The following quotations from numerous letters written by Masters and Adepts regarding H. P. Blavatsky – the Founder of the modern Theosophical Movement – may be of interest to both Theosophists and non-Theosophists of all degrees . . . from her devoted students, to her ardent and misguided critics, to those individuals who have naively imagined the Masters to be “Ascended Masters” living up above us in the heavenly realms rather than physically incarnated human beings, to those who believe and promulgate the ignorant notion that her role and teachings were ultimately merely that of a forerunner for later and subsequent “spiritual teachers” and self-proclaimed “Messengers of the Masters,” a notion which has resulted in no small amount of harm and hindrance to the Cause of genuine Theosophy, which is the Masters’ very own Cause.

The majority of the excerpts from “The Mahatma Letters” are from letters written to the English Theosophist A. P. Sinnett by the Master K.H. and the Master M. between the early and mid 1880s. In regard to the excerpts from “Letters from The Masters of The Wisdom,” those letters written by the Master Serapis Bey were all addressed to Colonel Henry S. Olcott, one of the co-founders of the Theosophical Society alongside HPB and William Q. Judge, and date from the mid to late 1870s, the early days of the Society. Many, but not all, of the other excerpts quoted from the two volumes of “Letters from The Masters of The Wisdom” – i.e. those written by the Master K.H. and the Master M. – were also addressed to Col. Olcott.

Rather than say any more, here are the words of the Masters themselves about the one they called their Direct Agent, their Brother, a chaste and pure soul of divine light, a martyr for the Cause of Truth, a “high and initiated chela,” one with sufficient spiritual authority to give orders to even some of the Masters themselves and even to personally prove to the Maha Sahib, when a certain situation arose, that she had been right and he had been wrong regarding said matter.

We catch privileged glimpses into HPB’s occult training and tuition under the Masters in Tibet and the Trans-Himalayan region (“Little Tibet”) before being sent to the West to begin her public mission and work for humanity . . . we read of the great importance of her work for the future of India and the Indian people . . . we find the Master K.H. telling young Mohini Chatterjee that it is impossible for one to show too much gratitude and respect to HPB and that she deserves to be held in an “exalted position” by all Indians . . . we see hints referring to the true, inner, and masculine nature of the great soul functioning in and working through what the Masters elsewhere called “the Blavatsky body” . . . and perhaps most importantly, we see the Master M. remarking that it would be better for the Theosophical Movement to perish than for Theosophists to show ingratitude and disrespect towards HPB.

We have provided links at the end of the article to some other related articles which may possibly be of interest.

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“I am painfully aware of the fact that the habitual incoherence of her statements – especially when excited – and her strange ways make her in your opinion a very undesirable transmitter of our messages. Nevertheless, kind Brothers, once that you have learned the truth; once told, that this unbalanced mind, the seeming incongruity of her speeches and ideas, her nervous excitement, all that in short, which is so calculated to upset the feelings of sober minded people, whose notions of reserve and manners are shocked by such strange outbursts of what they regard as her temper, and which so revolt you, – once that you know that nothing of it is due to any fault of hers, you may, perchance, be led to regard her in quite a different light. Notwithstanding that the time is not quite ripe yet to let you entirely into the secret; and that you are hardly yet prepared to understand the great Mystery, even if told of it, owing to the great injustice and wrong done, I am empowered to allow you a glimpse behind the veil. This state of hers is intimately connected with her occult training in Tibet, and due to her being sent out alone into the world to gradually prepare the way for others. After nearly a century of fruitless search, our chiefs had to avail themselves of the only opportunity to send out a European body upon European soil to serve as a connecting link between that country and our own. You do not understand? Of course not. Please then, remember, what she tried to explain, and what you gathered tolerably well from her, namely the fact of the seven principles in the complete human being. Now, no man or woman, unless he be an initiate of the “fifth circle,” can leave the precincts of Bod-Las and return back into the world in his integral whole – if I may use the expression. One, at least of his seven satellites has to remain behind for two reasons: the first to form the necessary connecting link, the wire of transmission – the second as the safest warranter that certain things will never be divulged. She is no exception to the rule, and you have seen another exemplar – a highly intellectual man – who had to leave one of his skins behind; hence, is considered highly eccentric. The bearing and status of the remaining six depend upon the inherent qualities, the psycho-physiological peculiarities of the person, especially upon the idiosyncracies transmitted by what modern science calls “atavism.” Acting in accordance with my wishes, my brother M. made to you through her a certain offer, if you remember. You had but to accept it, and at any time you liked, you would have had for an hour or more, the real baitchooly to converse with, instead of the psychological cripple you generally have to deal with now.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XXVI)

