To conclude our too long answer, the “lower principles” mentioned before are the first, second and the third.  They cannot include the Kama rupa, for this “rupa” belongs to the middle, not the lower principles.  And, to our correspondent’s further query, “Do the atoms of these (the fourth and the fifth) also re-form, after going through various transmigrations, to constitute over again the fourth and the lower fifth of the next incarnation?” we answer, “They do.”  The reason why we have tried to explain the doctrine of the “life-atoms” at such length, is precisely in connection with this last question, and with the object of throwing out one more fertile hint.  We do not feel at liberty at present, however, to give any further details.

—­H.P.  Blavatsky

“OM,” And Its Practical Significance

I shall begin with a definition of Om, as given by the late Professor Theodore Goldstucker:—­

“Om is a Sanskrit word which, on account of the mystical notions that even at an early date of Hindu civilization were connected with it, acquired much importance in the development of Hindu religion.  Its original sense is that of emphatic or solemn affirmation or assent.  Thus, when in the White Yajur Veda the sacrificer invites the gods to rejoice in his sacrifice, the goddess Savitri assents to his summons by saying, ‘Om’ (i.e., be it so); proceed!”

Or, when in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Prajapati, the father of gods, men and demons, asks the gods whether they have understood his instructions, he expresses his satisfaction with their affirmative reply in these words, “Om, you have fully comprehended it;” and in the same Upanishad, Pravahana answers the question of Swetaketu, as to whether his father has instructed him, by uttering the word “Om”—­i.e., “forsooth (I am).”

A portion of the Rig Veda called the Aitareya Brahmana, where, describing a religious ceremony at which verses from the Rig Veda, as well as songs called Gathas, were recited by the priest called Hotri, and responses given by another priest, the Adhwaryu, says:  Om is the response of the Adhwaryu to the Rig Veda verses (recited by the Hotri), and likewise tatha (i.e., thus) his response to the Gathas, for Om is (the term of assent) used by the gods, whereas tatha is (the term of assent) used by men (the Rig Veda verses being, to the orthodox Hindu, of divine and the Gathas of human authorship).

In this, the original sense of the word, it is little doubtful that Om is but an older and contracted form of the common Sanskrit word evam ("thus"), which, coming from the pronominal base “a,” in some derivations changed to “e,” may have at one time occurred in the form avam, when, by the elision of the vowel following a, for which there are numerous analogies in Sanskrit, vum would become aum, and hence, according to the ordinary phonetic laws of the language, Om.  This etymology of the word,