FROM time immemorial there have been people who have deluded themselves into believing that convenient paths can be found to spiritual realization. Others have known that the path to Perfection is arduous and demands a radical internal change. Pseudo-teachers promise attractive rewards and gather a following. The real Mahatmas and Masters do not care for popularity, and guide only those who are ready to let go entirely their baser inclinations and personal desire in order to be of service to others.
The continuing confusion in the minds of people would end if the logic of the ideas presented through this book is grasped. Mr S.S. Varma, the author, has done great service in bringing together time-tested instructions and advice about the life of the disciple in the light of Theosophy, which is the wisdom of the ages. All serious aspirants seeking the way to the world of Truth and Light where dwell the Great Souls or Mahatmas will find this book of interest.
THE knowledge of the ageless wisdom, called Theosophy, was made available in the early years of the Theosophical Society from two sources: the letters received from those great personages variously called the Adepts, the Mahatmas or Masters of the Wisdom, and the writings of Madame H.P. Blavatsky. These letters are their own authority and speak not only of the Wisdom but of the way to it.
To draw the attention of students of Theosophy to these most authentic and valuable teachings, the International President of the Theosophical Society, Mrs Radha Burnier, took up the study of extracts from The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett (Theosophical Publishing House [TPH] Adyar 1972) at Malavali, near Lonavla, in March 1984, in a workshop organized by the Bombay Theosophical Federation, and again at a weeklong study camp at Varanasi in October 1985.
This aroused great interest in the study of The Mahatma Letters.
The idea then occurred to me that if useful, inspiring and illuminating extracts on selected topics are collected and presented in a suitable form, they may be helpful to students of Theosophy. The present work has been attempted with that in view. Besides the ML, extracts have also been taken from two other books, namely Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First and Second Series, edited by C. Jinarajadasa (TPH, Adyar, First Edition 1919, First Series; 1925 Second Series).
The first edition of the ML, transcribed and compiled by A.T. Barker, of which very few copies are available, was published in 1923; the second edition in 1926 was brought out by Rider and Company. The third, edited and revised by Christmas Humphreys and Elsie Benjamin, was published in 1962 by TPH, Adyar.
I wish to express my deep gratitude to Mrs Radha Burnier for her interest in the completion of this work. My thanks are due to Mr Carlos Aveline who gave valuable suggestions and Dr R.S. Gupta who assisted me in several ways. I also thank all those who have directly or indirectly helped me.
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