“You can never know her as we do, therefore – none of you will ever be able to judge her impartially or correctly. You see the surface of things; and what you would term “virtue,” holding but to appearances, we – judge but after having fathomed the object to its profoundest depth, and generally leave the appearances to take care of themselves. In your opinion H.P.B. is, at best, for those who like her despite herself – a quaint, strange woman, a psychological riddle: impulsive and kindhearted, yet not free from the vice of untruth. We, on the other hand, under the garb of eccentricity and folly – we find a profounder wisdom in her inner Self than you will ever find yourselves able to perceive. In the superficial details of her homely, hard-working, common-place daily life and affairs, you discern but unpracticality, womanly impulses, often absurdity and folly; we, on the contrary, light daily upon traits of her inner nature the most delicate and refined, and which would cost an uninitiated psychologist years of constant and keen observation, and many an hour of close analysis and efforts to draw out of the depth of that most subtle of mysteries – human mind – and one of her most complicated machines, – H.P.B.’s mind – and thus learn to know her true inner Self.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LIV)

“I do not believe I was ever so profoundly touched by anything I witnessed in all my life, as I was with the poor old creature’s ecstatic rapture, when meeting us recently both in our natural bodies, one – after three years, the other – nearly two years absence and separation in flesh. Even our phlegmatic M. was thrown off his balance, by such an exhibition – of which he was chief hero. He had to use his power, and plunge her into a profound sleep, otherwise she would have burst some blood-vessel including kidneys, liver and her “interiors” – to use our friend Oxley’s favourite expression – in her delirious attempts to flatten her nose against his riding mantle besmeared with the Sikkim mud! We both laughed; yet could we feel otherwise but touched?” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LIV)

“She can and did produce phenomena, owing to her natural powers combined with several long years of regular training and her phenomena are sometimes better, more wonderful and far more perfect than those of some high, initiated chelas, whom she surpasses in artistic taste and purely Western appreciation of art – as for instance in the instantaneous production of pictures: witness – her portrait of the “faikir” Tiravalla mentioned in Hints, and compared with my portrait by Gjual Khool.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LIV)

“You know K.H. and me – buss! know you anything of the whole Brotherhood and its ramifications? The Old Woman is accused of untruthfulness, inaccuracy in her statements. “Ask no questions and you will receive no lies.” She is forbidden to say what she knows. You may cut her to pieces and she will not tell. Nay – she is ordered in cases of need to mislead people; and, were she more of a natural born liar – she might be happier and won her day long since by this time. But that’s just where the shoe pinches, Sahib. She is too truthful, too outspoken, too incapable of dissimulation: and now she is being daily crucified for it. Try not to be hasty, respected Sir. The world was not made in a day; nor has the tail of the yak developed in one year.” – Master M., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XLVII)

“Martyrdom is pleasant to look at and criticise, but harder to suffer. There never was a woman more unjustly abused than H.B.” – Master M., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XLVII)

“It is good that you have seen the work of a noble woman, who has left all for the cause.” – Master M., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XCVII)

“M. promised me though to refresh her failing memory and to revive all she has learned with him in as bright a way as could be desired.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #CIV)

“Were she to die to-day – and she is really sick – you would not receive more than two, or at most three more letters from me (through Damodar or Olcott, or through already established emergent agencies), and then, that reservoir of force being exhausted – our parting would be FINAL.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #VIII)

“If, for generations we have “shut out the world from the Knowledge of our Knowledge,” it is on account of its absolute unfitness; and if, notwithstanding proofs given, it still refuses yielding to evidence, then will we at the End of this cycle retire into solitude and our kingdom of silence once more. We have offered to exhume the primeval strata of man’s being, his basic nature, and lay bare the wonderful complications of his inner Self – something never to be achieved by physiology or even psychology in its ultimate expression – and demonstrate it scientifically. It matters not to them, if the excavations be so deep, the rocks so rough and sharp, that in diving into that, to them, fathomless ocean, most of us perish in the dangerous exploration; for it is we who were the divers and the pioneers and the men of science have but to reap where we have sown. It is our mission to plunge and bring the pearls of Truth to the surface; theirs – to clean and set them into scientific jewels. And, if they refuse to touch the ill-shapen, oyster-shell, insisting that there is, nor cannot be any precious pearl inside it, then shall we once more wash our hands of any responsibility before human-kind. For countless generations hath the adept builded a fane of imperishable rocks, a giant’s Tower of INFINITE THOUGHT, wherein the Titan dwelt, and will yet, if need

