Nadyezhda Andreyevna de Fadeyev
Nadyezhda Andreyevna de Fadeyev (1828-1919) was the much beloved aunt of H. P. Blavatsky (her mother's sister). She was only three years older than H.P.B, never married and was for some years a member of the Council of the Theosophical Society.
On November 11, 1870, Nadyezhda received what is considered to be the first Mahatma letter from Master K.H. stating that H.P.B. was well and would be back in the family before "18 moons" shall have risen.
Theosophical Society involvement
Madame de Fadeyev took an interest in the Theosophical Society that her niece cofounded in 1875, but was not active in the Society. She did become a member on June 25, 1884, on the same day as Madame Blavatsky's niece , Vera Vladimirovna de Zhelihovsky.[1]
First Mahatma Letter
Mme. Blavatsky had been travelling around the world, and the last time her family in Russia saw her was in 1860. By 1970 nobody knew were she was. Her family was worried and ready to believe her dead. But on November 11, 1870 Nadyezhda received a letter in French from Master K.H. that said:
To the Honourable,
Most Honourable Lady,
Nadyéjda Andréewna Fadeew,
Odessa.
The noble relations of Mme H. Blavatsky have no cause whatsoever for grief. Their daughter and niece has not left this world. She lives, and desires to make known to those whom she loves that she is well and very happy in the distant and unknown retreat which she has selected for herself. She has been very ill, but is so no longer; for under the protection of the Lord Sangyas she has found devoted friends who take care of her physically and spiritually. The ladies of her house should therefore make themselves easy. Before 18 new moons shall have risen, she will return to her family.[2]
According to Nadyezhda, the letter was brought to her "in the most incomprehensible and mysterious manner, by a messenger of Asiatic appearance, who then disappeared before my very eyes".[3] In regards to the existence of the Mahatmas she wrote:
My niece spoke of [these Mahatmas] to me, and at great length, years ago. She wrote me that she had again met and renewed her relations with several of them, even before she wrote her Isis [Unveiled]. If I who have ever been, and hope ever to continue, to be a fervent Christian, believe in the existence of these men—although I may refuse to credit all the miracles they attribute to them—why should not others believe in them? For the existence of at least one of them, I can certify. Who, then, could have written me this letter to reassure me at the moment when I had the greatest need for such comfort, unless it had been one of those adepts mentioned? It is true that the handwriting is not known to me; but the manner in which it was delivered to me was phenomenal, that none other than an adept in occult science could have effected it. It promised me the return of my niece—and the promise was duly fulfilled.[4]
The letter was published as Letter 51 in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series and again as Letter 1 in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, Second Series .
Online resources
Articles
- A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas Case 44, compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell.
Notes
- ↑ Theosophical Society General Membership Register, 1875-1942 at http://tsmembers.org/. See book 1, entry 2905 (website file: 1B/2).
- ↑ Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom First Series No. 51 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1988), 108-109.
- ↑ Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom Second Series No. 1 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1977), 3.
- ↑ A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas Case 1, compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell