Influences of Besant, Theosophy & Freemasonry on Lekhraj Kirpalani?

This is a question rather than a statement. Is it know if there was any influence of influence of Theosophist Dr Annie Besant upon Lekhraj Kirpalani and the early BKWSU?

I state this because she became president of Indian National Congress during 1917 in Calcutta and was active in the Home Rule for India issue. Lekhraj Kirpalani and Om Radhe spoke, or cursed would be a better world, both Congress Parties and Home Rule movements and so he must have been aware of her.

I am still working to discover who or what the Anglophile and Anglophone (English speaking) influences were on the early BKWSU, who produced all their English language materials and where their Christian influences came from.

Is it know if there was any influence of influence of Theosophist Dr Annie Besant upon Dada Lekhraj and the early BKWSU?

Thanks ex-l. I have been meaning to reply to this for sometime now however better late than never. I will keep this short and to the point. Before I came on to this site i happened across the Theosophist Society web site and was intrigued enough to try to contact them by phone - i failed.

This Saturday I picked up a BKWSU publication: Eternal Drama of Souls, Matter and God; authored by B.K Jagdish Chander and lo and behold he has sited Dr Annie Besant's work a few times as a reference. So I echo your question about the role and degree of influence that Dr Annie Besant or in fact the Theosophist Society may have had on some of the organisation's members (including Mr. Lekhraj). Most of the references quoted seem to cone from Theosophical Publishing House publications. Let's see how this topic develops. Thanks for your good work.

Really, where this topic is heading off to explore is not just Besant and the Theosophical Society, but also the influence of Freemasonry. All were prevalent in India around this time, including Calcutta, Hyderabad and Karachi and part of the Great British juggling act. Mason and theosophist Colonel Olcott lectured, demonstrated mesmerism and cured.

As an example, did you know the great Swami Vivekananda was a Freemason? He was initiated in 1884 under the name of Bro. Narendra Nath Dutt in Lodge Anchor & Hope, Calcutta. Motilal Nehru, Father of Pandit Nehru, grandfather of Indhira Gandhi, C. Rajagopalachary (Governor General of India), and Fakruddin Ali Ahmed (President of India)."

For example; as "Gope Hiranand Samtani" the same Gope Hiranand that was the son of Diwan Hiranand President of Hyderabad Theosophical Society? (I do not know).

I have always wondered about the BKWSU's romance with the One World government gang and the United Nations. Even when in Gyan, I wondered if "The Big Plan" was for BK Raja Yoga to become the "Official Opiate", sorry ... "Official Religion" of the New World Order. It is very much in line with what the leadership of the BKs believe, with the Government of India falling to them first.

I would want to avoid sweeping over to the excess of Conspiracy Theory and just observe the historical facts. However, the machinations of the British and supra-national interest groups over India, Islam and Russia do sweep very close to the Om Shantis around these times, e.g. the Nizam of Hyderabad (other Hyderabad), amongst the richest men on earth and surely known to or customers Lekhraj Kirpalani at some point, was a Freemason. Treacherous family that sold India out to the British.

As I write, I am asking myself about the mysterious donor who bailed out the Yagya and seeking an resolution to the change in direction of the philosophy.

In the following quote from "The Sindh Story" by K. R. Malkani 1984, you will see reference to Swami Vaswani. Vaswani is portrayed as a devil by the BKs but I wonder also about his influence on Lekhraj Kirpalani as Vaswani's activiest actually pre-empted and pre-dated Lekhraj Kirpalani's, e.g. schools and committees of and for women. Not something that the BKs tell you.

Meanwhile another movement arrived on the scene to take care of the Sindhi elite in the wake of the eclipse cf the Brahmo Samaj. This was the Theosophical Society.

