Subba Row
Encyclopedia
For the Subba Row, the cricketer, see the article on Raman Subba Row
.
Tallapragada Subba Row (July 6, 1856-June 24, 1890) was a Theosophist from a Hindu
background and originally worked as a Vakil (Pleader) within the Indian justice system. His primary instructors in this field were Messrs. Grant and Laing, who saw to his establishment as a Vakil, a profession which became highly profitable for the time that he held it.
However, Subba Row's interest in the law paled when compared to the way he devoured philosophy, especially after an event in which he met two particular individuals. In 1882, he invited Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott
to Madras (now Chennai), where he convinced them to make Adyar the permanent headquarters for the Theosophical Society
. Prior to this meeting however, Subba Row was not known for any esoteric or mystical knowledge, even by his closest friends and parents . It was only after meeting the pair that he began to expound on metaphysics, astounding most of those who knew him.
Upon this meeting and thereafter, Subba Row became able to recite whatever passage was so request of him from the Bhagavad Gita
, Upanishads, and many other sacred texts of India
. He had, apparently, never studied these things prior to the fateful meeting, and it is stated that when meeting Blavatsky and Damodar K. Mavalankar
, all knowledge from his previous lives came flooding back.
For many years then, Subba Row was instrumental in establishing Theosophy in India, and continued to work hard until the first draft of the Secret Doctrine was given to him. It was his initial compulsion to edit the piece when it had been proposed, but upon reading it, he utterly and completely refused to have anything to do with it. It was his opinion that the piece contained so many mistakes that he might as well be writing a completely new book were he to edit it.
, Esoteric Writings, and his Collected Writings in two volumes.
Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row is an English former cricketer who played for England, Cambridge University, Surrey and Northamptonshire.-Life and career:...
.
Tallapragada Subba Row (July 6, 1856-June 24, 1890) was a Theosophist from a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
background and originally worked as a Vakil (Pleader) within the Indian justice system. His primary instructors in this field were Messrs. Grant and Laing, who saw to his establishment as a Vakil, a profession which became highly profitable for the time that he held it.
However, Subba Row's interest in the law paled when compared to the way he devoured philosophy, especially after an event in which he met two particular individuals. In 1882, he invited Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott
Henry Steel Olcott
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott was an American military officer, journalist, lawyer and the co-founder and first President of the Theosophical Society....
to Madras (now Chennai), where he convinced them to make Adyar the permanent headquarters for the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
. Prior to this meeting however, Subba Row was not known for any esoteric or mystical knowledge, even by his closest friends and parents . It was only after meeting the pair that he began to expound on metaphysics, astounding most of those who knew him.
Upon this meeting and thereafter, Subba Row became able to recite whatever passage was so request of him from the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
, Upanishads, and many other sacred texts of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He had, apparently, never studied these things prior to the fateful meeting, and it is stated that when meeting Blavatsky and Damodar K. Mavalankar
Damodar K. Mavalankar
Damodar K. Mavalankar was an Indian Theosophist.-Biography:He was born in the family of the Karhâda Mahârashtra caste of Brâhmanas, a wealthy Indian family. Apart from learning the tenets of his religion by his father from an early age, he also received a very good English education.In 1879 he met...
, all knowledge from his previous lives came flooding back.
Theosophy in Adyar
Subba Row had initial problems with instructing non-Hindus. It was his distinct belief at the time that Hindu knowledge should remain with India, and not be extended to foreigners. In fact, even after passing over this hurdle, he was still especially private regarding his spiritual life, even to his mother and close friends. Unless the person he was speaking to had a deep understanding of mysticism, it was a fairly mute topic for him.For many years then, Subba Row was instrumental in establishing Theosophy in India, and continued to work hard until the first draft of the Secret Doctrine was given to him. It was his initial compulsion to edit the piece when it had been proposed, but upon reading it, he utterly and completely refused to have anything to do with it. It was his opinion that the piece contained so many mistakes that he might as well be writing a completely new book were he to edit it.
Decline
In 1888, T. Subba Row resigned from the Theosophical Society along with J.N. Cook. Tensions between himself and many of the members, as well as with HPB, had grown too stressful to maintain. It was only slightly thereafter that he contracted a cutaneous disease, a sickness which manifested itself in an outbreak of boils in 1890 during his last visit to the Theosophical Society's headquarters in Madras. Eventually he would succumb to the disease that year, and died on June 24, 1890, saying that his guru had called him, and that it was time for his departure. He was cremated the morning after as per Hindu tradition.Memorable works
Among the many memorable works he left to humanity, they include his commentaries on the Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
, Esoteric Writings, and his Collected Writings in two volumes.
- T. Subba Row Collected WritingsT. Subba Row Collected WritingsThe Collected Writings of T. Subba Row were published in two volumes by Henk J. Spierenburg. Subba Row's writings are about Esotericism, Theosophy, the Zodiac, the theosophic septenary, the Chakras and other topics. His commentary on the Baghavad Gita is well known among theosophists...
, Compiled and Annotated by Henk J. Spierenburg, Volume 1 en 2. Point Loma Publications, 2001, 2002. ISBN 1-889598-30-5 and ISBN 1-889598-31-3
Articles
- Notes on the Bhagavad Gita http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/gita-sr/nbg-hp.htm
- On the Bhagavad Gita http://www.theosophical.ca/OnBhagavadGita.htm
- Philosophy of the Gita http://www.theosophical.ca/PhiloBhagavad.htm
- First Ray in Buddhism http://www.katinkahesselink.net/sr_ray.htm
- What Is Occultism? http://www.theosophical.ca/WhatIsOccultism.htm
- Comments on the Idyll of the White Lotus http://www.theosophical.ca/commentsidyll.htm
- Occultism of Southern India http://www.katinkahesselink.net/sr_india.htm
- Personal and impersonal God http://www.theosophical.ca/Personal-ImpersonalGodSR.html
- Places of Pilgrimage http://www.theosophical.ca/PlacesOfPilgrimageSR.htm
- 12 signs of Zodiac http://www.theosophical.ca/TwelveSignsZodiac.htm