44
contemplate any other spiritual entity or being than Krishna himself, he advises Arjuna to centre his thoughts in him. But, who is Krishna? The Bhagavatgita does not leave as in any doubt about this question. In giving an account of his Vibhuti (as it is called in Sanskrit) Krishna commences by saying "Ahamatma"*[1] (I am Atma—the 7th principle in man). To use the author's phraseology, he is the "soul"—the inmost principle in man. The author admits this view in certain portions of his book, though, for the purpose of establishing the claims of Busiris to the authorship of the "Mahabharata," a different interpretation would perhaps be necessary. And, in recommending the contemplation or Dhyan of one's own atma, Krishna points out two different modes of doing it, in the 9th, 12th and 13th Slokams of the chapter above mentioned. The author's translation of the 9th Slokam is enough to convince me that he has no defininte idea about the esoteric meaning therein found, and that he mistook the spiritual being or entity described in the said Slokam for his favourite angel. He translates the significant Sanskrit adjective—Puranam, as if it meant 'The Ancient Angel.' I shall be very happy indeed to learn in what Sanskrit Lexicon is this meaning given, or what are the Sanskrit words used in the Slokam that could ever suggest that idea of an "angel." From this instance of mis-translation, as well as from other similar instances, which will be noticed further, I am justified in thinking that the author's theories were formed before he had carefully ascertained the esoteric meaning of the Bhagavatgita; and that he simply attempted to find support for his individual speculation in it, and to identify modern Spiritualism (however advanced) with what he is pleased to call "Ancient Yoginism" (P. 87).
In fact, in the Slokam, or verse in question, there is no reference whatsoever to any angel, Deva or God. The last five stages in the ladder of ascent have exactly the same meaning
- ↑ * The "I am, That I am" of the Biblical Jehovah, the "I am who I am," or Mazdao" of Ahuramazda in the Zend Avesta, &c. All these are names for the 7tb principle in man.—Ed.