It revived the basic Hindu thought in international idiom. This was doubly welcome to the educated Sindhi, who valued his Hinduism and who did not underrate internationalism. Stalwarts such as Jethmal Parasram and Jamshed Mehta became the pillars of Theosophy in Sindh. The Theosophical Lodges became non-denominational centres of intellectual and cultural activity. The Theosophical Society of Karachi was found to be the most active branch in the whole world. Dayaram Gidumal's son Kewalram became an active theosophist. He helped set up D.G. National College in Hyderabad, and Sarnagati, a research library in Karachi.

The universal appeal of Theosophy attracted not only Parsi leaders such as Jamshed and Kotwal but also Muslim intellectuals such as G.M. Syed, Hyderbux Jatoi and A K. Brohi. who have all been major characters on the Pakistani scene. The Theosophists also joined hands with the Hindus to checkmate Christianity.

Dewan Dayaram delivered fifteen scholarly lectures on the inadequacy of Christianity. And Dr. Annie Besant appealed to the Sindhis not to change faith. The convert Parmanand's mother asked her an obviously inspired question: "You advise the Hindus not to be Christian; how is it that you have renounced Christianity and become a Hindu?" Pat came Besant's reply: "I have done so because in my previous birth I was a Brahmin." After that nobody heard of any conversions .

A very significant movement of spiritual revival was led by Sadhu T.L. Vaswani (1879--1966).[editors note; 1879 is the fictional date of birth given to Lekhraj Kirpalani by the BKs] A great scholar, he taught at D.J. Sind College in Karachi and Vidyasagar College in Calcutta. Later he was Principal of Dyal Singh College in Lahore, Victoria College in Cooch-Behar, and Mahendra College in Patiala. But more than a scholar, he was a saint. He represented India at the World Congress of Religions in Berlin in 1910. On his return journey he threw all the flattering press cuttings in the sea; he regarded them all a vanity.

His mother could not bear the thought of his renouncing the world; the farthest she could go was, not to force him to marry. However, the day she died in 1918, he gave up his silk suits, draped himself in white khadi, and resigned his princely job in Patiala. He now began to live on ten rupees a month, and lecture on religion to distinguished audiences. For years the world knew only three Indian names --- Gandhi, Tagore and Vaswani. Vaswani set up Shakti Ashram in Rajpur near Dehra Dun, Shakti School for boys and Mira School for girls, both in Hyderabad. Sadhu Vaswani specially appealed to women, whom he initiated into simplicity and spirituality. Today his work is being ably carried on by his nephew, Dada Jashan Vaswani.

Sindh now was a regular garden with many singing birds. The Brahmos sang their melodies in their sylvan Mandirs. The theosophists discoursed on the "Masters in Tibet". The Arya Samajists rekindled the Yagna fires after centuries of blood and ashes. Sadhu Vaswani led the Mira Movement, initiating once fashionable girls into Khadi, vegetarianism and Bhakti-bhava.

The Theosophical Society played a role in coordinating the Indian Independence movement through the Indian National Congress. Even back then, there were rumours about Blavatsky and the "Russians" and although Annie Besant acted against the British she escape being punished by them. If one analyses the Indian independence movement, we notice the British building a crescendo of antagonizing the Indian National Congress and then caving in to their demands, it is suggested that the transfer of power to the INC was predetermined. The Congress Party, of who Lekhraj Kirpalani has a beef, consisted of numerous Freemasons and Theosophists.

Now, the BKs portray Lekhraj Kirpalani as educated, spiritual and one of the richest men in India. I do not know how rich, there were some very rich families in India at that time, the Nizam of Hyderabd being the mostest. But obviously he was wealthy and had contact with these types.

So, back to the original question, who and what were the spiritual and Anglophone influences around Lekhraj Kirpalani at the time of the Om Mandli? What I am doing here is examining the context for the development of the BKWSU ... and perhaps some external influences upon and within it.

Theosophists claim that all religions are both true in their inner teachings and false or imperfect in their external conventional manifestations. Imperfect men attempting to translate the divine knowledge had corrupted it in the translation.

