporates the lesson of velle, "to will."

Some famous Taureans are: Adolf Hitler, Leonardo da Vinci, Hirohito, Wm. Randolph Hearst, Fred Astaire, Theodore Roszak, Shakespeare, Cromwell, Freud, Orson Welles, Tchaikovsky, Irving Berlin, Gary Cooper, Eva Peron, Harry Truman, Daniel Berrigan, John Wilkes Booth, Socrates, Machiavelli, Florence Nightingale, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, L. Frank Baum, Malcom X.

(See also: TAURUS, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Babaji - a term of respect which is given loosly (frequently improperly) , to sadhus and Vaisnavas, particularly those who have given up all connection with household life. In the setting of this book, this term specifically refers to the Vaisnava followers of Sriman Mahaprabhu, who have given up all the duties and designations of varnasrama society and who engage almost exclusively in chanting hari-nama. Actual babajis live as strict renunciates, they do not accept the external garb of sannyasis because sannyasa is part of varnasrama. They do not wear the sacred thread of the brahmanas because they have entered into bhavavastha and are engaged in raga-marga. Such characteristics are to be accepted only by those on the highest platform of eligibility, who retire from the world to immerse themselves in private bhajana.

(See also: Babaji, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Solstice [from Latin sol sun + stit stand still]

The two points in the ecliptic at which the sun is farthest from the equator, north or south; so called because the sun halts and turns back on its northerly or southerly course. These points are in the first degree of Cancer and Capricorn respectively -- the summer and winter solstices; south of the equator the summer solstice occurs when the sun is south of the equator and in Capricorn, and the winter solstice when the sun is north of the equator and in Cancer; north of the equator the summer solstice occurs when the sun is north of the equator and in Cancer, and the winter solstice when the sun is south of the equator and in Capricorn. The solstitial points, like the equinoctial points, retrograde and complete their circle round the ecliptic in a precessional year of 25,920 years.

The solstices and equinoxes mark the four corners of the esoteric year, each associated with particular psychospiritual events in the initiation cycle. The winter solstice is associated with the birth of the inner Christ or Buddha; the summer solstice with the great renunciation of personal progress made by those of the hierarchy of compassion.

(See also: Solstice, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Theopathy [from Greek theos god + pathos experience, feeling]

The seventh stage of initiation in the Mysteries, where the candidate becomes a selfless channel for communion with his inner god; the third and last stage of spiritual development -- the first being theophany, the second theopneusty. The sense of theopathy, originally used in the Greek Mysteries, was that the adept "suffered" the full influence of the god within him, becoming a selfless, consenting channel for the divine power pouring through him, in utter disregard of the personal self. Because of the immense personal renunciation involved, such an adept was said to suffer -- meaning to bear or carry the divinity within.

The second of these three initiatory grades, theopneusty, was the same as the third, but in less full degree, and signified that the initiate received the inspiration from above-within and, as it were, was breathed into from above, but did not carry the full load of the spiritual fire or inspirational flow. The first stage, theophany, was by comparison a temporary occurrence and signified the appearance of one's divinity to the initiant's self-conscious perception; the neophyte met his own inner god face to face, and the appearance or theophany lasted for a greater or less time depending upon various circumstances.

Such terms were held secret in the ancient Mysteries, although the words themselves, as time passed, slowly filtered outwards and often became misunderstood, as by Christian theologians.

(See also: Theopathy, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Bhagavan - the Supreme Lord; the Personality of Godhead. In the Visnu Purana (6.5.72-74) Bhagavan is defined as follows: "suddhe mahavibhuty akhye pare brahmani varttate maitreya bhagavac-chabda sarva-karana-karane; sambharteti tatha bhartta bha-karo ‘rthadvayanvita neta gamayita srasta ga-kararthas tatha mune; aisvaryasya samagrasya dharmasya yasasah sriyah jnana-vairagyayos caiva sannam bhaga itingana - "

The word bhagavat is used to describe the Supreme brahma who possesses all opulences, who is completely pure, and who is the cause of all causes. In the word bhagavat, the syllable bha has two meanings: one who maintains all living entities and one who is the support of all living entities.

Similarly, the syllable ga has two meanings: the creator, and one who causes all living entities to obtain the results of karma and jnana. Complete opulence, religiosity, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation are known as bhaga, or fortune.” (The suffix vat means possessing. Thus one who possesses these six fortunes is known as Bhagavan.)

(See also: Bhagavan, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Vestal Virgins The priestess-guardians of the sacred fire of the Roman State; originally four in number, later six, then seven. Their special duty was to keep burning the sacred fire, which must never be allowed to go out. Once a year, however, it was extinguished with appropriate ceremonies, and then rekindled by means of "pure" or elemental fire -- fire produced by friction or by means of a burning-glass.

