Birth Amidst Collapse: India and the USA
‘We are in an age, full of the throes of travail, when all forms of thought and activity that have in themselves any strong power of utility or any secret virtue of persistence are being subjected to a supreme test and given their opportunity of rebirth. The world today presents the aspect of a huge cauldron of Medea in which all things are being cast, shredded to pieces, experimented on, combined and recombined either to perish and provide the scattered material of new forms or to emerge rejuvenated and changed for a fresh term of existence.’
Sri Aurobindo
The Synthesis of Yoga, Book One
Sri Aurobindo’s assessment above is an apt description of the tumultuous times (think Aquarian tornado of The Magical Carousel) in which we find ourselves. Amidst the disruption and apparent chaos taking place globally, it is helpful to draw our attention to indications of that which is being born in this Age of Aquarius, to the ‘new forms’ manifesting for a ‘fresh term of existence.’ As Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet (Thea) wrote in The Vishaal Newsletter, 6/1, April 1991 (https://archive.aeoncentre.com/vishaal/the-third-world-war-the-new-seeing-the-new-power):
‘We have to dismantle one world and establish another on the same spot! Or in the same “space”. In a simultaneous operation, because if not destruction will overtake the process given the powers we have unleashed upon ourselves for the total annihilation of the species and the planet. So the Control lies in just so much PHYSICAL play-out whereby the accumulated energy is carefully released and UTILISED for the rise and establishment of the new . . .’
‘
This blog will look at recent events vis a vis India and the USA as one example of how a new world is being established amidst the dismantling of the old; of how new forms, though subtle in nature and revealed by the relation of certain events in Time, are indeed being born.
Thea has written that India and the USA constitute what she calls the ‘evolutionary axis’ of Capricorn/Cancer. [1] Each of these countries is destined to play an essential and complementary role in our evolution toward what Sri Aurobindo called the Supramental, a state of Truth-Consciousness, harmony, and complete identification with the Divine Will, in a body, on Earth. The Supramental Manifestation was declared by the Mother to have occured February 29, 1956. [https://auromaa.org/the-supramental-manifestation-of-february-29-1956-extracts-from-notes-of-two-interviews-with-the-mother; https://archive.aeoncentre.com/messages/the-supramental-manifestation]. The fact of this manifestation is not easily recognized or understood. A significant aspect of Thea’s Work deals with assisting us to See the ways in which the Supramental is acting in the world.
We see here the position of Aquarius in the 9th Manifestation. [2] We entered the Age of Aquarius in 1926. Each astrological Age lasts 2160 years. The apotheosis of this 9th manifestation is the Golden Age of Capricorn.
On the geo-cosmological map from The New Way Vols 1 & 2 (Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, 1981) India falls under the sign Capricorn in both latitude and longitude and the USA under the sign Cancer.
Capricorn, known in occult circles as the ‘Name of God’, is also the occult ruler of India. As seen here, the Akhand Bharat land mass neatly comprises the Capricorn symbol.
The astrological sign Cancer can be seen encompassing heartland of the USA. Capricorn and Cancer are ‘complimentary’ signs in the zodiac, appearing directly opposite one another on the zodiacal wheel.
The USA Independence Day falls within the zodiacal month of Cancer (July 4th). The year in which each country declared independence is a ‘3’ year by virtue of theosophical addition (1947 = 1+9+4+7 = 21 =2+1=3 and 1776 = 1+7+7+6 =21 =3). On the Gnostic Circle ‘3’ is the number of Earth/Moon, the 3rd planet and ‘soul’ of our solar system.
Just as each individual has a soul, our solar system’s soul is Earth, and Earth’s soul is India. The Mother of Pondicherry stated (Collected works, Vol 13, pg. 376): “In the whole creation the earth has a place of distinction, because unlike any other planet it is evolutionary with a psychic entity at its centre. In it, India, in particular, is a divinely chosen country.”