be, dwell alone, emerging from it but at the end of every cycle, to invite the elect of mankind to co-operate with him and help in his turn enlighten superstitious man. And we will go on in that periodical work of ours; we will not allow ourselves to be baffled in our philanthropic attempts until that day when the foundations of a new continent of thought are so firmly built that no amount of opposition and ignorant malice guided by the Brethren of the Shadow will be found to prevail.

“But until that day of final triumph someone has to be sacrificed – though we accept but voluntary victims. The ungrateful task did lay her low and desolate in the ruins of misery, misapprehension, and isolation: but she will have her reward in the hereafter for we never were ungrateful.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #IX)

“O poor, poor Sister! Chaste and pure Soul – pearl shut inside an outwardly coarse nature. Help her to throw off that appearance of assumed roughness, and any one might well be dazzled by the divine Light concealed under such a bark.” – Master Serapis Bey, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #10)

“But we have defence and she has a right to it. Defence and full vindication she must have.” – Master M., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XXXIX)

“People must respect her purity and virtue for she deserves it.” – Master Serapis

Bey, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #16)

“Your bearing towards, and about, Upasika [i.e. HPB] is so very childish that is indeed calculated to create a worse impression than even her own flippant attitude when left entirely to herself. Do not forget that all the good results that are in store for our India, and even the consideration you are now receiving at the hands of those who hitherto thought they could never show you a too pronounced contempt, are all due to her individual efforts. You can hardly show her enough respect and gratitude, or more than she is entitled to. It is better to let the English know all the good she is morally achieving than be ever entertaining them with stories that can show her only in a childish, whimsical light and make them laugh or even smile at her expense. You show yourself indiscreet and imprudent by such a course. I expect you to change your attitude – especially upon the arrival of her friends from Russia. You will have to carefully impress them with the sense of the exalted position she ought to – if she does not – hold among those Hindus who have remained true to the Past, care not for the Present, and work but for the Future, which will be great and glorious if she is only supported and helped by them. . . . I want your friend, first by preparing him to what she really is – to follow you to Enghien. Go there for a few hours and return with her.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #13)

“The Odessa Old Lady – the Nadijda – is quite anxious for your autograph – that of “a great and celebrated writer” she says she was very undisposed to part with your letter to the General but had to send you a proof of her own identity. Tell her I – the “Khosyayin” (her niece’s Khosyayin she called me as I went to see her thrice) gossiped the thing to you advising you to write to her furnishing her thus with your autograph – also send back through H.P.B. her portraits as soon as shown to your lady, for she at Odessa is very anxious to have them back

especially the young face. . . . That’s her, as I knew her first “the lovely maiden”.” – Master M., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XXXIX)

“The Tchang-chub (an adept who has, by the power of his knowledge and soul enlightenment, become exempt from the curse of UNCONSCIOUS transmigration) – may, at his will and desire, and instead of reincarnating himself only after bodily death, do so, and repeatedly – during his life if he chooses. He holds the power of choosing for himself new bodies – whether on this or any other planet – while in possession of his old form, that he generally preserves for purposes of his own. Read the book of Khiu-tee and you will find in it these laws. She might translate for you some paras, as she knows them by rote. To her you may read the present.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XLIX)

“. . . even our mutual “female” friend.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #XLVIII)

“Whether Imperator is a “planetary” embodied or disembodied, whether he is an adept in flesh or out of it, I am not at liberty to say, any more than he would himself to tell S.M. who I am, or may be, or even who H.P.B. is.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #IX)

“One of the most valuable effects of Upasika’s mission is that it drives men to self-study and destroys in them blind servility for persons. Observe your own case, for example. But your revolt, good friend, against her infallibility – as you once thought it – has gone too far and you have been unjust to her, for which I am sorry to say, you will have to suffer hereafter along with others. Just now, on deck, your thoughts about her were dark and sinful, and so I find the moment a fitting one to put you on your guard.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #19)

