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The Many Faces of the Excerpts
from a lecture |
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Sanat Kumara figures in several roles in the religious traditions of the East. Each one reveals another facet of his Divine Self. In each role, he teaches us something different about God and about our path to God.
Sanat Kumara is revered in Hinduism as one of the four or seven sons of Brahma. They are portrayed as youths who have remained pure. The Sanskrit name Sanat Kumara means "always a youth." 1 In Hinduism, Sanat Kumara is sometimes called Skanda, or Karttikeya the son of Shiva and Parvati. Karttikeya is the god of war and commander-in-chief of the gods. He is the commander and chief of the divine army of the gods. He was born specifically to slay Táraka, the demon who symbolizes ignorance, or the lower mind. Karttikeya is often depicted holding a spear, this spear represents illumination. He uses the spear to slay ignorance. In Hinduism, stories of war are often used as allegories for the internal struggles of the soul. 2 Indian author A. Parthasarathy says that Karttikeya represents the "Man of Perfection who has discovered the Supreme Self. The wielding of his spear of annihilation symbolizes the destruction of all negative tendencies which veil the Divine Self."3 Skanda-Karttikeya, as he is sometimes called, is also acclaimed as the god of wisdom and learning. 4 He is said to bestow spiritual powers upon his devotees, especially the power of knowledge. 5 An inscription on a fifth-century stone pillar in Northern India describes Skanda as the guardian of the Divine Mothers. 6 The Divine Mother is in you. Her abiding place, as
you know, is the white four-petaled chakra at the base of the spine.
This sacred Subramanya In southern India, Karttikeya is known by the name of Subramanya,7 which means "dear to the Brahmans," 8 the members of the priestly caste. Every village, even the smallest, has a temple or shrine to Subramanya. 9 Guha In the Hindu mystic tradition, Karttikeya is known as Guha, which means "cave" or Secret One, because he lives in the cave of your heart. 10 How secure we must feel knowing that the Lord Sanat Kumara, the Great Guru who sponsors earth, her evolutions and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and Christed Ones actually lives in the cave of our heart. Hindu scriptures also depict Sanat Kumara as the "foremost of sages"11 and a knower of Brahman.12
Sometime between 1700 and 600 B.C. Zarathustra founded Zoroastrianism in ancient Persia. One morning when he went to fetch water in a river, he beheld a luminous being who led him to Ahura Mazda and five other radiant figures.16 So great was their light that 'he did not see his own shadow upon the earth.' From this group of beings he received his first revelation of a new religion.17 Shortly afterward, Zarathustra became a spokesman for Ahura Mazda.18 The Ancient of Days
And so, not only does Daniel foresee Sanat Kumara, the Ancient of Days, but also he sees the son of manifestation. Did he see the Christ Jesus, the Buddha Maitreya, Manjushri, and/or the Buddha Gautama? Ascended Master Sanat Kumara The Ascended Master Sanat Kumara is the Hierarch of Venus. Long ago during earth's darkest hour, Sanat Kumara came here to keep the threefold flame of Life on behalf of earth's people. Can you imagine a time in the world when only one individual kept the flame of life for all of mankind? There was a time when not a single person on this planet gave adoration to the God Presence.
Sanat Kumara resided in this physical retreat but he did not take on a physical body such as the bodies we wear today. You could say the retreat was in the Matter universe but highly etheric. Later it became expedient to its protection that Shamballa, this wondrous retreat that was in the physical octave, be withdrawn to the etheric octave. Dipamkara So after this took place, this withdrawal of Shamballa to the etheric octave, Sanat Kumara embodied as Dipamkara, the Lamp-Lighting Buddha 21 He came to light our lamps or we came with him as part of the 144,000 to help him light the lamps of souls in the earth. In Buddhist tradition, Dipamkara walked the earth to save souls.22 The Sanskrit word Dipamkara means "kindler of lights" or "the luminous."23 Dipamkara is a legendary Buddha who lived long, long ago.24 He was the first of twenty-four Buddhas who preceded Gautama Buddha.25
Think how it would be if the earth should be lost and civilizations were destroyed and people returned almost to the level of caveman--almost to the level of being on all fours, unable to stand upright because they have no flame. Think of having to work with an evolution from that point and bring that evolution to where we are today. Well that's where some of you have been and that's what some of you have been doing for a long time. And therefore you have a tremendous vested interest in seeing to it that the teaching is sustained--that the teaching will be there and that the fire that you ignite will stay and will not be snuffed out. We all, including the Ascended Masters, have a tremendous investment in the future and the fate of planet earth. Dipamkara prophesied that the ascetic Sumedha would become Gautama Buddha in a future life.26 Buddhists consider Dipamkara, Gautama Buddha and Lord Maitreya to be the "Buddhas of the three times"--past, present and future.27 Dipamkara is the past Lord of the World, Gautama Buddha is the present Lord of the World and Maitreya will be the future Lord of the World. Author Alice Getty writes, "The Buddha Dipamkara is believed to have lived 100,000 years on earth. He was 3,000 years on earth before finding anyone worthy of hearing the Divine Truth. He then decided to convert the world." He "caused 'the appearance of a great city to proceed from his lamp and fix itself in space.' While the people were gazing upon this miracle, fierce flames were emitted from the four walls. Fear filled their hearts, and they looked for a Buddha to save them. Then Dipamkara comes forth from the burning city, seats himself on the Lion Throne, and begins to teach the Law."28 Brahma Sanam-kumara In Buddhism, there is a great god known as Brahma Sanam-kumara. His name also means "forever a youth."29 Brahma Sanam-kumara was a being so elevated that he had to create an apparition body in order to be seen by the gods of the heaven of the Thirty-Three.30 In one text, he appeared in this apparition body to extol the Dharma and praise Gautama Buddha's understanding of the Dharma.31 Sakka, the ruler of the gods, describes his appearance, "He outshines other devas in radiance and glory, just as a figure made of gold outshines the human figure. And as for the matter of his speech, his voice had eight qualities. It was distinct, intelligible, pleasant, attractive, compact, concise, deep and resonant. Whoever has heard such a voice is said to have heard the voice of Brahma."32
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Skanda
or Karttikeya
fire
is your life force. It is the energy that rises to meet the light
that descends over the crystal cord. You can see the crystal cord
on the Chart of the Presence. The energy of the Father-Mother God
descends over the crystal cord and the sacred fire of the Mother rises
from the base chakra. So, we are nourished by Father above and by
Mother below and yet Father above contains Mother, and Mother below
contains Father.
The
prophet Daniel recorded his vision of Sanat Kumara, whom he called
"the Ancient of Days." Daniel writes, 
After
Sanat Kumara made his commitment to come to earth, 144,000 souls from
Venus volunteered to come with him to support his mission. Four hundred
who formed the avant-garde were sent ahead to build the magnificent
retreat of Shamballa on an island in the Gobi Sea where the Gobi desert
now is. 
Sanat
Kumara being Dipamkara, as we understand it, had twenty-three Buddhas
before Buddha Gautama incarnated. So we can get the sense of the long
chain of those who came to earth to attempt to regalvanize, requicken,
bring humanity, bring mankind back to even a desire to have the light
of God within them.