Sanat Kumara

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For Sanat-Kumara the sage from Puranic-Hinduism, see: Four Kumaras or Sanatkumara.

According to some of the teachings derived from modern Theosophy, i.e. the teachings of Alice A. Bailey,C. W. Leadbeater, Guy Ballard, Elizabeth Clare Prophet and Geraldine Innocente, Sanat Kumara [1] ^[1]is an advanced being who is regarded the Lord or Regent of Earth and of humanity. It is believed by some that he is the founder of the Great White Brotherhood, which is composed of Ascended Masters and volunteers from other worlds who have joined together to advance spiritual evolution on Earth. The headquarters for this "Brotherhood of Light" was established in a physical city called Shamballa (Theosophists and most New Age authors spell Shamballa with two l's; Buddhists use one l; some New Age author add an "h" at the end.) , now located on the etheric plane over the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.^[2]

Contents 1 Sanat Kumara in Hinduism and Jainism 2 Shamballa in Buddhism--home of the King of the World 3 Sanat Kumara in Theosophy 4 The Descent of Sanat Kumara and the Lords of the Flame from Venus 5 Appellations (Titles) of Sanat Kumara 6 The Lady Master Venus 7 Masters of Wisdom 8 Sanat Kumara also a Manifestation of the Spirit of the Earth and the Solar Logos 9 Beliefs according to Ascended Master Teachings 10 Benjamin Creme's views 11 Sanat Kumara in popular culture 12 See also 13 Notes 14 Sources 15 Further reading 16 External links

[edit] Sanat Kumara in Hinduism and Jainism

Sanat Kumara appears as a rishi in the Hindu religious text the Chandogya Upanishad, and he is also a deity in the Jain religion. A shrine to Sanat Kumara which attracts and unites people of all religions and faiths is situated in the town of Kataragama, Sri Lanka. Sanat Kumara means "eternal youth" in Sanskrit.

[edit] Shamballa in Buddhism--home of the King of the World

Shambhala (Tib. bde 'byung) in Vajrayana Buddhism (the religion of Tibet) is a Sanskrit term meaning "place of peace/tranquility/happiness". Shakyamuni Buddha is said by Vajrayana Buddhists to have taught the Kalachakra tantra on request of King Suchandra of Shambhala; the teachings are also said to be preserved in Shamballa. The Stanzas of Dzyan from which Madame Blavatsky claimed to have gotten the information in The Secret Doctrine are believed by some scholars to have been a mistranslation of words Kalachakra tantra (rGyud-sde in Tibetan). ^[3] Shambhala is ruled over by a line of Kings of Shambhala known as Kulika or Kalki Kings (Tib. Rigden), a monarchs who upholds the integrity of the Kalachakra tantra. In the teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism, the King of Shamballa is often metaphorically referred to as The King of the World. Shamballa was thought by the Tibetans to be somewhere north of Mount Kailasa, a sacred mountain in Tibet where it was thought all the dragon currents came together.

[edit] Sanat Kumara in Theosophy

Sanat Kumara was mentioned briefly by the theosophist Helena Blavatsky.^[4] She claimed he belonged to a group of beings, the Lords of Flame, whom Christian tradition have misunderstood as Lucifer and the fallen angels.^[5]

Sanat Kumara gained grater prominence when her follower Charles W. Leadbeater wrote that Sanat Kumara was the "King" or Lord of the World, and the head of the Great White Brotherhood of Mahatmas who had revealed the principles of theosophy.^[6]

Later theosophists such as Alice Bailey and Elizabeth Clare Prophet have embellished the story with further details. He is usually depicted as having the appearance of a 16 year old boy.

[edit] The Descent of Sanat Kumara and the Lords of the Flame from Venus

Leadbeater and later adherents of Theosophy believe that Sanat Kumara came to Earth 18,500,000 years ago (A.E. Powell gives a figure of 16,500,000 years ago) from the etheric plane of the planet Venus (According to Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Church Universal and Triumphant he came only 2,500,000 years ago). In Theosophy, the beings that helped Sanat Kumara organize the expedition from Venus are called the "Lords of the Flame". In later versions, notable "Lords of the Flame" include Gautama Buddha, and the World Teacher (the being referred to alternately as Maitreya or Christ by Benjamin Creme). The Church Universal and Triumphant teaches that Sanat Kumara and the Lords of the Flame also brought 144,000 souls with them from Venus. Alice Bailey, on the other hand, gives the number 105 only.

Sanat Kumara is regarded as the great guru, saviour of Earth. Believers in him see him in all the major religions, as Skanda/Kartikkeya in Hinduism, Brahma-Sanam Kumara in Buddhism, Ancient of Days in Judeo-Christianity and Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism. It is also considered that Sanat Kumara is Al Khdir (green man) known to Sufi Muslims (according to Dakshinamurti).

It is maintained in some of these versions of Theosophy that Venus is the most spiritually advanced planet of our solar system. The beings living on the etheric plane of Venus are said to be millions of years ahead of us in their spiritual evolution. It is said that the governing council of Venus sent one of themselves, Sanat Kumara, here to guide us. It is said in Theosophy that once Sanat Kumara arrived here, he directed the construction of the city of Shamballa on the etheric plane above the Gobi Desert to serve as his headquarters.

[edit] Appellations (Titles) of Sanat Kumara

The most common title attributed to Sanat Kumara in the Theosophical religious tradition is "Lord of the World". According to C.W. Leadbeater, one of Sanat Kumara's duties as "Lord of the World" is to greet and provide accommodations in Shamballa to ambassadors from other solar systems who come to visit. C.W. Leadbeater also states that another important duty of Sanat Kumara is to participate in an elaborate ritual every Wesak (the Full Moon of May) led by Gautama Buddha, and also participated in by Christ, in which cosmic energy is focused from the "Solar Logos" to Earth in order to keep our planet's cosmic energy in balance. The ritual is said to take place in a ravine in southern Tibet (the Frontispiece of Leadbeater's book The Masters and the Path has a picture of the ritual taking place) and, it is stated by Leadbeater, can be viewed by those who have etheric sight.^[7]

Paradoxically, two other common appellations of Sanat Kumara are two opposite titles: "The Ancient of Days" (because he has been on Earth millions of years) and "The Youth of Sixteen Summers" (because even though he is millions of years old, he still looks like he is 16 years old). Another of his titles is "The One Initiator" because it is said by C.W. Leadbeater in the Masters and the Path that he personally performs the initiation ceremony for anyone who has reached the third level of spiritual initiation. Alice Bailey indicates the same in her writings.

In the all organizations subscribing to the "Ascended Master Teachings", Sanat Kumara is presented as an Ascended Master. He is also currently, according to the Ascended Master Teachings, known as the "Regent Lord of the World" in deference to Gautama Buddha having taking the office of "Lord of the World" in 1956.^[8]

[edit] The Lady Master Venus

The "I AM" Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, Church Universal and Triumphant, The Temple of The Presence and all other "Ascended Master Teachings" organizations believe that Sanat Kumara has a Divine Complement (i.e., a celestial wife) - Lady Master Venus [2] ^[9] - the New Age "Goddess of Love".^[10] The Ascended Lady Master Venus is usually depicted as having the appearance of a 16 year old girl.

[edit] Masters of Wisdom

According to the "I AM" Activity, the Church Universal and Triumphant, The Temple of The Presence^[11] and others, the Ascended Masters ("Masters of Wisdom"), such as the Master Jesus, Saint Germain, Kuthumi, and others are working for the Spiritual Hierarchy of our planet, under the leadership of Sanat Kumara, and Gautama Buddha. Many theosophists believe the "Masters" utilize the cosmic power of the Seven Rays to advance the "Plan of the Masters" to continually advance civilization on Earth to higher Levels of initiation (levels of spiritual consciousness). One of the beliefs of adherents of these belief systems is that the Masters of Wisdom have united as the Great White Brotherhood.)^[12]

[edit] Sanat Kumara also a Manifestation of the Spirit of the Earth and the Solar Logos

The Theosophist A.E. Powell stated that Sanat Kumara is in continuous telepathic rapport with the Spirit of the Earth (equivalent to the goddess known in some religions as Gaia). C.W. Leadbeater and Alice A. Bailey stated that Sanat Kumara is in continuous telepathic rapport with the Solar Logos (the being considered by theosophists as the consciousness of the Sun). It is believed in Theosophy that Sanat Kumara captures the mystical power of the Seven Rays from the Solar Logos and distributes it to his assistants who guide the spiritual evolution of humanity, the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom (the Ascended masters), who then focus the power to us. An intermediate trinity of Pratyeka-Buddhas assists Buddha in stepping down this power from Sanat Kumara to Earth's Spiritual Hierarchy, and these Buddhas are also said to be Kumaras originally from Venus.

[edit] Beliefs according to Ascended Master Teachings

Beliefs according to the Church Universal and Triumphant and other Ascended Master Teachings organizations regarding Sanat Kumara are slightly different than, and contain additions to, the beliefs expressed by the earlier Theosophists cited above. These beliefs are summarized in the following paragraphs:

Sanat Kumara. Great Guru of the seed of Christ throughout cosmos; Hierarch of Venus; the Ancient of Days spoken of in Daniel 7:9, 13, 22. Sanat Kumara (from the Skt., meaning "always a youth") is one of the Seven Holy Kumaras. Long ago he came to Earth in her darkest hour when all light had gone out in her evolutions, for there was not a single individual on the planet who gave adoration to the God Presence. Sanat Kumara and the band of 144,000 souls of Light who accompanied him volunteered to keep the flame of Life on behalf of Earth's people. This they vowed to do until the children of God would respond to the love of God and turn once again to serve their Mighty I AM Presence. Sanat Kumara's retreat, Shamballa, was established on an island in the Gobi Sea, now the Gobi Desert. The first to respond to his flame was Gautama Buddha, followed by Lord Maitreya and Jesus.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet has pointed out that Sanat Kumara is revered in Hinduism as one of the four or seven sons of Brahma. They are portrayed as youths who have remained ever pure. He is said to be one of the oldest progenitors of mankind. Sanat Kumara has revealed his fourfold identity as champion of the Cosmic Christ in the four quadrants of Matter and in his own Lightbearers as (1) Karttikeya, the god of war and commander-in-chief of the army of gods. Legends say Karttikeya was born specifically to slay the demon Taraka, who symbolizes the lower mind, or ignorance. (2) Kumara, "the holy youth." (3) Skanda, the son of Shiva. (4) Guha, "cave"; so called because he lives in the cave of the heart.

Sanat Kumara held the position of Lord of the World until his disciple Gautama Buddha reached sufficient attainment to hold that office. On January 1, 1956, Gautama Buddha was crowned Lord of the World and Sanat Kumara, as Regent Lord of the World, returned to Venus and to his twin flame, the Lady Master Venus. There, in another dimension of the 'physical/etheric' octave-together with the other Holy Kumaras, Mighty Victory and his legions, many Ascended Masters and the Lightbearers of Venus-he continues his service with the Great White Brotherhood on behalf of planet Earth. On May 25, 1975, Lady Master Venus announced that she had come to "tarry for a time on Terra" to dedicate anew the fires of the Mother as Sanat Kumara keeps the flame on Venus. Sanat Kumara frequently dictates through the Messenger and envelops the Earth in the swaddling garment of his auric field. See also Lord of the World.

(See Sanat Kumara On the Path of the Ruby Ray: The Opening of the Seventh Seal, Pearls of Wisdom, 1979, vol. 22, Book I.)

[edit] Benjamin Creme's views

New Age Theosophical guru Benjamin Creme subscribes to the modern Theosophical view that Nordic aliens (like those mentioned by George Adamski--Creme accepts Adamski's sightings as valid) pilot flying saucers from the civilization on Venus that is thought to exist on the etheric plane (Theosophists believe that since the Venusians' civilization is on the etheric plane, the planet's heat doesn't affect them) and are capable of stepping down the level of vibration of themselves and their craft to the slower level of vibration of the atoms of the physical plane. ^[13] Thus, Creme's followers assume that Sanat Kumara and the Lords of the Flame came from Venus in a flying saucer ("the flame" is thought to refer to the exhaust of the flying saucer) and that there is regular flying saucer traffic between Venus and Shamballa as well as other locations on Earth, especially areas where crop circles appear.

[edit] Sanat Kumara in popular culture

Panelology

• Marvel Comics published a graphic novel in 1986 called Dr. Strange: Into Shambhala, in which Dr. Strange sought Shambhala as a metaphor for greater enlightenment. He prepared to journey to Shamballa to meet Sanat Kumara and some of the other masters, but instead of doing so decided to seek enlightenment on his own.

[edit] See also

• A Treatise on White Magic
• New Age

[edit] Notes

[edit] Sources

• Bailey, Alice A. The Treatise on White Magic New York:1934--Lucis Publishing Co. (It is stated on page 378 that the city of Shamballa was founded 18,500,000 years ago.)
• Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India: 1925--Theosophical Publishing House (in this book, Sanat Kumara is referred to as Lord of the World.) (See web link to complete text of this book below.)
• Powell, A.E. The Solar System London:1930--The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Limited. A complete outline of the Theosophical scheme of evolution. (See Chapter XXXIV [pages 216-218], "The Coming of the Lords of Venus" Note: In these pages, it is stated that the Lords of Venus came to Earth 16,500,000 years ago.)
• Prophet, Mark L. and Elizabeth Clare Lords of the Seven Rays Livingston, Montana, U.S.A.:1986 - Summit University Press

[edit] Further reading

• Campbell, Bruce F. A History of the Theosophical Movement Berkeley:1980 University of California Press
• Godwin, Joscelyn The Theosophical Enlightenment Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press
• Johnson, K. Paul The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Brotherhood Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press
• Melton, J. Gordon Encyclopedia of American Religions 5th Edition New York:1996 Gale Research ISBN 0-8103-7714-4 ISSN 1066-1212 Chapter 18--"The Ancient Wisdom Family of Religions" Pages 151-158; see chart on page 154 listing Masters of the Ancient Wisdom; Also see Section 18, Pages 717-757 Descriptions of various Ancient Wisdom religious organizations

[edit] External links

• [3] Sanat Kumara - Regent of the World Note: The I AM Activity assigns the date that Sanat Kumara came from Venus as being 4,500,000 years ago, not 18,500,000 years ago like orthodox Theosophy and Alice A. Bailey, or 16,500,000 years ago like the Theosophist A.E. Powell
• The Temple of The Presence, Ascended Masters, Archangels, and Elohim on the Incarnation of the "I AM"
• Ascension Research Center, The largest and oldest reference source on the Internet of Ascended Master Teachings on Who each Person Really Is: God Individualized as the I AM Presence and Incarnated throughout the Universes as the Sons and Daughters of God
• The Saint Germain Foundation , Original publisher of Ascended Master Teachings beginning in 1934
• Theosophical Society, The original source of information about the Masters
• Sanat Kumara Traditions East & West "The Legend of the Ancient of Days"
• Full text of “The Masters and the Path” by C.W. Leadbeater: