The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-20
CoNCERNrNG MAHArMAs.

the cause Of the deep interest taken by
the outside world in the doings Of
theosophists. The world is curious. to
be sure. but merely because it wishes to
be Informed about things it does not
know: it wants to learn. and surely
desire to learn, especially when the
knowledge promises to be of benefit, is
not only legitimate but commendable.
The recent disclosures in the papers con-
corning the new head of the order have
aroused this interest anew. and though
some of the leaders resent the attention
they are getting and sneer at the pa
pers, they are really unjust. One Of the
things the public has long been anxious
to know all about is a mahctma- When
mahatmas were first talked of In the
days of Blavatsky the idea conveyed to
those outside the timer Circle" was that
they were mysterious. hollow-chested
beings with Pefferlike boards, who
roasted in the far-off Businesses of the
Himalayas and thought thoughts. What
they were there for. why they didn't
come out, start a paper and print their
thoughts, learn to ride bicycles and
what they had to do with the nineteenth
century. anyway. were questions never
satisfactorily answered. Naturally.
then, whenever theosophical subjects are
under discussion the public pricks up its
ears in the hope of getting at the bottom
facts. There was some bewilderment TO
begin with when 1t was announced that
the successor to Blavatsky and William
@. Judge was woman who was herself
mahatma. 1t now appears that she is
not mahatma, but an adept; she her
self has said it. 1t is further LUMINOSITY
explained by member Of the Inner
Circle that an adept is an adept in the
understanding of the deeper mysteries of
nature. There is also the ''chela,"
newcomer on the scene. In the diction-
airy a chela is defined as "a claw which
| terminates the limbs Of most crustacea,
formed by an enlarged protopodite bear
Obviously there is a missing link here,
| and the theosophic chela Is something
| entirely different; but, whatever it is, it
is not a mahatma. The newspaper seek
ers after light have recognized this pub
| lie demand for information and have
| asked direct questions of theosophists
| whom they have interviewed. Hargrove,
who is away UP IN the society. says the
| word means great soul, from "maha,"
| great, and "atma," soul. Blavatsky was
not a mahatma. neither was Judge,
neither is Mrs. Tingley, the new leader.
| but mahatn.as may and do exist any
where, though Hargrove doesn't know
| of any in New York city. Asked how he
is able to recognize a mahatma, he says
| ''if man claims to be one you know for
certain that he is not one" They know
each other by intuition. and Hargrove
recognizes them because he knows
when he comes in contact with person
who knows more than do about occult
| matters"
This is more confusing than ever to
the minds of those not in the Inner Cir
Gle. 1t won't do to take q mans word
that he is a mahatma, and Hargrove's
rule that the individual who knows more
of the occult than he does is one will
| not fit the investigator who knows Moth
ing of the occult but merely wants to
know. In that case even Hargrote
might be mahatma to him. A Cincin-
natl theosophist. DR.. Buck, also men,
Der of the,Inper Circle, says mahatma
| is "a perfect man or woman, a person
all-wise, whose learning and correct life
| make him So" This seems encouraging.
! making 1t only necessary for the ma
hatma hunter to go out and find a per-
g.
adds depressingly: There are perfect
men and women in New York who are
| not mahatmas:'' and further deepens
the mystery by the assertion that "a
mahatma would not attract your par
ticular attention further than that you
| would say he or she was a nice person.
He also says there are several mahatmas
in the United States. This does away
with the necessity Of a journey to the
| Himalayas, but is unsatisfying. in
asmuch as mice persons" are numerous
and they cannot all be mahatmas. Even
the definition given by another author
ity in the order that mahatma has the
| power of instantly conveying himself
across the world at will does not give
the necessary enlightenment. OF course
If you are acquainted with person who
has this convenient power you are ac-
quainted with mahatma; but if you
have not such an honor how are you tc
be introduced?
The only chance that seems open tc
the searcher after knowledge is to cal
upon Mrs. Tingley. the new leader. She
is not mahatma, but she may be some
day, and as she has a life job with nc
salary attached. however.) 1t may b.
worth while for the truth seeker to have
her on his visiting list Meanwhile, al
he can do is to keep his eyes open as he
goes along for any man or woman who
is at once mice" perfect and can trave
without ticket or passes, and wher
found to make a note on"
The decision of the United States SUI
preme Court affirming that OF the Stat,
Supreme Court in the case of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company is on {