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Shroff, Kavasji Merwanji: A highly educated Parsi member in Bombay. In 1874 he lectured in the United States, and Col. Olcott traveled from Boston to New York to meet him. Unfortunately, that meeting did not take place, but Shroff joined the TS by corresponding with the Founders before they left New York, making him one of the earliest Indian members. He was vVice -pPresident of the Bombay Branch from 1882 to 1885, a member of the TS GGeneral CCouncil of the TS, and a major speaker at the 1882 convention. Col. Olcott referred to him as “the all-accomplishing Mr. K. M. Shroff.”  Certainly, he was persuasive and energetic;, and he helped to establish the Homeopathic Charitable Dispensary and Bombay Veterinary College and Hospital, working with Tookarum Tukaram Tatyaya. Shroff testified in support of HPB in the Vega incident. In 1883 he become editor of the Jam-e-Jamshed daily newspaper published in Gujarati and English.
'''Kavasji Merwanji Shroff''' (1856-1927) was a highly educated Parsi member in Bombay and one of the earliest members of the [[Theosophical Society]].
 
Shroff worked with Stuart Beatson to take legal action against the editor of ''Rast Goftar'', who had accused Blavatsky and Olcott of taking money. (See BL 234 to Khandalavala March 1882, BL 232 Jan-Feb 1882.
 
He was the leading signatory of a certificate written by a group of Bombay Theosophists to Mrs. Gordon, attesting to the process by which letters were sent in the Vega Incident.(Introduction to Letter 244 in BL)
 
 
***********************
'''Sorabji Jamaspji Padshah''' (also known as '''Sohrab Jamasp Padshah''') (1856-1927) was a Parsi and the editor of the ''Indian Spectator''. He was an early member of the [[Theosophical Society]] and received a letter from [[Koot Hoomi|Master K.H.]] However, he soon lost interest in the [[Theosophical Society]]. He was the older brother of another early member, [[Burjorji J. Padshah]].<ref>K. J. B. Wadia, ''Fifty Years of Theosophy in Bombay'' (Adyar, Madras, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1931), 5.</ref>


== Personal life and education ==
== Personal life and education ==


Little is known of Padshah's life and early years. He was a resident of Bombay.
Little is known of Shroff's life and early years. He was a resident of Bombay.
 
== Involvement with Theosophical Society ==
 
S. J. Padshah became a member of the [[Theosophical Society]] soon after [[Founders#The Founders|the Founders]], [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]] and [[Henry Steel Olcott]], arrived in India. In April, 1880,he was named jointly with [[A. Gustam]] as Librarian of the Society.<ref>"Executive Officers for 1880" ''The Theosophist'' 1.8 (May, 1880), 214. </ref>  On [[May 7]], 1880, Padshah embarked with the Founders on their first trip to Ceylon, along with [[Edward Wimbridge]], [[Damodar K. Mavalankar]], and Pherozshaw Dhanjibhai Shroff.<ref>Anonymous, "The Theosophical Society" ''The Theosophist'' 1.9 (June, 1880), 240.</ref> He went ashore at Tutticorin to return to Bombay by rail.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, "The Number Seven and Our Society" ''The Theosophist 1 no. 12 (September 1880), 311.</ref> That year he was the Assistant Recording Secretary and was also at one time on the [[General Council of the Theosophical Society|General Council of the TS]].<ref>George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., ''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 241.</ref>
 
In autumn 1881 he received '''[[Mahatma Letter to Padshah - LMW 2 No. 77|a letter from Master K.H.]]''', who wrote:
 
<blockquote>
Your spirit is undoubtedly most closely akin to and largely vivified by that of poetry, and your intellectual instinct pierces easily into all the mysteries and abysses of nature, often giving a beautiful form, verity and harmony to your verse, as far as I am able to judge of English poetry.<ref>Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom'' Second Series No. 77 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1977), 149.</ref>
</blockquote>
 
The letter closes with the following words:
 
<blockquote>
Bear with the world of those who surround you. Be patient and true to yourself, and Fate, who was a step-mother to you, my poor young friend, may yet change and her persecutions be changed into bounties. Whatever happens know--I am watching over you.<ref>Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom'' Second Series No. 77 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1977), 150.</ref>
</blockquote>


In that letter the Master also tells him that, after reading one of his poems, he sent it to [[Alfred Percy Sinnett|Mr. Sinnett]] and asked him his opinion on its merits.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 21 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), ???.</ref>
In 1883 he become editor of the ''Jam-e-Jamshed'' daily newspaper published in Gujarati and English.


S. J. Padshah was one of the Joint signers of a testimonial sent to the ''Spiritualist Magazine'' in London, [[August 19]], 1881, affirming belief in the existence of the [[Masters of the Wisdom]].<ref>Sven Eek, ''Damodar and the Pioneers of the Theosophical Movement'' (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1965), 169.</ref> On [[August 27]], 1881, he published in ''The Bombay Gazette'' , a statement entitled [http://blavatskyarchives.com/padshah.htm# "The Theosophists and ''The Occult World''"] again vouching for the existence of the Masters and claiming he had seen "more than one of them" and that he was a disciple of [[Koot Hoomi|Master K.H.]]<ref>Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom'' Second Series No. 77 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1977), 149.</ref>
== Theosophical Society involvement ==