The Vestals were chosen when mere children, their election being the king's prerogative; under the Empire and Republic, that of the pontifex maximus. The one selected took a vow of chastity for thirty years, after which she was free to return to the world and marry if she chose. So highly regarded was this honor that few availed themselves of this privilege, and despite the requirements there were always more candidates for the position than could be accepted. A violation of her vows subjected the Vestal to extreme penalties.

Vestals enjoyed special privileges in the State, and in most respects were not subject to the Roman law. On state occasions they were preceded by a lictor and at public spectacles the best seats were reserved for them. In all the greater ceremonies and state festivals they took a prominent part. They had undisputed power to pardon any criminal whom they might meet when on his way to execution, providing the meeting was not prearranged. They could be buried within the walls, a privilege they shared with the Roman Emperor alone. Public slaves were appointed to serve them; they were the custodians of important state papers. They lived in almost royal splendor in the magnificent Atrium Vestae which adjoined the official fanum of the pontifex maximus himself. Their chief festival was the Vestalia, held on June 9th. From the central fire which they tended, the altars of other gods obtained their fires, and even distant colonies were not held to be consecrated until their own altar fires were lighted with fire from the central hearth. Compared with this cult in other parts of the world, especially in India where originally there was a lofty worship requiring the completest chastity and renunciation of the devadasis or nachnis of the temples, the cult in Rome, despite worldliness, seems to have suffered less degeneration than might have been expected from the theoretical and actual power surrounding it.

(See also: Vestal Virgins, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Spiritual Powers Generally used in contradistinction to psychic powers; for while psychic powers pertain to the intermediate, psychomental part of human nature, the spiritual powers pertain to the higher part. Hence the psychic powers, precisely because intermediaries, may become the instrument either of our higher or of our lower nature, being vehicular products in themselves and subject to influx from above or below.

The spiritual powers cannot be used for selfish and personal ends because their svabhava is universality and impersonality, attributes which link man with the surrounding universe. They emanate from the spiritual monad, atma-buddhi. We are able to use spiritual powers when our manas acts in conjunction with the spiritual monad. Such powers cannot be evoked by personal ambition or any form of acquisitiveness, because they do not rise above the intermediate or psychic nature and make no appeal to the spirit above; in fact, spiritual powers are the fruit of renunciation, of the replacing of the personal with the universal, the resigning of the limited for the virtually limitless, the giving up of the small for the great. Spiritual powers consist in a clear intuition of the truth, leading to right conduct, an ability to help and teach others -- the powers which we attribute to a Buddha or Christ.

The eye of Siva or Dangma, with its all-penetrating vision, must be included among spiritual powers; the siddhis and saktis given in various enumerations comprise some that are spiritual -- in fact the ones of permanent value are all spiritual. Since psychic powers are in themselves intermediaries, veils of what is within and behind them, they should become adjuncts to spiritual powers. Sharp lines of demarcation cannot be drawn in a universe whose very structure involves virtually infinite variety, and interblending, of interacting life and lives.

(See also: Spiritual Powers, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Rosicrucians [from Latin rosa rose + crux cross]

Rosy cross or rose cross, referring to the cross of the rose, the general medieval idea of the rose being an emblem of divine love, and the cross of renunciation and self-conquest. A medieval European mystical and quasi-occult fraternity, probably dating from about the mid-15th century. It represented one of the many cyclic attempts to reintroduce and keep alive the ancient wisdom, and its history is typical of most such enterprises.

The name was first given to the disciples of a learned adept, Christian Rosenkreuz, the alleged surname itself being a German translation of rose-cross, leaving open whether Rosenkreuz was actually a family name or a surname mystically adopted to designate a particular body of mystical thought; the name Christian may be another such mystical name-adoption. At any rate, Rosenkreuz returned form a journey in Asia and founded a mystical order in Europe. He and his disciples encountered the determined opposition of the Christian Church which then held sway over so much of Europe.

He dressed up his teachings in a Christian garb, using such names as Jehovah as screens for the real meaning, and communicating to his disciples the keys for an interpretation of his doctrines. He founded no formal association and built no colleges, for the utmost secrecy was necessary to escape persecution and even death. It is for these reasons that the true history of the Rosicrucians is so difficult to trace. The original Rosicrucians were fire-philosophers, successors of the theurgists and the Magi.

The symbol of a cross within a circle, supposed to represent a rose with a cross in it, is really a perversion by Western Christian Qabbalists, who call it the great mystery of occult generation, whereas the true symbol of the reawakening of the universe is a circle with a point in it, and the circle with a cross is the true mundane cross.