Thea further explains in the 2nd of her 3 part series ‘Why is Makar Sankranti Important for India’, bold emphasis added, (https://archive.aeoncentre.com/front-page/why-is-makar-sankranti-important-for-india-2):
“Though the Makar Sankranti or Capricorn gateway is the same for the whole globe, it is only India that can make the real and not imaginary cosmic connection because she is the embodiment of Makar/Capricorn as the symbol-map reveals – which means, according to what the new cosmology reveals, that she is the soul-centre of the Earth from where any connection with the surrounding heavenly harmony can be made. What holds for the macrocosm holds for the micro: the individual incarnation makes that connection with the cosmos through that same soul channel as well.”
Discussing the evolutionary axis comprised of India & the USA, in Chapter 15, of The Gnostic Circle ((https://aeongroup.com/aeon-group-books) Thea wrote (bold emphasis added):
” The United States of America is of course a very important element in the Earth’s evolution at present. Together with India it forms the evolutionary axis of Cancer and Capricorn that has often been referred to in the text. Capricorn is India’s ancient occult sign, and Cancer is the Sun sign of the United States; these together represent the axis of Spirit and Matter which is now carrying the evolution. It is around these two nations that the future of humanity’s growth into a more divine species largely depends . . . India must become ‘materialised’ and the United States must awaken to the Spirit. If neither of these fulfils its destiny there is no possibility of a transformation on Earth. It is also essential that the two realise their union and come to the point where they shall work in harmony with one another in order that the new reign upon Earth become established, for it is no coincidence that Columbus in 1492 thought he had reached India in his travels and called the natives of the land Indians…’
In the Vishaal Newsletter of December 1987 ( https://archive.aeoncentre.com/vishaal/the-capricorn-factor-part-ii ) she wrote (bold emphasis added):
“ . . . India alone among all nations understands in her innermost heart that the future of the Earth is somehow connected to or described by this important zodiacal time-axis, Capricorn and Cancer. For it is a fact that indeed the future of the world is playing itself out in correspondence with this axis, since India is ruled by Capricorn, while the United States of America is ruled by Cancer.” (https://archive.aeoncentre.com/vishaal/the-capricorn-factor-part-ii )
Sri Aurobindo knew that India was meant to serve as Mahaguru of the world. In the early 20th century he wrote:
‘. . . We stand in India at the opening of a new age, in an hour of national rebirth and in the midst of a number of tendencies, possibilities, movements of which only a few have as yet formed for themselves distinct shapes, plainly decipherable signs. It is an hour not yet of accomplishment, but of travail and inception. What will be born of this dim travail, these shapeless or half-shaped beginnings, is no doubt already decided in the secret spirit of the age and in the sub-conscient mind of the people. Behind the waverings and the strivings of our twilit surface minds the soul of India knows no doubt what it intends and is moving us to great fulfilments. But it is well also for us to ponder and inquire what it is the national soul and the soul of humanity demand from us and on what paths we are most likely to give our energies and efforts the maximum power and serviceableness to the great age of mankind and of India on which we are entering. For at such a moment there are usually many false starts and many misdirected aims and by seeing our way and our goal more clearly we may better be able to avoid waste of energy, talent and even genius to which they give rise.’
‘The Indian Renaisscence’ (a fragment)
Evidence of the growing role India is to play in world affairs can be seen be seen in a number of ways.
India’s presidency of the G20 began on 1 December 2022. The theme of the Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth – One Family – One Future”. What a beautiful expression of what India, in part, is meant to facilitate for our world.
‘The East is generally believed to stand for the principle of the Spirit, which is represented by the Sun. However, we can clearly observe that there is only one eastern nation that remains faithful to this role. As America collects around itself all the nations committed to the principles of materialism, in any of its forms, – so India must gather the now dispersed or diffused aspirations of world societies for a spiritual resurgence; and she must provide the inspiration for such an awakening.
