THE GALAXY AND THE UNIVERSAL SOLAR SYSTEM

NEBULAE AND COMETS

"The Central Sun causes Fohat to collect primordial dust in the form of balls, to impel them to move in converging lines and finally to approach each other and aggregate." (Book of Dzyan). "Being scattered in Space, without order or system, the world-germs come into frequent collision until their final aggregation, after which they become wanderers (comets). Then the battles and struggles begin. The older (bodies) attract the younger, while others repel them. Many perish, devoured by their stronger companions. Those that escape become worlds."

Our solar system began in Mother-Space, or arose in the womb of Aditi, the Eternal Mother, as a nebula, not by chance, but as one of the stages in a new embodiment of a universe, in this case our solar system. As this nebula slowly moved in space, at its heart there began to be a condensation of the nebular substance. This condensation became the Sun, and a little later at various points in the same nebula, similar but smaller condensation of the nebular material occurred, and these became the planets.

FOOTNOTE:

Students should note the distinction between the terms SPACE & ADITI. Aditi is used for that particular portion of Space, which is or becomes the Cosmic Womb of a spatial Unit to be born therefrom, or to become therefrom; whereas it is obvious that space can be used in the same limited sense, but likewise very easily to signify the Boundless. Precisely because Aditi, on however large or small a scale, is the cosmic Womb and therefore limited in a sense, its application is not so general as is that of the more abstract term Space. Thus, the Aditi of a solar system is the space of a solar system when Aditi as the solar system's womb or originate matter is kept in mind; similarly, so as concerns a galaxy. It would be straining the correct meaning of Aditi to call it the Boundless because neither the Boundless nor Infinite Space can ever be looked upon as acting in an individualized capacity.

Consider for a moment and raise yourselves in spirit of understanding to a portion of cosmic infinitude which modern science in its ignorance would call 'empty space.' Now then keep this portion of unoccupied space in mind; raise your mind inwardly into other and interior planes, passing in mental picture upwards and inwards seven stages or degrees. We then shall have reached the plane of Cosmic Spirit, and here in thought we pause a moment. Al the planes through which our mind has passed upwards from the manifested body or being of the Vedic Aditi, a word which means 'unlimited.' W remain on this highest plane, in our thought passing through ages of cosmic time; and after a while our consciousness which thus is become an observer, grows cognisant of motion in the spirit-substance around us. A mathematical point or center seems to be condensing, begins to glow with light, begins to take unto itself movement in circular fashion, as well as movement of translation or progression. As we watch in thought through the ages, we see this center become duplicated and quadruplicated and multiplied elsewhere in the substance-space around us; these other and apparently smaller points or foci doing just as the first point or center had done, glowing and glittering and flashing with unimaginable splendor and moving both circularly and in translation. We begin to notice that the so-called 'empty space' in which these various flashing points exist, itself becomes thoroughly active as spiritual substance and as still other ages pass by in our thought, we realize that we are observing the condensation of a spiritual nebula or a sea or ocean of flaming but heatless spiritual Fire in which the above-mentioned revolving points exist as living nuclei, each one formed around a laya center. As time still passes this spiritual nebula and all parts of it, both its fullness and the different nuclei, send emanations or flowing forces and substances from themselves down to the next lower plane of the body of Aditi which next lower plane in its turn is thus awakened by regular serial stages to manifesting nebular life. We realize that this progressing 'descent' continues steadily through emanation following upon emanation, so that finally every plane of the body of Aditi or the universe, in its turn becomes a field of space or the stage of awakening manifested existence and of innumerable living points, which are manifesting Monads. Finally, what we call the physical plane of space is reached and we then begin to discern the same appearances, as before observed, on this physical plane. Faint wisps and steaks of light coalesce and become a luminous nebula, increasing in brilliancy as the ages pass, in which the above-mentioned living nuclei, or rather the emanations on this lowest plane reaching out from the original nuclei on the highest plane, again appear with their respective circular and translatory motions. Thus, we have a nebula in its appearance on the physical plane.