The real symbol of the Rosicrucians is that of a pelican tearing open its breast to feed its seven little ones -- the symbol of the 18th degree of the order. The rosy cross is the cube unfolded (cf SD 2:19, 80, 601). Many associations, since the disappearance of the medieval Rosicrucians, have existed and still exist, who have borrowed the name and apparently as much of the Rosicrucians' teachings as they could understand. Blavatsky mentions Paracelsus as having been a true Rosicrucian, and Eliphas Levi as having had access to Rosicrucian manuscripts.

(See also: Rosicrucians, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Rohit (Sanskrit) Red; a female deer, hind. In the Puranas Vach, the female aspect of Brahma, assumes the form of a rohit in order to escape the amorous pursuits of her father, Brahma, who nevertheless transformed himself for that purpose into a buck or red deer (rohita), Brahma's color being red.

Events in cosmic evolution and emanation were told under the guise of fairy tales such as the above, in order to hide the meaning from those whose right to know had not yet been established through proper training, self-devotion to truth, and renunciation of the temptations of ordinary life. Here Vach is the feminine form of the Logos, and Brahma is the masculine form; the Logos is a unit, but when worlds are evolved it produces from itself its alter ego for the purpose of the ensuing manvantara, which is called the feminine Logos in which the masculine Logos of intelligence drops the seeds of thought, and from the spiritual matter or feminine Logos emanate the hierarchies of beings.

The two aspects of the Logos are inseparable, but appear as a manifested duality only at the very beginnings of manvantaric time. It is thus seen that when Brahma emanates Vach as one half of his body or self, it means that for the purposes of manvantaric emanational productions, the Logos enters upon its creative activities. Brahma in this case becomes what would in the Christian Trinity be called the Father, Vach the Holy Spirit (always feminine among the early Christians), out of which comes forth the third aspect of the Logos, the manifested Logos. Brahma therefore is the First or Unmanifest Logos, Vach the Second or Manifest-unmanifest Logos; the intelligence creating the hierarchies of beings is the Third or Manifesting Logos. Thus the three Logoi are yet but one, as the Christian Trinity is said to be composed of three persons or masks philosophically, and yet to form one Godhead or Godhood.

(See also: Rohit, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Left-hand Path or path of shadows, those taking it called in theosophy brothers of the shadow. One of the two fundamental paths or courses in nature, the left-hand path or path of matter in contrast to the right-hand path or path of spirit.

Shadow signifies matter, for spirit may be considered to be pure energy, and matter, although essentially crystallized spirit, may be looked upon as the shadow world or vehicular world in which the energy, spirit, or pure light works. Matter is but a generalizing term, comprised of an almost infinite number of degrees of increasing ethereality from the grossest physical substance, or absolute matter, up to the most ethereal or spiritualized substance, providing the logic of calling this the path of shadows. Those on this path are often called black magicians in contrast to white magicians or sons of light who follow the path of self-renunciation, self-conquest, and an expansion of the heart, mind, and consciousness in love and service for all that lives.

A Sanskrit equivalent for the left-hand path is pratyeka-yana (from pratyeka every one for himself + yana path). Those who follow this path are also called vamacharins, and their school or course of life is known as vamachara or savyachara. They follow the easy but perilous path leading downwards into ever more confusing, horrifying stages of matter and final spiritual obscuration and personal annihilation.

After death the lower classes of those on the left-hand path become the terrestrial or earthly elementaries. Cunning, low, vindictive, and seeking to retaliate their sufferings upon imbodied humanity, they become, until final annihilation, astral vampires, and therefore a constant psychic and even physical menace to those who open the doors of communication with them.

The higher classes of the brothers of the shadow, those who may be called spiritual sorcerers, mentioned in the New Testament as entities of spiritual wickedness, have a longer life period than have the lower classes. These spiritual sorcerers, depending upon the degree of unfolding of spiritual energy which they have attained and prostituted to evil uses, may even endure till the end of the globe manvantara, reincarnating themselves at repeated, rapid intervals; but their pathway is downwards into still deeper ranges of matter, and involves a progressively greater loss of inner spiritual light reaching them from their spiritual monad.

"Multitudes of human beings are unconsciously treading the Path of the Shadows, and in comparison with these multitudes it is relatively only a few who self-consciously lead and guide with subtle and wicked intelligence this army of unsuspecting victims of Maya. The Brothers of the Shadow are often highly intellectual men and women, frequently individuals with apparent great personal charm, and to the ordinary observer, judging from their conversation and daily works, are fully as well able to 'quote scripture' as are the Angels of Light!" (OG 22).

The warnings given to students of occultism about this matter have always been very solemn and urgent, and no one should at any moment consider himself safe or beyond the possibilities of taking the downward way until he has become at one with the divine monitor within, his own inner god. At every step, with every morn, at every choice, we face the right- or the left-hand path and are forced to choose.

(See also: Left-hand Path, Path of Shadows, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)