“In reality, there is no contradiction between that passage in Isis [i.e. “Isis Unveiled”] and our later teaching; to anyone, who never heard of the seven principles – constantly referred to in Isis as a trinity, without any more explanation – there certainly appeared to be as good a contradiction as could be. “You will write so and so, give so far, and no more” – she was constantly told by us, when writing her book. It was at the very beginning of a new cycle, in days when neither Christians nor Spiritualists ever thought of, let alone mentioned, more than two principles in man – body and Soul, which they called Spirit. If you had time to refer to the spiritualistic literature of that day, you would find that with the phenomenalists as with the Christians, Soul and Spirit were synonymous. It was H.P.B., who, acting under the orders of Atrya (one whom you do not know) was the first to explain in the Spiritualist the difference there was between psyche and nous, nefesh and ruach – Soul and Spirit. She had to bring the whole arsenal of proofs with her, quotations from Paul and Plato, from Plutarch and James, etc. before the Spiritualists admitted that the theosophists were right. It was then that she was ordered to write Isis – just a year after the Society had been founded. And, as there happened such a war over it, endless polemics and objections to the effect that there could not be in man two souls – we thought it was premature to give the public more than they could possibly assimilate, and before they had digested the “two souls”; – and thus the further sub-division of the trinity into 7 principles was left unmentioned in Isis. And is it

because she obeyed our orders, and wrote, purposely veiling some of her facts – that now, when we think the time has arrived to give most of, if not the whole truth – that she has to be left in the lurch? Would I, or any of us, ever leave her as a target for the Spiritualists to shoot at, and laugh at the contradictions when these were entirely apparent, and proceeded but from their own ignorance of the whole truth; a truth they would not listen to, nor will they accept it even now, except under protest and with the greatest reservations? Certainly not.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LII)

“She is better and we have left her near Darjeeling. She is not safe in Sikkim. The Dugpa opposition is tremendous and unless we devote the whole of our time to watching her, the “Old Lady” would come to grief since she is now unable to take care of herself.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #CX)

“The least we can do for a person who has devoted her whole life to serve us and the cause we have at heart is to preserve her body and health for her whenever she may need it again . . . for such is the wish of all of us. Perish the Theosophical Society rather than be ungrateful to H.P.B.” – Master M., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #32)

“We employ agents – the best available. Of these for the past thirty years the chief has been the personality known as H.P.B. to the world (but otherwise to us). Imperfect and very troublesome, no doubt, she proves to some, nevertheless, there is no likelihood of our finding a better one . . . – and your theosophists should be made to understand it. Since 1885 I have not written, nor caused to be written save thro’ her agency, direct and remote, a letter or line to anybody in Europe or America, nor communicated orally with, or thro’ any third party. Theosophists should learn it. You will understand later the significance of this declaration so keep it in mind. Her fidelity to our work being constant, and her sufferings having come upon her thro’ it, neither I nor either of my Brother associates will desert or supplant her. As I once before remarked, ingratitude is not among our vices.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #19)

“Were he to learn some day how deeply he has wronged H.P.B. in thought – no man would feel more miserable over it than himself.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LIV)

“We are no more at liberty to withhold the chance from a postulant than we are to guide and direct him into the proper course. At best, we can only show him after his probation period was successfully terminated – that if he does this he will go right; if the other, wrong. But until he has passed that period, we leave him to fight out his battles as best he may; and have to do so occasionally with higher and initiated chelas such as H.P.B., once they are allowed to work in the world, that all of us more or less avoid.” – Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters (Letter #LIV)

“To help you in your present perplexity: H.P.B. has next to no concern with administrative details, and should be kept clear of them, so far as her strong nature can be controlled. But this you must tell to all: – With occult matters she has everything to do. We have not abandoned her; she is not ‘given over to chelas.’ She is our direct agent. I warn you against permitting your suspicions and resentment against ‘her many follies’ to bias your intuitive loyalty to her.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #19)

“I have also noted your thoughts about the ‘Secret Doctrine.’ Be assured that what she has not annotated from scientific and other works, we have given or suggested to her. Every mistake or erroneous notion, corrected and explained by her from the works of other theosophists was corrected by me, or under my instruction. It is a more valuable work than its predecessor, an epitome of occult truths that make it a source of information and instruction for the earnest student for long years to come.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #19)

“You know of course that once that H.P.B.’s aura in the house is exhausted you can have no more letters from me.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #20)