By December 1881, however, Mme. Blavatsky complains because "Mr. Padshah" was acting on behalf of the Society without any permission, initiating members into the Society and keeping the money, and having authoritarian attitudes. She wrote to [[Alfred Percy Sinnett|Mr. Sinnett]]:
Shroff was one of the earliest and most active Zoroastrian members of the [[Theosophical Society]]. In 1874 he lectured in the United States, and Col. Olcott traveled from Boston to New York to meet him. Unfortunately, that meeting did not take place, but Shroff joined the TS by corresponding with the Founders before they left New York. He was vice president of the Bombay Branch from 1882 to 1885, a member of the TS General Council, and a major speaker at the 1882 convention. Col. Olcott referred to him as “the all-accomplishing Mr. K. M. Shroff.”<ref>H. S. Olcott, "Charities" ''Lucifer'' 3 no. 18 (February, 1889): 503.</ref>


<blockquote>
He was persuasive and energetic in his Theosophical work; and he helped to establish the Homeopathic Charitable Dispensary and Bombay Veterinary College and Hospital, working with [[Tukaram Tatya]].<ref>"Charitable Dispensary in Bombay" Supplement to ''The Theosophist'' 6 no. 61 (October, 1884): 143.</ref><ref>"Charities" ''Lucifer'' 3 no. 18 (February, 1889): 503</ref>
With the exception of once 8 or 9 and at another as many lines, from Koot Hoomi, he never received one word from the Brothers, yet, he lowers down all other fellows and publicly boasted at his lecture Framji Hall — that he was one of the very few favoured ones by the Brothers, namely "Col. Olcott, Mr. Sinnett and himself!!" . . . It is always K. H.'s kindness and extreme tenderness for everything suffering that brings on this. He pitied the Fellow who was disinherited by his Father, and had epileptic fits, and felt miserable and — wrote to him a few lines of consolation, and now, there's the thanks. The Brothers are again and once more brought into ridicule.<ref>A. Trevor Barker, ''The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett'' Letter No. XX, (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1973), 40.</ref>
</blockquote>


There is a [[Mahatma Letter No. 91#Page 3|reference to "poor Padshah"]] by Master K.H. in October 1882, who stated: "He is a madcap, yet of excellent heart and sincerely devoted to [[Theosophy]] and — our Cause".<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 91 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), ???. See [[Mahatma Letter No. 91#Page 3|Mahatma Letter No. 91, page 3.]] It is not entirely clear, however, whether this refers to him or to another Padshah such as [[Burjorji J. Padshah]].</ref>  
In 1882 Shroff worked with Stuart Beatson, a young cavalry officer, to take legal action against the editor of ''Rast Goftar'', who had accused Blavatsky and Olcott of taking money.<ref>See HPB letter to Khandalavala dated Jan-Feb 1882 and HPB letter to Khandalavala dated March 1882. ''HPB Collected Letters'' Volume 2.</ref>  
 
According to [[Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa|C. Jinarājadāsa]] after a few years he lost interest in the [[Theosophical Society]].<ref>Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, ''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom'' Second Series No. 77 (Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1977), 149.</ref>
 
== Writings ==
 
S. J. Padshah wrote several articles in the [[The Theosophist (periodical)|''The Theosophist'']], as listed:


He was the leading signatory of a certificate written by a group of Bombay Theosophists to Mrs. Gordon, attesting to the process by which letters were sent in the [[The Vega incident|Vega incident]].<ref>See Introduction to Letter 244 in ''HPB Collected Letters''.</ref>


==Online resources==
==Online resources==
===Articles===  
===Articles===  


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
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[[Category:Editors|Shroff, K. M.]]
[[Category:Editors|Shroff, K. M.]]
[[Category:Associates of HPB|Shroff, K. M.]]
[[Category:Associates of HPB|Shroff, K. M.]]
[[Category:Received Mahatma Letters|Padshah, Sorabji J.]]
[[Category:People|Shroff, K. M.]]
[[Category:People who encountered Mahatmas|Padshah, Sorabji J.]]
[[Category:People|Padshah, Sorabji J.]]

Revision as of 19:07, 7 September 2023

Kavasji Merwanji Shroff (1856-1927) was a highly educated Parsi member in Bombay and one of the earliest members of the Theosophical Society.

Personal life and education

Little is known of Shroff's life and early years. He was a resident of Bombay.

In 1883 he become editor of the Jam-e-Jamshed daily newspaper published in Gujarati and English.

Theosophical Society involvement

Shroff was one of the earliest and most active Zoroastrian members of the Theosophical Society. In 1874 he lectured in the United States, and Col. Olcott traveled from Boston to New York to meet him. Unfortunately, that meeting did not take place, but Shroff joined the TS by corresponding with the Founders before they left New York. He was vice president of the Bombay Branch from 1882 to 1885, a member of the TS General Council, and a major speaker at the 1882 convention. Col. Olcott referred to him as “the all-accomplishing Mr. K. M. Shroff.”[1]

He was persuasive and energetic in his Theosophical work; and he helped to establish the Homeopathic Charitable Dispensary and Bombay Veterinary College and Hospital, working with Tukaram Tatya.[2][3]

In 1882 Shroff worked with Stuart Beatson, a young cavalry officer, to take legal action against the editor of Rast Goftar, who had accused Blavatsky and Olcott of taking money.[4]

He was the leading signatory of a certificate written by a group of Bombay Theosophists to Mrs. Gordon, attesting to the process by which letters were sent in the Vega incident.[5]

Online resources

Articles

Notes

  1. ↑ H. S. Olcott, "Charities" Lucifer 3 no. 18 (February, 1889): 503.
  2. ↑ "Charitable Dispensary in Bombay" Supplement to The Theosophist 6 no. 61 (October, 1884): 143.
  3. ↑ "Charities" Lucifer 3 no. 18 (February, 1889): 503
  4. ↑ See HPB letter to Khandalavala dated Jan-Feb 1882 and HPB letter to Khandalavala dated March 1882. HPB Collected Letters Volume 2.
  5. ↑ See Introduction to Letter 244 in HPB Collected Letters.
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