For those unsure about the connection here, Occultist founder Madame Blavatsky (herself claimed to be a channel for some high Hindu Master) wrote at length, and famously, on Raja Yoga. In Theosophical terms Raja Yoga is the "royal or kingly Yoga," which has little to do with the postures or breathing exercises of hatha Yoga. The science of Raja Yoga recognizes that vibration is the key to all raising our vibratory state to that of the teacher.

The true student of Raja Yoga knows that everything has its origin in MIND; that even this Universe is the passing before the Divine Mind of the images he desires to appear. "The soul is the Perceiver; is assuredly vision itself pure and simple; unmodified; and looks directly upon ideas"

And as a footnote to the above, as a counter point ot the BKWSU's claims of uniqueness ...

The Women's Indian Association was founded in Adyar in 1917 by Theosophist Annie Besant, Dorothy Jinarajadasa and Margaret Cousins.

Besant was the founder president, Dorothy, the founding secretary. She had come to India with Besant and Margaret Cousins. Others who served as honorary secretaries included Cousins, Malati Patwardhan, Ammu Swaminathan, Mrs. Dadabhoy and Mrs. Ambujammal.

The movement they started, one of the first women's movements in India, developed a network throughout the country. Dorothy Jinarajadasa in particular toured India to inspire women to set up local branches, which the founders hoped would get women to play a greater role in education, politics and particularly social reform to end child marriage and encourage women's education and widow remarriage.

The women of India must be banded together in improving themselves and in serving their country, they believed. Annie Besant was to, on behalf of the WIA, present a memorandum to Montagu, then Secretary of State for India, requesting franchise for women on the same terms as men.

When Annie Besant died in 1933, Jinarajadasa declined the presidentship and decided to continue his lecture tours and spread the Theosophical faith. But when Dr. G. S. Arundale Freemason and president of the Theosophical Society died in 1945, Jinarajadasa agreed to succeed him, though he continued to spend much of his time travelling. In fact, when he died in 1953, he was in the U.S.

He married Dorothy M. Graham, a British feminist and fellow Theosophist, in 1916. She travelled with him for several years, but then decided to stay put in India and concentrate on the Women's Indian Association.

The following is extracted from the list of cited reference books from which Raja Yogi B.K Jagdish Chander garnered support for his various arguments in the book I referred to earlier.

1. Annie Besant Psychology 2nd Edition Los Angeles, California, Theosophical Publishing House, 1919, pp 230-232.

2. Annie Besant Psychology Supra pp 212-213.

3. Annie Besant Psychology 2nd Edition Los Angeles, California, Theosophical Publishing House, 1919, pp 210-211.

The first reference on page 53 is in support of the author's discussion of matters pertaining to the existence of the metaphysical entity called Mind or Soul.

The second reference on page 77 is in support of the author's discussion of matters in a chapter pertaining to memories of past lives revived in hypnotic state. (Specifically concerning Cases of Exaltation of mental capacities.)

The third reference on page 78 is again in support of the author's discussion of matters in the chapter pertaining to memories of past lives revived in hypnotic state. (Specifically concerning Cases of 'blocking of vision' i.e. suggesting to a person under hypnosis that they will be unable to 'see' an object or person and then observing said state of visual impairment once the subject has been 'recalled' from hypnotised state.)

How strange it is that whilst in the BKWSU they remain silent (and we ignorant) of these diverse issues, however one of their most respected late student's readily builds these concepts into the foundations of his arguments in support of BKWSU fundamentals.

Feeling is that it is very worthwhile indeed to seek to uncover/explore the various influences that ARE in the very fabric of the Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa-Vidyalaya; and to imagine that these contributions I have made on this topic to-date are mere side-scenes to a discovery that startled me about which i will now post in this same part of the forum.

ex-l, what about the last dance? In order to thank you for all the findings and wonderful work - I am reading your posts ... Just before you go ... to the theater ... anyone?

Well ... to see this nice play "ANNIE BESANT IN India"

At Cochrane Theater
Southampton Row,
London WC1B 4AP
Playing till Sunday 27th May 2007.

The play is about an extraordinary English woman in love with India.

1916: India is simmering with discontent against the Raj. Enter activist Anne Besant and her new cause: Indian Independence.

The British imprison her - Gandhi hails her as a new leader of the Congress Party. She adopted two poor Indian Brothers, convinced that one of them will save the world - but their Father wants them back ... is she a heroine?

The incredible true story of an amazing woman's relationship with India, and her adopted son, the philosopher KRISHNAMURTI.

http://www.cochranetheatre.co.uk

warrior

Lest this thread be forgotten ... from "The Sindh Story".

Meanwhile another movement arrived on the scene to take care of the Sindhi elite in the wake of the eclipse cf the Brahmo Samaj. This was the Theosophical Society. It revived the basic Hindu thought in international idiom. This was doubly welcome to the educated Sindhi, who valued his Hinduism and who did not underrate internationalism. Stalwarts such as Jethmal Parasram and Jamshed Mehta became the pillars of Theosophy in Sindh. The Theosophical Lodges became non-denominational centres of intellectual and cultural activity.

The Theosophical Society of Karachi was found to be the most active branch in the whole world. Dayaram Gidumal's son Kewalram became an active theosophist. He helped set up D.G. National College in Hyderabad, and Sarnagati, a research library in Karachi.

The universal appeal of Theosophy attracted not only Parsi leaders such as Jamshed and Kotwal but also Muslim intellectuals such as G.M. Syed, Hyderbux Jatoi and A K. Brohi. who have all been major characters on the Pakistani scene.

The Theosophists also joined hands with the Hindus to checkmate Christianity. Dewan Dayaram delivered fifteen scholarly lectures on the inadequacy of Christianity. And Dr. Annie Besant appealed to the Sindhis not to change faith. The convert Parmanand's mother asked her an obviously inspired question: "You advise the Hindus not to be Christian; how is it that you have renounced Christianity and become a Hindu?'' Pat came Besant's reply: "I have done so because in my previous birth I was a Brahmin."'

Pat came Besant's reply: "I have done so because in my previous birth I was a Brahmin."'

Thanks as always. What did she mean, ex-l? Is there any way we can find out her own explanation of such comments?

regards
abek

Was she of the Crowley crowd/era?

Was she of the Crowley crowd/era?

Is that another link to the BKWSU that you have discovered mr green? The Theosophical Society's literature has been cited books sold by the BKWSU. Books written by BK figures of renown.

What ex-l shared has introduced a new angle on this for me. The reporting of Besant's reply: "I have done so because in my previous birth I was a Brahmin." Makes me now wonder where she got that oblox from and what she meant. ex-l, can that piece be dated?

The Theosophists also joined hands with the Hindus to checkmate Christianity. Dewan Dayaram delivered fifteen scholarly lectures on the inadequacy of Christianity. And Dr. Annie Besant appealed to the Sindhis not to change faith. The convert Parmanand's mother asked her an obviously inspired question: "You advise the Hindus not to be Christian; how is it that you have renounced Christianity and become a Hindu?'' Pat came Besant's reply: "I have done so because in my previous birth I was a Brahmin."'

It's just I know Blavatsky and Matthers were both Crowly acquaintances.

I think it was just a small world and anyone that was anyone in the psychic and mystic world, especially as it was limited more to the upper classes, knew or bumped into each other. Its not to say they were friends or influence each other. People think the New Age thing was new. it was not. It had all being going on before to much larger crowds in at the end of Victoriana, the 1920s.

I was surprised to discover that Swami Vivekenanda, who was a central character introducing Yoga and Vedanta to the West, was also a Master Mason and Theosophist, which I could see would have the conspiracists doing a cartwheel. All the same, if you were someone, those are the circles you mixed in to meet, influence and progress your career.

I think it was just a small world and anyone that was anyone in the psychic and mystic world, especially as it was limited more to the upper classes, knew or bumped into each other. Its not to say they were friends or influence each other.

Crowely was a private advisor to Churchill and many other big wigs. Next, ex-l, you'll be telling me you never practised chaos magic.

