View source for Mahatma Letter to H. S. Olcott - LMW 1 No. 29

{{Infobox MLbox
| header1 = People involved |
| writtenby         = [[Koot Hoomi]]
| receivedby        = [[Henry Steel Olcott]]  
| sentvia           = unknown{{pad|10em}} 
| header2 = Dates
| writtendate       = unknown
| receiveddate      = 7 June 1886
| otherdate         = unknown
| header3 = Places
| sentfrom          = unknown
| receivedat        = Adyar
| vialocation       = unknown 
}}  
'''This letter is Letter No. 29 in ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series'''''. [[Mahatma]] [[Koot Hoomi]] adds a note on a letter from [[Tookaram Tatya]] to [[Henry Steel Olcott]] about [[Damodar K. Mavalankar]].<ref>C. Jinarajadasa, ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 2011), 70, 160-161.</ref>

This letter is reprinted as [[Mahatma Letter to H. S. Olcott - LMW 2 No. 2|Letter 2, in ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, Second Series]].
<br>
<br>
<big>[[Mahatma Letter to Hartmann - LMW 1 No. 28|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter in LMW 1]]</big>{{pad|3em}}
<big>[[Mahatma Letter to Holloway - LMW 1 No. 30|Next letter in LMW 1'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big>{{pad|3em}}
<br>
<big>[[Mahatma_Letter_to H. S. Olcott - LMW 2 No. 26|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter to Olcott]]</big>{{pad|3em}}
<big>[[Mahatma_Letter_to H. S. Olcott - LMW 2 No. 2|Next letter to Olcott'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big>{{pad|3em}}
<br>
<br>

== Envelope ==

{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}
Col. H. S. Olcott Esq.<br>
c/o Theosophical Society<br>
Adyar<br>
Madras<br>

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}
[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-19_env.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-19_env_thm.jpg]

{{Col-break|width=30%}}
'''NOTES:'''
* The original envelope was found misfiled with [[Mahatma_Letter_to_H._S._Olcott_-_LMW_1_No._19|letter 19]], but the postmark clearly places it with this letter sent by T. Tatya.

{{Col-end}}

== Page 1 of T. Tatya letter transcription, image, and notes ==

{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}
Bombay 5th Jun 1886

My respected Brother Sir

I have received yours of the 1st Inst. There is no doubt that these [??] references to you for improving matters must have tired your patience. You have enough to do and I hope in a few months more we shall find ourselves in a very satisfactory position.

I am not sufficiently learned neither have I the time to prepare a note book which would be universally approved. But I am trying to collect some materials and after arranging them I shall forward them to you.

In regard to the verses from the Oriental Library I wish you quickly to let me know, what should be the substance of the verses you want Mr [Goorhaki??] Das to write. We shall have to assure him that that there are satisfactory reason to show

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}

[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_1.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_1_thm.jpg] 

{{Col-break|width=30%}}

'''NOTES:'''

{{Col-end}}

== Page 2 of T. Tatya letter ==

{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}
that the Society has the means of raising up such a grand and universally useful library as you expect it to be.

Our respected Brother Mr. Shri Niwas Rao was living with me for two days and I had some interesting conversations with him.

I am sorry to say that I am unable at present to go to Madras. How long will you be staying at Adyar. I have received a letter from Pandit [Gopinalte??] of Lahore saying if you were again to visit Punjab many good branched could be opened there.

I have constantly been thinking of poor brother [[Damodar K. Mavalankar|Damodar]]. It is nearly a year & a half since he left and we have hitherto had no authentic news about him. If you have any recent information about him please communicate it to me.

Yours Sincerely

Tookaram Tatya

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}

[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_2.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_2_thm.jpg] 

{{Col-break|width=30%}}

'''NOTES:'''

{{Col-end}}

== Page 3 - back of T. Tatya letter ==

{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}
Seen<br>
June 7th 1886<br>
T. Subbarow<br>
[illegible]

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}

[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_3.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_3_thm.jpg] 

{{Col-break|width=30%}}

'''NOTES:'''

{{Col-end}}

== K.H. Note ==

'''Note by K.H. on the back of the letter:'''
{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}

