Sanat Kumara

 (Kumara = Kuma Ra =Guardian of the Divine Fire)

It is said by the Tibetan Buddhists that there is a land in the north named Shambhala, where everyone is happy. This land is ruled by a king, named Raudra Chakri.

In the Alice Bailey and Theosophical literature he is called Sanat Kumara. Raudra Chakri is the Buddhist "Ruler of Shambhala and the "Lord of the World." Sanat Kumara is also the being that is the Earthly representative of our Planetary Logos - the personality aspect of the Heavenly Man. This article is a brief description of Sanat Kumara, derived from the western occult traditions.

The Seed
The Great Sacrifice
The One Initiator
The Voluntary Exile
The Silent Watcher
Maha-Guru
The One Kumara
The Lord of Flame
The Ancient One
The Mighty Lord of Fire
The Point of Blue within the hidden diamond
The Root-Base (relating to the Earth as the base center)
The Son of Will and Yoga (the first ray Monad--the first ray Rishi)
The One Set Apart (as all initiates are set apart)
The Tree (the chain of Hierarchy)
The Ever-Living-Human-Banyan
The First Hierophant
He who changes form, yet remains ever the same
Lord of the Sacred Isle (or Shambhalla)
The First of the First
The One and the Supreme
The Youth of Eternal Summers
The Youth of Endless Summers
The Youth of Timeless Aeons
The Light of Life Itself
The Wondrous One
The Lord of Venusian Love
The Great Kumara within the Flaming Sword
The Peace of All the Earth
Fountainhead of the Will of the Planetary Logos
Jagan-Natha, Sanskrit for Lord of the World. ("Jagernath" is the common pronunciation. Hence the word: "juggernaut," irresistible force.)
Lokapati and Locan'tha, the Lord of the World
Vishnu Krishna
Padmapani Chenresi (the lotus-bearer) or Avalokitesvara
Chenresi Vanchug, the powerful and all-seeing
Protector of Tibet
Savior of Humanity
Chantong, he of the 1,000 eyes
Jigten-gonpo, Protector and Savior against evil
Hermes, the Interpreter

Sanat Kumara is thus the incarnation of our Planetary Logos, the manifestation of the Lord of the Ray of our Earth Scheme. He keeps the world together in His awareness and in one sense, is the source and root of that which we call human consciousness. It is He who makes human evolution and initiation possible.

Three other exoteric Kumaras, known as the Buddhas of Activity, work with Sanat Kumara. Yet another set of three Kumaras are also associated with Him in a more subjective manner, making seven Kumaras. The six other Kumaras are representatives of the energies of other schemes. This makes four exoteric (Sanat Kumara and the Buddhas of Activity) and three esoteric Kumaras.

It is said that of these seven, "We have the four exoteric Kumaras, of Whom two fell, and the three esoteric, of whom One gathers the life forces of the four exoteric, making with Them the five" (Alice Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, pp. 829) Thus we find these five Kumaras are concerned primarily with humanity and transmit the energy of MIND from Sirius. These Kumaras are also related to the five major initiations and also to the five major etheric centers that relate the human being to the five planes of superhuman evolution.

Sanat Kumara is, thus, the personality, and the three Buddhas of Activity act as the three aspects of that personality. The three hidden Kumaras stand in the same relationship to Sanat Kumara as the three hidden Kingdoms of elemental lives--composing the elemental life of the etheric, astral, and mental vehicles--stands to the human being. The "Silent Watcher" is, in this theory, the soul aspect. These, in turn are manifestations of the Planetary Logos just as the human soul-integrated personality is the manifestation of the monad.

The planetary Logos is the initiator of the four kingdoms via Sanat Kumara and the three Buddhas of Activity, initiating each kingdom via one of these Kumaras. Thus Sanat Kumara is the initiator for the fourth, or human, kingdom. Thus of all the Kumaras, the most important to us is the one named Sanat Kumara, or Highest Kumara.

Let us identify the major functions of Sanat Kumara that we may ponder.

1. Sanat Kumara is the Lord of Shambhalla.

It is said that Sanat Kumara dwells "in Jana Loka, his own sphere or spiritual state" along with the other 7 and 105 Kumaras. The Jana Loka is the fifth Divine Loka, which is located, it is said, "beyond the Solar System."