‘Herein lies the truth behind the policy of non-alignment that arose in India. However, Jawaharlal Nehru was not able to give correct expression to the real idea behind this movement, which corresponds to the deepest seed of India’s destiny. He was bound not only by the image of an India of the past but also by the conditioning the Western world had brought to bear on her…
‘Thus non-alignment, as it issued from India, meant the attainment of a collective consciousness that could rise above and from there perceive the path whereby the Earth societies could be guided out of the entanglements that alignment has brought.” The New Way Vols 1 & 2 pages 128-9.
June 21, 2023 was the summer solstice and Earth’s entry into Cancer. By Theosophical addition this date equals ‘7’, the number on the Gnostic Circle associated with Capricorn, and hence India. The day prior, Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived in the US/Cancer for four days, his first designated state visit to the country. On June 22nd, he addressed the US Congress. Regardless of the political and economic expediencies attributed to the visit, or the limitations therein, the fact of its occurrence is important, and it is the first time an Indian PM has been accorded this honor not once, but twice (the first being in 2016). Also to be noted is that we are in a ‘7’ year by theosophical addition: 2023 + 2+0+2+3= 7.
‘The two poles, Spirit and Matter, as epitomised in India and America, must unite in the deepest sense and collaborate to bring about the great birth of our times. India has the upholding force but it has lost the ‘arms of Durga’, the material power and possibilities; America must become its matter, America is the Word, the body of the Ideal…’ The Gnostic Cricle, page 199. [Editor’s note: By ‘arms of Durga’ Thea refers to the effect of Partition in 1947. More on this further on].
On May 28th of this year, a new Indian Parliament building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. Mr. Modi spoke of a ‘new India’, and that the time had come for the consciousness of the country to ‘awaken anew’ (Hindu Times, May 28, 2023).
Both the construction of the building itself and Mr. Modi’s decision to lead the inauguration ceremony (as opposed to India’s President) have proved controversial (see https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/26/style/india-new-parliament-building-inauguration-intl-hnk/index.html). We concern ourselves here not with these controversies, but with what might be the significance of the new building, some elements of its design, and how these elements both reflect and portend the changing role of India in world affairs.
An example of the significance of the design elements is this view of one of the rooms inside India’s new Parliment building. The ceiling lights are arranged to resemble the feathers of a Peacock. The Peacock is India’s national bird of Victory – victory over Ignorance/Death, whose apotheosis is in the Age of Capricorn, India’s ‘own’ sign. The Peacock is the vahana (vehicle) of the Puranic God Kartikeya (see below) who comes to dispel the forces of darkness and division. [3] The seating arrangement suggests rays of the Sun emanating from the central focus of the room. The Sun is a symbol of the Divine. As already indicated, India plays a unique role in the divinisation of Earth and her inhabitants.
Kartikeya, also known as Murugan,riding his Peacock to conquer Ignorance/Death.
We wish here to focus on this remarkable mural of Bharat Mata, ancient, undivided India which graces the new Parliament building.
There has been an understandable outcry from people in the lands (now independent nations) partitioned off from India in 1947. Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have protested against the map. They most likely see it as a threat to their continued national existences and identities.
Thea has an interesting perspective on this perceived threat. In The Gnostic Circle, pg. 198 she wrote (bold italics added):
“Regarding the map . . . of the full territory,
it must be clarified that ‘unity in the symbol’ is not
abolition of the independent status of the nations that
comprise the area, but that in some way-perhaps
in a near future-a union amongst them may come
about, or a confederation of some sort, or even an
entirely new system of unity among nations; or, more
ideally, the nations and peoples that make up the sym-
bol, though sovereign, might understand its meaning
and form a unity in consciousness, with the knowledge
that the area is sacred and that joined efforts directed
toward a common goal will carry the Earth into the
light of its spiritual destiny. We use the term ‘true
India’ to designate the symbol-territory, since the
major portion is formed by the Indian nation, but
the name given to a future coalition of this order could
be any other, as the name ‘Europe’, for example, de-
signates an area made up of many independent nations.”