Certainly when Besant spoke of being a Brahmin, she meant a caste born Brahmin and not a BK Brahmin.

Crowley was a private advisor to Churchill and many other big wigs.

Hmmn, I reckon that is urban legend of an Ickean scale ... and sort of headed well off topic. Crowley was a terrible braggart and claims to have given Churchill the V-sign, so as to speak, but there are other reports it came via the BBC. On the suggestion of Ian Fleming, the James Bond author, British Intelligence considered asking Crowley to assist the them interpreting the Occultism of Herman Hess and Nazis but it never came off. I reckon a bit of an exaggeration to say he was "a private advisor to Churchill". They probably kept tabs on him because he was seen as a proto-Nazi but, as above, London was a small place, the social elite, Masons etc, courted each other.

All the same, there are parallels between these players and it gives a bigger picture to spiritual events the early 20th Century.

Aleister Crowley (born October 1875) and Theosophist medium Alice Bailey (born June 1880) were at least peers of Lekhraj Kripalani's (born 1884), although not connected. All obtained their material in a similar manner, channelled communication incorporating elements from the medium's subconscious. Crowley's angel was named Aiwass. Alice Bailey's angel was named Djwhal Khul. Kripalani's angel ... well did not seem to know what was going on until ... when ... some date later when he names himself Shiva. Case of psychic symbiosis with an elevated entity expressing itself through their host's subconsciouses.

Like Kripalani experience, Aiwass also reportedly manifested as a voice and dictated to Crowley 'The Book of the Law'. He also heralded the coming of a new Aeon, the third great age of humanity. Crowley considered himself as the profit of that New World but lost it, in my opinion, probably due to his sex and drugs addictions.

Within the system founded by Aleister Crowley, the Holy Guardian Angel is the "Silent Self", representative of one's truest divine nature. In some branches of occultism, "Holy Guardian Angel" has become common and is considered equivalent to the Atman of Hinduism; the 'over' or 'higher self' and often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In Crowley's system, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one's Holy Guardian Angel, a process termed "Knowledge and Conversation." By doing so, the adept becomes fully aware of his own True Will.

Crowley argued that Aiwass was an objectively separate being from himself, possessing far more knowledge than he or any other human could possibly have and wrote "The Book of the Law". He said, that Aiwass was "an intelligence both alien and superior to myself, yet acquainted with my inmost secrets; and, most important point of all, that this intelligence is discarnate."

Now, frankly, wrap it all up in corporate training sessions all you like, but if you correlate all these individuals' experiences with the 'Modern Spiritualist Movement', Bengali Shaktism etc ... are the processes REALLY that different or unique? Or is it not just some "business as usual" for some Holy or Unholy Spooks that appear to live off and parallel to humanity. Was there some sort of wave of connected psychism around the world at that time?

Putting the BKWSU's Bhakti aside, it maintains one discussion we have had, and are having with BKDimok and the Vishnu Party, of whether or not the Shiva element is separate or part of the self/the medium, e.g. Shiva Baba being Lekhraj Kirpalani's higher self introducing us to our higher self. Hence, the value is knowing Lekhraj Kirpalani's pre-Gyan influences and the genuine history of the Yagya.

The existence of true religion presupposes that of some discarnate intelligence, whether we call him God or anything else. And this is exactly what no religion had ever proved scientifically. And this is what The Book of the Law does prove by internal evidence, altogether independent of any statement of mine. This proof is evidently the most important step in science that could possibly be made: for it opens up an entirely new avenue to knowledge. The immense superiority of this particular intelligence, AIWASS, to any other with which mankind has yet been in conscious communication is shown not merely by the character of the book itself, but by the fact of his comprehending perfectly the nature of the proof necessary to demonstrate the fact of his own existence and the conditions of that existence. And, further, having provided the proof required.

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Heheh. I knew it, you're a Crowley-ite,

He was at best a vulgar man, heheh. He considered himself "The Beast" too.