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A Treatise on Cosmic Fire - Section One - Division C - The Etheric Body and Prana
IV. Macrocosmic and Microcosmic Ethers

1. The Planetary Logos and the Ethers

Man, the indwelling thinker, passes at night from out of his etheric ring-pass-not and functions elsewhere. Therefore, under the law, the planetary Logos likewise can pass His ring-pass-not at stated seasons which correspond in the planet to the hours of man's temporary repose, or pralaya.

The solar Logos likewise does the same during stated cycles, which are not the cycles succeeding those which we term solar pralaya, but lesser cycles succeeding the "days of Brahma" or periods of lesser activity, periodically viewed. All these are governed by karma, and just as the true Man himself applies the law of karma to his vehicles, and in his tiny system is the correspondence to that fourth group of karmic entities whom we call the Lipika Lords; He applies the law to his threefold lower nature. The fourth group of extra-cosmic Entities Who have Their place subsidiary to the three cosmic Logoi Who are the threefold sumtotal of the logoic nature, can pass the bounds of the solar ring-pass-not in Their stated cycles. This is a profound mystery and its complexity is increased by the recollection that the fourth Creative Hierarchy of human Monads, and the Lipika Lords in Their three groups (the first [112] group, the second, and the four Maharajahs, making the totality of the threefold karmic rulers who stand between the solar Logos and the seven planetary Logoi), are more closely allied than the other Hierarchies, and their destinies are intimately interwoven.

A further link in this chain which is offered for consideration lies in the fact that the four rays of mind (which concern the karma of the four planetary Logoi) in their totality hold in their keeping the present evolutionary process for Man, viewing him as the Thinker. These four, with the karmic four, work in the closest cooperation. Therefore, we have the following groups interacting:

  • First. The four Maharajahs, the lesser Lipika Lords 49 who apply past karma and work it out in the present.
  • Second. The four Lipikas of the second group, referred to by H. P. B. as occupied in applying future karma, and wielding the future destiny of the races. The work of the first group of four cosmic Lipika Lords is occult and is only revealed somewhat at the fourth Initiation (and even then but slightly) so it will not be touched upon here.
  • Third. The fourth Creative Hierarchy of human Monads, held by a fourfold karmic law under the guidance of the Lipikas.
  • Fourth. The four planetary Logoi 50 of Harmony, Knowledge, Abstract Thought and Ceremonial, who [113] are in Their totality the Quaternary of Manas while in process of evolution, and who pass under Their influence all the sons of men.
  • Fifth. The Deva Lords of the four planes of Buddhi, or the plane of spiritual Intuition, Manas, or the mental plane, Desire, and the Physical, who are likewise allied to the human evolution in a closer sense than the higher three.

A further interesting correspondence is found in the following facts that are even now in process of development:

The fourth plane of Buddhi is the one on which the planetary Logoi begin to make Their escape from Their planetary ring-pass-not, or from the etheric web that has its counterpart on all the planes.

When man begins in a small sense to coordinate the buddhic vehicle or, to express it otherwise, when he has developed the power to contact ever so slightly the buddhic plane, then he begins simultaneously and consciously to achieve the ability to escape from the etheric web on the physical plane. Later he escapes from its correspondence on the astral plane, and finally from the correspondence on the fourth subplane of the mental plane, this time via the mental unit. This leads eventually to causal functioning, or to the ability to dwell, and to be active in, the vehicle of the Ego, who is the embodiment of the love and wisdom aspect of the Monad. Note here the correspondence to that proved fact, that many can even now escape from the etheric body, and function in their [114] astral sheath, which is the personality reflection of that same second aspect.


49 The four Lipika Lords stand between the first and second plane. - S. D., I, 155.

  1. They can pass the ring-pass-not. - S. D., I, 157.
  2. They are connected with karma. - S. D., I, 153.
  3. They are concerned with the Hereafter. - S. D., I, 151.
  4. They are in three groups. - S. D., I, 153.
  5. They are the spirits of the Universe. - S. D., I, 153.

50 The four rays of mind are the four minor rays which form the logoic Quaternary and which are synthesized eventually into a fifth ray, the third major ray of active intelligence, or adaptability. The names of the rays are as follows:

The three major rays:

  1. The Ray of Will or Power.
  2. The Ray of Love or Wisdom.
  3. The Ray of Active Intelligence.

The four minor Rays:

  1. The Ray of Beauty, Harmony, Art or Rhythm.
  2. The Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science.
  3. The Ray of Abstract Idealism.
  4. The Ray of Ceremonial Order or Organization.
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