Here is the map of India post partition: It truly looks like an amputated being, her two arms having been severed.
Here are the pre and post- partition maps side by side. Notice how the energetic flow from Rajas to Sattwa and then Tamas has been disrupted by Partition. The Rajas and Tamas portions have been cut away; only Sattwa remains.
Rajas, Sattwa and Tamas are the ‘gunas’ of Indian tradition, describing three energy flows: Creation, Preservation, and Destruction or Dissolution. Thea related them to the Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable signs of the Zodiac. A balance between the three energetic qualities is necessary for a healthy, harmoniously functioning organism/process.
In The Gnostic Circle Thea discusses how the impact of the severance of India’s two arms, Rajas and Tamas, leaving Her with only Sattwa as the major energetic quality (bold emphasis added):
” . . . the quality of the Fixed signs is the state wherein the dual aspect
of Birth and Death is absent, a steady pace and prevailing peace, involved in the
Play yet at the same time removed. The Fixed signs are then the ‘seeds’ of our
Manifestations: they become the Purusha who sustains and upholds the play of Prakriti. These signs correspond to the guna of Sattwa, they are free from involvement in the action of Birth and_ Death and Death and Birth, which correspond tothe Cardinal and Mutable signs. of Creation and Destruction that encircle them.
From this the student can understand why the Sattwic quality has been glorified
in the spiritual world, especially after the appearance of schools which extolled the
quality that was removed from the Play and apparently uninvolved in the conquest
of life and death on this plane of manifestation. They occupied themselves solely
with the work of the Fixed signs, the Sattwic quality, and the work then became
fragmented, losing much of its power and force. One can clearly perceive this in
India, where the separation caused a depletion of the power, the Shakti, and soon
the quality of our times, Tamas, degenerated into the lesser aspects of inertia and
ignorance in the race as a whole. In the spiritual life of the Indian race, an exclusive
concentration on the Sattwic guna merely served to deplete it of its power and plunge the race into a period of darkness, incapable of dealing with the evident pressing and growing problems of life. Essentially it created a split in the spiritual force of the nation, the core of India’s destiny, the reservoir from where she is to feed the consciousness of the planet in order to resolve for it the only true and urgent
question of the evolution, the question of the conquest of life and death.
The Sattwic quality is not the full manifestation, and cultivation of it alone can
only end in a depletion of energies and an ultimate decadence, even more accelerated
than we know at present, in the races of Earth. The factor of a balanced and unified
growth of man into a gnostic being, fully capable of action on all levels, employing
all the centres and giving expression to the largest possible vision of divinity for this
present stage in the evolution, has not been the apparent aim of previous spiritual
societies. Nonetheless evolution moves toward this realisation, and only this: there must be a balancing of forces. In the Gnostic Circle we see that the Sattwic guna is the ‘upholder’ only insofar as it is an indispensable support for the play of Shakti: disengaging the two, the unity of the Divine disintegrates. When these dual powers
become joined the possibilities open to the race are tremendous-then we can
begin to speak of a race of Immortals and of a Reign of Truth.
The Age of Truth implies a balanced state in which each element expresses
itself in its truest and fullest way.” The Gnostic Circle, Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, 3rd Ed 1994, pp 55-56
Indian PM Narendra Modi is a controversial figure. Whether accurate or not, he has been accused of being authoritarian, anti-democratic, and repressive to segments of society identified as other than Hindu. Still, he is obviously hand-picked by the Divine Shakti as the instrument to bring India closer to Her destiny as Mahaguru – Spritual leader of the world. In closing, we look at aspects of Modi’s vision for the future of India and the world, as delivered in his Independence Day speech (8.15.2023). Full text can be read here: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/prime-minister-narendra-modi-independence-day-speech-2023-full-text-8893141.