[[Damodar K. Mavalankar|The poor boy]] has had his fall. Before he could stand in the presence of the [[Masters of the Wisdom|‘Masters’]] he had to undergo the severest trials that a neophyte ever passed through, to atone for the many questionable doings in which he had over-zealously taken part, bringing disgrace upon the sacred science and its adepts. The mental and physical suffering was too much for his weak frame, which has been quite prostrated, but he will recover in course of time. This ought to be a warning to you all. You have believed ‘not wisely but too well’. To unlock the gates of the mystery you must not only lead a life of the strictest probity, but learn to discriminate truth from falsehood. You have talked a great deal about karma but have hardly realized the true significance of that doctrine. The time is come when you must lay the foundation of that strict conduct — in the individual as well as in the collective body — which, ever wakeful, guards against conscious as well as unconscious deception.

::K.H.

'''Note by H. S. Olcott:'''
Received and opened by me<br>
this 7th June 1886<br>
::H. W. Olcott

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}

[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_KH.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_KH_thm.jpg] 

{{Col-break|width=30%}}

'''NOTES:'''
* '''The poor boy''' is [[Damodar K. Mavalankar]].

{{Col-end}}

== Note by H. S. Olcott ==

{{Col-begin|width=98%}}
{{Col-break|width=55%}}
<u>[[Phenomena|Phenomenon]]</u><br>
Message of Mahatma K.H. written<br>
inside a letter of Tookaram Tatya's<br>
of June 6th 1886 to H.S.O while passing<br>
through the post.

N.B. This upsets Hodgson's theory, as HPB is<br>
now in Germany, & Damodar in Tibet.

{{Col-break|width=3%}}

{{Col-break|width=15%}}

[http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_note.jpg http://www.theosophy.wiki/mywiki/images/ML/LMW1-29_note_thm.jpg] 

{{Col-break|width=30%}}

'''NOTES:'''
* '''N.B.''' is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "nota bene," meaning "note well."
* '''Hodgson's theory''' was the suggestion by [[Richard Hodgson]]] that [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|H. P. Blavatsky]] forged all letters from the Mahatmas.

{{Col-end}}

== Context and background ==

[[Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa|Mr. Jinarajadasa]] provided these notes about this letter:
<blockquote>
Transcribed from the original at Adyar. I have given a photographic reproduction of the letter in [[Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom (book)|''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom'']], Second Series. It is [[Precipitation|precipitated]] in blue ink on the last blank page of a letter written on thin paper by [[Tookaram Tatya|Mr Tookaram Tatya]] of Bombay on 5 June 1886. The letter was folded in three. Among other matters, it contained the following:
<blockquote>
I have constantly been thinking of poor brother [[Damodar K. Mavalankar|Damodar]]. It is nearly a year since he left and we have hitherto had no authentic news about him. If you have any recent information about him please communicate it to me.
</blockquote>

When Colonel Olcott received Mr Tookaram Tatya’s letter at Adyar on June 7, he found [[Precipitation|precipitated]] on the blank page, crosswise, this letter. The letter refers to [[Damodar K. Mavalankar]] who, after many hardships and privations, crossed to Tibet and reached the home of his Master.<ref>C. Jinarajadasa, 160-161.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Physical description of letter ==

According to Mr. Jinarajadasa, the original letter is at the [[Adyar (campus)|Adyar headquarters]] of the [[Theosophical Society (Adyar)|Theosophical Society]]. He wrote, "it is [[Precipitation|precipitated]] in blue ink on the last blank page of a letter written on thin paper by [[Tookaram Tatya|Mr Tookaram Tatya]] of Bombay on 5 June 1886. The letter was folded in three."<ref>C. Jinarajadasa, 160.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Publication history ==

This letter was published in 1919 as '''Letter 29''' in the first edition of [[Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom (book)|''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888'']], later known as the First Series.<ref>''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888''. Adyar, Madras, India; London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919. Foreword by Annie Besant; transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa.</ref> It has kept this designation as '''Letter 29''' throughout all editions.

== Commentary about this letter ==

As Colonel Olcott points out, this contradicts [[Richard Hodgson|Hodgson's]] theory of fraudulent production of the Mahatma Letters. Neither [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]], was known to be in Germany at this time, nor [[Damodar K. Mavalankar|Damodar]], who was in Tibet, could have added the note from K. H.

== Additional resources ==

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:ML from Koot Hoomi]] 
[[Category:ML to H. S. Olcott]]
[[Category:ML with images]]