#brahmins

Gilbert Williams, The Vortex (1982)

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The Teachings of the Adepts, part II

“There is an invisible universe within the visible one, a world of causes within the world of effects. There is force within matter, and the two are one, and are dependent for their existence on a third, which is the mysterious cause of their existence. There is a world of soul within a world of matter, and the two are one, and caused by the world of spirit. And within these worlds are other worlds, visible and invisible ones. Some are known to modern science, of others she does not even know that they exist; for, as the material worlds of suns and planets and stars, the worlds of animate and inanimate beings, from man the lord of creation down to the microscopic world with its countless inhabitants, can only be seen by him who is in the possession of the powers necessary for their perception, likewise the world of the soul and the realms of the spirit can only be known to him whose inner senses are awakened to life. The things of the body are seen through the instrumentality of the body, but the things of the soul require the power of spiritual perception.

This power of spiritual perception, potentially contained in every man, but developed in few, is almost unknown to the guardians of science in our modern civilization, because learning is often separated from wisdom, and the calculating intellect seeking for worms in the dark caverns of the earth cannot see the genius that floats towards the light and it cannot realize his existence. And yet this ancient science, which the moderns ignore, is perhaps as old as the world. It was known to the ancient prophets, to the Arhats and Rishis of the East, to initiated Brahmins, Egyptians, and Greeks. Its fundamental doctrines are found in the Vedas as well as in the Bible. Upon these doctrines rest the fundaments of the religions of the world. They formed the essence of the secrets that were revealed only to the initiated in the inner temple where the ancient mysteries were taught, and whose disclosure to the vulgar was forbidden under the penalty of torture and death. They were the secrets known to the ancient sages and to the Adepts and Rosicrucians of the Middle Ages, and upon a partial understanding of their truths rests the system of modern Freemasonry.”

The noted Sanskritist J.A.B van Buitenen told me that in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Europeans who were learning Sanskrit were impressed by the fact that no matter where they went in the subcontinent, when they heard Brahmins recite the Vedas they heard the exact same thing. From Peshawar to Pondicherry, or Calcutta to Cape Comorin, hundreds of thousands, even millions, of Brahmins who had no direct contact knew these texts in precisely the same way...

His encyclopaedic knowledge and his lively presentation of subjects, as dry as astronomy, made him a celebrated figure.

writes MEERA S. SASHITAL.

Even thousands of years before, India had become famous and reached its pinnacle in astrological and astronomical sciences. Ancient Astrological works had been translated into many foreign languages. Ibn Batuta and Al Baruni were two prominent Arab travellers who had visited ancient India specially to pursue Astrology. By their translations they had induced German scholars to come to India to study Astrology and Vedic literature. Varahamihira was one of the only renowned Indian Astronomer, Mathematician and Astrologer whose name became a household word throughout India and it is said his near contemporaries Aryabhata and Brahmagupta even did not match with the popularity of Varahamihira.

Varahamihira was born in 499 A.D. into a family of Brahmins settled at Kapittha, a village near Ujjain. His father, Adityadasa was a worshipper of the Sun god and it was he who taught Varahamihira astrology. On a visit to Kusumapura (Patna) young Varahamihira met the great astronomer and mathematician, Aryabhata. The meeting inspired him so much the he decided to take up astrology and astronomy as a lifetime pursuit. At that time, Ujjain was the centre of learning, where many schools of arts, science and culture were flourishing in the prosperity of the Gupta reign. Varahamihira, therefore, shifted to this city, where scholars from distant lands were gathering. In due course, his astrological skills came to the notice of Vikramaditya Chandragupta ii, who made him one of the Nine Gems of his court.

It is interesting to note as to how Varaha-mihira got the title ‘Varaha’. King Vikramaditya was aghast at the royal astrologer Mihira’s prediction. He looked round the well-lit and crowded court and asked in anguish “Can it be true?” There was no reply. There was pin-drop silence as all were shocked beyond words at the royal astrologer’s prediction. Breaking the silence and with full of grief himself, the royal astrologer confirmed the prediction, “The position of the planets predicts the death of the prince at the age of18.” Though the King controlled his emotions, the Queen could not contain herself and wailed “My lord, you should see to it that this prediction proves false.”

Though the King had full faith in his astrologer Mihira, he took every precaution to protect and save his son. But on the predicted day, a boar killed the prince. When the news reached the King, he summoned Mihira to his court and told him “I am defeated, you have won, you have won.” The astrologer was as sad as the king, and he replied “My Lord. I have not won. It is the science of astronomy and astrology that has won!” “Whatever it may be, my respected astrologer,” said the King. “It has convinced me that your science is nothing but truth. And for your mastery of the subject, I now confer upon you the Magadha kingdom’s greatest award, the emblem of the varaha (boar).” So from that time Mihira came to be known as Varahamihira.

Varahamihira was learned in the Vedas, but he was not a blind believer in the supernatural. He was a scientist. Like Aryabhata before him, he declared that the earth was spherical. In the history of science he was the first to claim that some “force” might be keeping bodies stuck to the round earth. The force is now called gravity.

Scholars are of the view that Varahamihira had constructed “Meru Stambh”, what is presently famous as Qutub Minar, 2200 years ago, for doing research on astronomy. It was a seven storied structure constructed in the middle of a lake. These seven stories symbolized seven planets and the structure also had 27 windows symbolizing twenty-seven constellations. Black stone has been used in the construction of Meru Stambh so that there was darkness inside. The main entrance faces North and is slanted slightly backward towards South at an angle of five degrees. Its foundation is 26 yards deep and its actual height was 84 yards but which now has been reduced to 76 yards. Britishers had demolished the topmost storey to prevent the structure from falling as the slant was more prominent at the top and it caused threat to the structure.