” . . . It is our collective responsibility that our nation, our national character, should be vigorous, dynamic, hardworking, valiant, and outstanding. For the coming 25 years, we should follow only one mantra which should be the pinnacle of our national character. We should move forward with the message of living the unity of India and refrain from any language or step which will cause any harm to the unity of India. Every moment, I will continue my efforts to ensure the unity of the country. India’s unity gives us strength.
“. . . We have been a victim of imbalanced development. Some parts of our country have been victims of alienation. Now we must lay emphasis upon regional aspirations for balanced development and give due respect to that spirit regarding regional aspirations. If any part of our Mother India, or our body remains under-developed, then our body will not be considered fully developed. If any part of our body remains weak, then we will not be considered healthy. Similarly, if any part of my Mother India, or even a section of the society remains weak, then we cannot consider my Mother India as healthy and capable. And that’s why we need to address regional aspirations and that’s why we want to move forward in the direction of all-round development of the society, all-round development of every region and to ensure that every region gets an opportunity to reach its potential.
“As an unwavering ally of the world, India has established its identity today. When we talk about global welfare, India’s fundamental idea is to carry that thought forward.
” . . . What is India’s perspective, and how do we advance the idea of global welfare? Now, when we think, what do we say? We have presented this vision to the world, and the world is joining us with this vision. We said “One Sun, One World, One Grid” in the field of renewable energy. This is a significant statement from us, and today the world is acknowledging it. After COVID, we told the world that our approach should be “One Earth, One Health”. Solutions to problems will arise only when humans, animals, and plants are equally addressed during times of illness.
” . . . We have put forth the concept of “One World, One Family, One Future” for the G20 summit and are working in that direction. As the world grapples with climate crises, we have shown the way and launched the LifeStyle for Environment – Mission LiFE initiative. We formed the International Solar Alliance in collaboration with the world and many countries are now part of the International Solar Alliance. We have emphasized the importance of biodiversity and advanced the establishment of the “Big Cat Alliance”.
” . . . For the damage caused to infrastructure due to global warming from natural disasters, there is a need for long-term arrangements. Therefore, we have introduced the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as a solution. While the world is currently witnessing conflicts in the oceans, we have provided the world with the concept of the “Sagar Platform” which can guarantee global maritime peace. Emphasizing the need for traditional medical practices in mind, we have worked towards establishing a global-level center of the World Health Organization (WHO) in India. Through yoga and Ayurveda, we have worked for global well-being and health. Today, India is laying a strong foundation for global welfare. It is our collective responsibility to build upon this strong foundation.
” . . . And why can’t this country, which was once called the ‘golden bird’, rise again with that same potential? Friends, my dear family members, I have an unwavering belief that in 2047, when the country celebrates 100 years of independence, my country will be a developed India. And I am saying this on the basis of the strength of my country, our available resources and particularly trusting the power of youth, of those under 30 years of age.
” . . . As the wheel of time keeps turning,
The ever revolving cycle of the Amrit Kaal,
Everyone’s dreams are my own dreams,
Nurturing all the dreams, moving steadily, bravely marching, our youth in stride,
With the right principles, forging a new way, setting the right pace, a new path.”
It is difficult not to experience hopelessness and despair when surrounded by news of war, environmental catastrophes, the suffering of so many life forms. Yet we must aspire to have ‘eyes that see’, to seek evidence of that another world is indeed being established as we witness the dismantling of the old.
Footnotes
- The Gnostic Circle, Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, 3rd Ed. 1994
- Ibid, https://aeongroup.com/map-of-the-12-manifestations
- See The New Way, Vols 1-3, and Time and Imperishability
For Further Reading:
- The Gnostic Circle Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet (PNB), 3rd Ed. 1994
- The New Way, Volumes 1, 2 & 3, PNB, Aeon Books
- Time and Imperishability, PNB, Aeon Books, 1997
- Kashmir and the Convergence of Time, Space and Destiny, PNB, Aeon Books, 2004
- All of the above available at Amazon.com and via email to aeongroup@msn.com
- The Partition of India – its Cause, its PNB, (available through www.amazon.in)