In this sense, Shambhalla is composed of Kumaras, just as the Hierarchy is composed of Egos or the Spiritual Triads, and Humanity is composed of humans or personalities. These three Kingdoms form the Head, Heart, and Throat centers of the planetary Life:

Spirit -- Shambhalla -- Head Center
Consciousness -- Spiritual Hierarchy -- Heart Center
Form -- Humanity -- Throat Center

To say that Shambhalla is composed of Kumaras is another way of saying that Shambhalla is composed of groups of Monads Therefore the world or environment of the Monad is Shambhalla, just as the threefold world of the Triad is the Hierarchy, and the three worlds (the mental, astral, and physical planes) the realm of the personality.

It is intended, at the end of this cycle, to have each of the three lowest sub planes of the physical plane--the fire, water, and earth sub planes--to be fully responsive to the energies of Shambhalla, the Spiritual Hierarchy, and Humanity respectively. At that time, the three centers will have merged into their higher coordinating center--the planetary ajna--and physical plane experience will be transcended in this Scheme. This transcendence will not be due to pralaya, but rather by the achievement of a relative perfection.

This is the higher correspondence to the achievement of initiation by the human being. The human being normally achieves an exit of the physical plane by way of death. Initiation is, in one sense, a different exit which does not lead to further incarnation. For example, a first degree initiate will not have his or her physical elemental reincarnate--it has been transcended. Of course, the consciousness will still need a physical vehicle for each incarnation until the fourth initiation is taken, but the physical elemental life has reached a peculiar point in evolution.

This relative perfection at the end of this cycle will be achieved through the process of individualization, initiation, and identification. Sanat Kumara has led Humanity to individualization ages ago in "Lemurian" days. Sanat Kumara today leads Humanity on the path of Initiation in this era, and will one day be the focal point of the process of Identification. Therefore:

2. Sanat Kumara is the One Initiator.

Sanat Kumara is thus the First Hierophant, the Maha-Guru or Greatest Guru, and the head of all evolution in this Fourth Globe of the Earth Scheme. He acts as the Hierophant at the third, fourth, and fifth initiations, wielding the rod of initiation to bring about dramatic changes within the consciousness of the initiate and sealing certain achievements. The previous two initiations, the first and the second, are presided over by the Christ.

The Monads have sacrificed themselves, and taken upon themselves the substance of the five lower planes, and evolved through countless ages through the mineral, plant, animal, and human kingdoms in order to "gain experience" and "achieve contact." Without this sacrifice, neither Humanity or the Hierarchy would exist.

Our Monad is a "Voluntary Exile" from the realms of Shambhalla. We have chosen to take incarnation and gain experience, and learn in this manner, in order to further the development of our Monadic essence (if such a phrase has any meaning) and to further the planetary and solar evolution as well. Our Monads were driven forth to creation by the Sound of the solar AUM, and that Word still is sounding forth, driving each tiny life in every planetary Scheme onwards in cyclic growth.

We have sacrificed ourselves in part for the sake of the evolution of the elementals of the vehicles. When we gain control and mastery over our vehicles, these devas also attain a relative perfection. When the vehicles are fully purified and refined, and the individual is liberated from their limitations, the devas of the vehicles--etheric, astral, and concrete mind--also reach the goal of their lesser cycle of activity.

Just as we refine our threefold vehicle and lift their elemental lives, so does Sanat Kumara refine the sevenfold cosmic physical plane. Just as we have sacrificed ourselves for the sake of the evolution of our vehicles, so has Sanat Kumara taken incarnation, and will not attain His own particular goal in evolution until a relative perfection has been achieved for the entire planet. This is a tremendous sacrifice on the part of Sanat Kumara, on an unprecedented scale; consequently:

3. Sanat Kumara is the Great Sacrifice.

Thus just as the Ego holds the personality vehicles in incarnation by the force of its Will, so does Sanat Kumara hold the planet, and the subjective vehicles of the planet, together into one functioning unit.

We might get the idea from this that Sanat Kumara is to the Earth Scheme what the Ego is to the personality; and in one sense, that is correct. But in truth, the matter is far more difficult and the analogy is not exact. Consider that Sanat Kumara is but one tiny unit within the etheric head center of the planetary Life. From this angle, Sanat Kumara is hardly of any significance to the entire scheme. There is, then, something that makes Sanat Kumara unique from all other Kumaras. We come to what is perhaps the most important definition of Sanat Kumara:

4. Sanat Kumara is the focal point through which the planetary Life of the Earth Scheme comes into contact with our Globe.

This is a deep mystery, and there have been many attempts to find analogies to explain this unique relationship between the planetary Life and Sanat Kumara. It has been said, for example, that Sanat Kumara is the personality of the planetary Life, or the Ego of the planetary Life, or the incarnation of the planetary Life each of these is partly true, but do not explain the truth in full. As the Tibetan puts it,

Sanat Kumara is the planetary Logos yet He is not. A reflection of this method of direct incarnation can be seen when a disciple steps out of his body and permits his Guru, or a more advanced chela, to use it. (Alice Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, pp. 753)

In such cases, the disciple has willingly and deliberately allowed the Guru, Initiate or Master to use his personality vehicles for a set time and in a set place in order to perform a service project. In the case of the planetary Life, this service project is in part what we call Initiation.

So Sanat Kumara and the planetary Life are both distinct entities; one is not an aspect of the other. Yet at the same time they are very closely related. (Note: It should be noted that sometimes statements concerning Sanat Kumara are relevant to Sanat Kumara being the planetary Life or Logos, and other statements about Sanat Kumara are relevant only insofar as Sanat Kumara is a Kumara.) It should be understood, then, that Sanat Kumara (as a kumara) is a much lesser Being than the planetary Life. Sanat Kumara is but the physical form expression of Monadic Life or Spirit.

Sanat Kumara is thus the means by which the planetary Life comes into dense physical plane expression. Sanat Kumara is the manifestation of the appropriation of a dense physical body of the planetary Life. This first occurs at the time of human individualization, and necessitates 1) the development of the three worlds to a particular rate of vibration and 2) the vitalization of the heart center of the Heavenly Man, the Spiritual Hierarchy.

The planetary Life uses Sanat Kumara just as the soul uses a temporary personality "when that personality is at an advanced stage of initiate consciousness." (Alice Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, pp. 206) This is a parallel, not an analogy.

5. Sanat Kumara is the planetary Logos of our scheme in physical incarnation.

This is now to be understood with the qualifications given above. Sanat Kumara is not the planetary Life itself, but is the means by which that Life incarnates. By means of Sanat Kumara, the planetary Life can reach and intelligently contact the individualized units within the Scheme. This makes it possible for Initiates and above to contact and speak to the planetary Life by means of Sanat Kumara. Sanat Kumara is the individualized mind of the planetary Life.

Thus as an analogy or comparison rather than as a fact, it is said that Sanat Kumara is the personality aspect of the Lord of the World, the planetary Life. The planetary Life is, on His own plane, to Sanat Kumara what the soul is to the personality.

We have seen that Sanat Kumara is a manifestation or avatar of the intelligence of the Planetary Logos, the Planetary Life in incarnation. In turn, Sanat Kumara sends his intelligence outwards and downwards into form, resulting in the appearance of Divine Beings who are avatars of Sanat Kumara. As H. P. Blavatsky said, "A certain Ray (principle) from Sanat Kumara spiritualized (animated) Pradyumna, the son of Krishna during the great Mahabharata period...." Thus on occasion Sanat Kumara appears as an avatar to humanity, bringing certain new energies and principles into manifestation, primarily the principle of our planetary Life.

6. Sanat Kumara is the embodiment of a principle of the planetary Life of the Earth Scheme.

The Earth Scheme is one of the four schemes that compose the quaternary or lower fourfold aspect of the solar Life. Just as each of our four vehicles--the physical, etheric, astral, and concrete mental vehicles--has its own characteristics and principles, so does each of these schemes, including the Earth Scheme, have its own principle. This principle of the planetary Life manifests through Sanat Kumara. The other Kumaras transmit energies from the other schemes, not only of the solar quaternary, but also the seven and the ten solar schemes.

The Kumaras, then, are the means by which the planetary Life comes into contact with the seven rays and other extra-planetary energies. They are a mechanism of contact, just as the personality is a mechanism of contact for the soul, or an etheric center is the mechanism of contact for the inner Observer. This is a part of the function of the planetary head center, Shambhalla. Thus taken as a whole, the Kumaras are the head center of the planetary Life.

The seven Kumaras that are each related to a principle have a special relationship within the planetary head center. They are the equivalent of the seven head centers in the head. Thus:

7. Sanat Kumara is one of the seven head centers within Shambhalla, the head center of the planetary Life.

Sanat Kumara and the other Kumaras are "focal points for the energy of the planetary Logos on His own plane." (Alice Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, pp. 728)

They are thus each related to:

a. A planetary principle or vehicle, and thus to the seven Sacred Planets.

b. One of the seven Rays, emanating from the constellation of the Great Bear. The force and energy of one of the principles of the planetary Life--from the constellation of the Great Bear--pours from the planetary Life to what corresponds to the monad of the Kumara. From there it reaches the consciousness of the Kumara, and is transmitted to the Earth Scheme.

c. One of the seven major planetary centers or kingdoms (humanity, the animal kingdom, etc.). Sanat Kumara is closely related to the center we call Humanity, producing definite effects within that center. Sanat Kumara is in one sense the energy of individual identity within humanity, and the other three Kumaras are closely related to the three lower kingdoms, producing their motion and grades of consciousness.

d. One of the seven schemes. The three Buddhas of Activity, or the three exoteric Kumaras Who work with the Lord of the World, relate our scheme to the other three schemes of the Solar quaternary. The other three, hidden or esoteric Kumaras relate this scheme to the higher three schemes (among the seven). They represent energies that are not yet manifesting within this planet, but the energies of the fourth Kumara will soon begin to make their impact.

e. One of the seven Ashrams.

Sanat Kumara is thus one of these head centers within the planetary Life. Each of the seven Kumaras is one of the head centers in the planetary Life of Earth in the same way that the seven Stars of the Great Bear are the seven head centers of the One About Whom Naught May Be Said.

7 Head Centers -- 7 Kumaras -- 7 Stars of Great Bear
7 Etheric Centers -- 7 Ashrams -- 7 Solar Systems

Sanat Kumara and Numerology

The breakdown of words "Sanat Kumara" is of interest. Our planetary Life has a first ray monad, a second ray soul, and a third ray personality. These find their reflection in the numerological meaning of Sanat Kumara.

Sanat Kumara, 1-1-5-1-2 + 2-3-4-1-9-1 = 10 + 20 = 30 = 3.

For the Earth, the second ray is in power at this time, for our little planet is in many ways a reflection of the solar Life. Thus Sanat Kumara, the representative in form of the Spirit aspect embodied in the Lord of Shambhalla is of necessity second ray, seeking to develop the first ray aspect. Consequently, as it is the second ray that is in force at this time, He has delegated the task of the guidance of the Hierarchy to the Christ; i.e.,:

The Known: the Knower: the Field of Knowledge

The form: the Spirit: the sphere of influence

The Planetary Hierarchy: the Christ: the Seven Hierarchies

The Earth: Sanat Kumara: the Seven Sacred Planets

This is not to say that the Spiritual Hierarchy is the highest Hierarchy or that Sanat Kumara is the Highest Planetary Life; they are definitely not. This is to illuminate the place of Sanat Kumara and the Spiritual Hierarchy within the sphere of the solar Life. This position is, as the Tibetan pointed out, the mid-way point. We might clarify the place of the Earth within the solar Life by the following table:

The 4 rays of attribute - their unifying 3rd Ray - the 7 Rays

4 + 1 + 7 = 12

Breaking down each of the 4 rays of attribute and the 7 rays we have:

4+5+6+7 = 22 -- 1 -- 1+2+3+4+5+6+7 = 28 / 22+1+28 = 61 = 7

or

3+4+5+6+7 = 25 -- 1 -- 1+2+3+4+5+6+7 = 28 / 25+1+28 = 64 = 10 = 1

The 4 Kumaras -- Sanat Kumara -- The 7 Planetary Logoi

The 4 Non-Sacred Planets,
Mars, Pluto, Vulcan, Moon -- Earth -- The 7 Sacred Planets
Making the 12 petals of the solar heart center
Each receptive to one of the 12 constellations

Thus in the four non-sacred planets besides the Earth, the duality of Human and Deva monads continues, with the Deva evolution dominant. In the sacred planets, the monadic life is triumphant, and duality has been transcended. On Earth, the battle between the Human and Deva monads continues with the introduction of a third or intermediary aspect, the Manasaputras, the Solar Angels, which make the peculiar and unusual possibility of initiation a fact in this scheme.

The Earth is thus the battleground between spirit and matter within the solar system, and Sanat Kumara the focal point of that battle. Our own personal spiritual development is intrinsically part of the work of Sanat Kumara to save all the lesser lives within this Scheme. The cosmic battleground is reflected in Sanat Kumara, which in turn is reflected in our own lives by the conflict between personality and soul. All is interconnected by the golden chain of Hierarchy.

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