Varahamihira’s main work is the book Pancha Siddhantika (“Treatise on the five Astronomical Canons gives us information about older Indian texts which are now lost). The work it seems is a treatise on mathematical astronomy and it summarises five earlier astronomical treatises, namely, the Surya Siddhanta, Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa Siddhanta, Vasishtha Siddhanta and Paitama Siddhanta. Panch Siddhanta holds a prominent place in the realms of astronomy. He proposed that the Moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. It is acclaimed that Pancha Siddhantika of Varahamihira is one of the most important sources for the history of Hindu Astronomy from before the time of Aryabhata.

Another important contribution of Varahamihira is the encyclopaedic Brihat-Samhita. It covers wide ranging subjects of human interest, including astrology, planetary movements, eclipses, rainfall, rainfall, clouds even domestic relations, gems, pearls and rituals. The volume expounds on gemstone evaluation criterion found in the Garuda Purana, and elaborates on the sacred Nine Pearls from the same text. It contains 106 chapters and is known as the “great compilation”.

Being an Astrologer he wrote on all the three main branches of Jyotisha astrology. It covered Brihat Jataka which is considered as one of the five main treatises on Hindu astrology on Horoscopy; Laghu Jataka, Samasa Samhita, Brihat Yogayatra, Yoga yatra, Tikkani Yatra, Lagu Vivaha Patai,Daiiivajna Vallabha (apocryphal). His son Prithuyasas also contributed in the Hindu Astrology; his book Hora Sara is famous book on Horoscopy.

Varahamihira’s mathematical work included the discovery of the trigonometric formulas. He improved the accuracy of the sine tables of Aryabhata l. He defined the algebraic properties of zero as well as of negative numbers. Furthermore, He was among the first mathematicians to discover a version of what is now known as the Pascal’s triangle. He used it to calculate the binomial coefficients.

Varahamihira made some significant observations in the field of ecology, hydrology and geology too. His claim that plants and termites serve as indicators of underground water is now receiving attention in the scientific world. He was also a prolific writer. His mastery of Sanskrit grammar and poetic metre enabled him to express himself in a unique style. His encyclopaedic knowledge and his lively presentation of subjects, as dry as astronomy, made him a celebrated figure. His treatise such as Pancha Siddhantika (Five Principles), Brihatsamhita (Master Collection), Brahjataka (Astrological work) have put him on as high a pedestal in Astrology as Kautilya’s in Political philosophy, Manu’s in Law or Panini’s in Grammar.

It is learnt, Varahamihira humbly said about his own treatises: “The science of Astrology is a vast ocean and is not easy for everyone to cross it. My treatises provide a safe boat.” Truly, even now they are acknowledged as masterpieces.

There's a fringe theory that there were druids in India, but the theory is not widely accepted at all and is tenuous at best. The fact that the etymology of the word druid is Indo-European in origin, dru- meaning oak and the second syllable stems from wid meaning knowledge. It's also where we get the word wit from. Furthermore wid goes all the way back to the Sanskrit word vid meaning to know, and the title of the Vedas simply means knowledge.

I think the closest connection we can get are that there are some scholars who argue that the druids had numerous similarities with the Brahmins. They also posit that there are linguistic connections and other similarities between Celtic and ancient Hindu laws, that druidry might have originated in India, after which the customs, language, and other similarities began to diverge. Though to say that the Brahmins are druids or vice-versa would be incorrect. We do know there were Celtic tribes as far east as Turkey though. They were the Galatians.

Modern scholars and leaders in just about every major druid community agree that druidry ceased to exist entirely during the dark ages and wasn't re-established until the Age of Enlightenment. They'll vehemently state that if anyone claims to be from an unbroken line of druids to the Iron Age, they're lying or just plain wrong.

The druids were widely eradicated in Gaul and Britain by the Romans, but survived in Ireland for several more centuries. Christianity gradually became more popular. Saint Patrick did not Christianize Ireland, as there were still saints born long after Patrick died who were still trying to convert the pagans. Sometime between the death of Saint Columba and the arrival of the Vikings (late 6th to late 8th centuries) was when the last of the druids petered out, and the last of their secret knowledge died with them.

A thousand years later the printing press had finally made books more affordable and easier to make. Wealthy people began collecting books for their personal libraries, and scholars began translating old manuscripts into the common languages. This meant ancient Roman, Greek, and Irish texts were now accessible for enthusiasts, and an interest in druidry was reborn, but with a myriad of new interpretations.

The multitude of interpretations stems from the persistent issue that druidry was still a completely broken tradition and everything we know for sure about the ancient druids can fit into about 10 pages without any added fluff. Given that the druids were once in elite positions in society, the wealthy and the academics were drawn in. Together they formed quasi-masonic secret societies, calling themselves druids. Nowadays books and knowledge are available to people of any class and literally anyone can become a modern druid without being a member of a secret society. If someone does claim to be a generational druid, that lineage probably only goes back no earlier than to 1717 when The Druid Circle of the Universal Bond was formed as the first Druidry Revival Order.

As an aside, if there was a group that survived the ages, there's a better argument that it was the Bards. The bards were the introductory level of the elite Celtic castes. Their training taught the importance of rhyme and song to help commit all their unwritten knowledge to memory. In Ireland there were two main types of bards: the bards which were mere minstrels, and the filidh which among having other skills were magic users who could allegedly chant someone to death.

While the druids were in decline, the bards still existed. Some were saved by Saint Columba when King Aedh wanted to have them banished or executed. Though Columba was biased because there's a record of him being trained with the filidh as well. Some speculate he was on track to being a druid himself until he converted to Christianity. Rather than eradicating the filidh, the early church opted to absorb them in so that they would be easier to control.