“Use your intuition, your innate powers, try, you will succeed, watch over her and let her not come to harm, our dear Sister who is so careless and thoughtless for herself. She must have the best intellects of the country introduced to her. You must work both on their intuitions and enlighten them as to the Truths.” – Master Serapis Bey, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #11)

“You do not realize that when speaking of, or as from us, she dares not mix up her own personal opinions with those she tells you are ours. None of us would dare do so, for we have a code that is not to be transgressed.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (First Series, Letter #31)

“You wrong likewise in thought our Sister. . . . she is too just to attribute to her own credit, what you in your unselfish, noble exertions try to do for the Cause; her heart feels warm and devoted to thee, brother. She feels unhappy, and in her bitter hours of mental agony and sorrow looks to thee for friendly advice and soothing words of comfort. Devoted to the Great Cause of Truth, she sacrificed to it her very heart’s blood.” – Master Serapis Bey, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #9)

“You must not part with Elena [i.e. HPB, whose name in its original Russian rendering was Elena Petrovna Blavatskaya] if you desire your initiation. But through her you may be enabled to conquer the trials of initiation. They are hard and you may yet despair more than once, but do not I pray thee. Remember some men have toiled for years, for the knowledge you have obtained in a few months. Fear not, immortal man, scorn the evil whispers of the double-visaged Janus called public opinion. Remain firmly linked together and Try to inhabit the same places where her fate guided by the wisdom of the Brotherhood may lead her to. Try to secure for yourself a good situation. You will succeed. Try to help the poor broken-hearted woman and success will crown your noble efforts.” – Master Serapis Bey, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #10)

“The night before last will prove a memorable one for you. . . . You have alienated

from yourself another brother – though a woman – and that, I am afraid, for ever. What possessed you to speak in the way you did of a friend, a woman, one to whom you owe all you know, and even the possibilities of the future – for she was the first to show you the way – is more than all the occult sciences are able to explain! . . . She went to Maha Sahib [i.e. a very high and important Master] the same night and proved to him she had been all the time right and He wrong. . . . The Maha Sahib had nothing to say – neither have I or any of us, but to regret, and that very deeply, that want of discrimination and tact so prominent in a man of your intellect and sense.” – Master M., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #33)

“Owing to certain expressions therein, the letter was stopped on its way by order of our Brother H.P.B. As you are not under my direct guidance but his, we have naught to say, either of us. . . . Our Brother H.P.B. rightly remarked at Jeypore . . .” – Letter from a Master to Col. Olcott

“These are foolish, insane ideas of yours about Upasika, Henry, wretched thoughts – the mirage thrown upon your brain by some of those who surround you . . . You wrong her from beginning to end. You have never understood Upasika, nor the laws thro’ which her apparent life has been made to work since you knew her. You are ungrateful and unjust and even cruel. You take maya for reality and reality for illusion.

“I have said and shall say no more, and now if you don’t listen and believe what I now tell you I shall have to turn Karma into a new direction.” – Master M., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #47)

“The present is simply to satisfy the Dr. that – “the more proof given the less believed.” Let him take my advice and not make these two documents public. It is for his own satisfaction that the undersigned is happy to assure him that The Secret Doctrine when ready, will be the triple production of M., Upasika and the Doctor’s most humble servant – K.H.” – Master K.H., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #69)

“If this can be of any use or help to Dr. Hubbe Schleiden – though I doubt it – I, the humble undersigned Fakir certify that the “Secret Doctrine” is dictated to Upasika partly by myself and partly by my Brother K.H. – M.” – Master M., Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom (Second Series, Letter #70)

“The certificate given last year saying that the Secret Doctrine would be when

finished the triple production of Upasika, M. and myself was and is correct, although some have doubted not only the facts given in it but also the authenticity of the message in which it was contained. . . . And it may then be well to indicate to those wishing to know what portions in the Secret Doctrine have been copied by the pen of Upasika into its pages, though without quotation marks, from my own manuscript and perhaps from M., though the last is more difficult from the rarity of his known writing and greater ignorance of his style.” – Master K.H., Letter to William Quan Judge

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~ BlavatskyTheosophy.com ~

* Sylvia Cranston’s excellent biography of Madame Blavatsky, titled “HPB – The Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky” is highly recommended to all who may be interested in the proven and indisputable facts and truth about her life, work, teachings, and continuing vital relevance for the world at large.