The nebula itself slowly whirs in majestic rotational movements through long ages, the living nuclei above mentioned slowly becoming more brilliant and active in their manifestation on the physical plane. We finally discern that the largest of these living nuclei is really the beginning of our Sun, and that the smaller nuclei have taken unto themselves movements as minor nebulae within the greater nebula and all are more condensed than the general field of the nebula itself is; we see that the living substance forming the general nebula is slowly absorbed or sucked into the respective bodies of these nuclei and we then realize that we are witnessing the birth of the physical plane of the solar system, with its attendant planetary chains in their first appearances on this physical cosmic plane or world. We understand that both the Sun and the planetary chains are sevenfold or tenfold, and indeed twelvefold, in character extending from the spiritual down through all intermediate worlds to the physical cosmic plane, and we notice that these nuclei on all the planes assort themselves in such fashion that on the first or highest plane, the spiritual, there is one globe, and on every succeeding plane there are two nuclei or globes, until we reach the physical plane when there is one nucleus or globe again -- the 'reflection' on the physical pane of the first or highest globe on the spiritual plane. We realize with intense keenness of conviction that every one of these nucleus-globes, itself being formed not only of the spirit and of the soul, but of the body, of Aditi, is therefore as a cosmic unit seven or ten or twelvefold in character, according to the way in which we choose to count its different Elements or Principles.

THE MECHANICS OF COSMIC IMBODIMENT

What we may call the 'mechanics' of the gradual appearance of a universal solar system, first as a golden point or golden germ which the Hindu writings call Hiranyagarbha, which is, otherwise phrased, 'Golden Seed,' of the future universal solar system, should be grasped in as clearly outlined a picture as possible, for otherwise confusion is bound to arise. We have first the appearance of the glowing cosmic seed, this appearance being first on the highest of the seven planes of space, which really is a laya center beginning to awaken to activity. This golden germ gradually expands as it unfolds, because of the pouring through the laya center from above downwards into this glowing germ of the unfolding inner life principles. As the ages of time slowly flow onwards and this glowing golden germ continues its expansion, the germ finally attains the dimensions of a cosmic nebula, filling all the space where it appears with 'cold light,' or 'cold fire'. In this nebula, in their turn slowly 'break through' into manifestation minor cosmic seeds, each one in its turn swelling and each one likewise being the beginning of the awakening into activity of a laya center. We have thus a vast expanse of glowing but perfectly cool spiritual Flame, which is the general nebula and here and there in the substance of this nebula appear these minor foci, each one the seed of a future celestial body belonging to the universal solar system to be, and now in process of formation on this highest or seventh or spiritual plane of manifestation.

From, time to time one of these minor cosmic seeds reaches the point in its emanational unfolding growth where it takes unto itself movement because of the innate forces working through it. This movement is of both rotary and translatory character. This dual movement makes of each such minor seed a comet.

As the descent through the seven planes of manifestation continues through aeonic time, the surplus of life on the descending arc finally reaches the lowest part of the highest or seventh plane, and slowly by descending breaks through into the highest part of the next inferior or next lower cosmic plane and repeats exactly on this succeeding or lower plane what had previously taken place on the highest plane, as just described. Here on this second plane, the same general run of unfolding activity takes place: first the appearance of the golden germ, which slowly swells and expands, and which pours out from the laya center which is its heart ever more and more of the forces and substances it progressively unrolls so that in time on this lower cosmic plane a nebula is again formed like its parent on the superior plane.

The process continues both in general and in particular, through all the seven planes of manifestation, until the lowest cosmic plane is reached that it is possible for the karman of the unfolding universal solar system to attain. This lowest cosmic plane we humans call our material world -- the lowest aspect of the universal Egg of Brahma. Here on this material plane there first appears a cosmic comet which, as before described has awakened in its far distant bed in space, and which then enlivened because of the awakening of the laya center which is its heart, begins to rush or peregrinate in erratic movements through the galactic spaces until it finally reaches that portion of the galaxy to which it is karmically drawn and which portion of space we now find occupied by our own universal solar system, surrounded as it is with the zodiacal belt. here it attains relative stability or equilibrium because of the balancing energies or powers of the twelve fohatic magnetisms flowing from the twelve constellations of the celestial zodiac.

The Book of Dzyan is a reputedly ancient text that is said to contain the Stanzas of Dzyan, which form the basis for The Secret Doctrine (1888), one of the foundational works of the theosophical movement. According to Helena Petrovna Blavatsky the Book of Dzyan is part of the secret volumes of the Kiu-te.