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Blavatsky Helena Petrovna

Helena Blavatsky (Rus: Елена Петровна Блаватская, nee Hahn, German: von Hahn; July 31 (August 12) 1831, Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire – April 26 (May 8) 1891, London) – theosophist, writer and traveler. Some authoritative sources maintain that H.P. Blavatsky was a prominent philosopher and scientist of religious studies. Between 1848 and 1875 Blavatsky three times had gone round the world. In 1875, Blavatsky together with Colonel H.S. Olcott established the Theosophical Society. One of the main purposes of this Society was “to form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color”. H. Blavatsky’s activity was mainly in USA, Great Britain and India. She wrote her basic works in English.

Contents 1. Biography 1.1. Genealogy. 1.2. Childhood and youth. 1.3. Years of travel. 1.4. Main creative period. 2. H. Blavatsky’s teaching and the Theosophical Society. 2.1. H. Blavatsky’s relation to spiritism and mediumism. 2.2. Theory of basic races of H. Blavatsky. 3. Various points of view on H. Blavatsky’s activity. 3.1. Psychic research society and H.P. Blavatsky 3.1.1. R. Hodgson’s report (1885). 3.1.2. Press communiqué of the Psychic Research Society and a book of V. Harrison (1986). 3.2. Vs. Solovyov and H.P. Blavatsky 4. Modern scientific assessments of H. Blavatsky’s works. 5. Blavatsky’s ideas in literature and art. 6. Museum centre of H.P. Blavatsky and her family. 7. Memory about H.P. Blavatsky 8. Statements of scientists and cultural workers about H. Blavatsky 9. Interesting facts. 10. Bibliographies. 10.1. H. Blavatsky’s main works. 10.2. H. Blavatsky in the dictionaries and encyclopedias. 10.3. Scientific publications, including proceedings of scientific and scientific and public conferences dedicated to H. Blavatsky. 10.4. H. Blavatsky in literature. 10.5. Other materials. 11. References. 12. See also

Lineage
Maternally H.P. Blavatsky’s lineage goes back through the prince Michael of Chernigov  to Ryurick,  founder of  statehood in Russia. Maternally the direct ancestor of H. Blavatsky was Sergey Grigor’yevich Dolgoruky, well-known diplomat of his time, brother of Aleksey Grigor’evich Dolgoruky, a member of Supreme Secret Council under Peter the Second. Sergei Grigor’evich was great grandfather of Helena Pavlovna Fadeyeva-Dolgorukaya (H.P. Blavatsky’s grandmother) and great-great-grandfather of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. [16]

H.P. Blavatsky’s grandfather, Prince Pavel Vasilyievich Dolgorukov (1755-1837) was Major General in tome of Ekaterina the Great. He was decorated with a higher army award, Order of St. George [17] and was a companion in arms of Kutuzov [18]. His wife was Henrietta de Bandre Plessy Duc de, a daughter of Adolf Frantcevich, which had command by army corps during Crimea campaign and, according to A.M. Fadeyev, was a favorite of Suvorov [22].

A daughter of Pavel Vasilievich and Henrietta Adolfovna was Princess Helena Pavlovna, H.P. Blavatsky’s grandmother. She got a versatile home education, speak in five languages, was occupied with archeology, numismatics, botanic. Fadeyev’s herbariums and pictures of various plants aroused admiration of many scientists. Helena Pavlovna was in scientific correspondence with well-known German scientist Alexander Humboldt, English geologist, founder of Geographic Society R. Merchison, Sweden botanist Christian Steven, researcher of Caucasus flora and fauna. According to H.F. Pisareva, botanist Homer de Hel named found by him shell Venus-Fadeyeff in honor of Helena Pavlovna.

In 1813, princess married Andrew Mikhailovich Fadeyev which was the state officer and later the secret councilor, governor of Saratov and Tiflice. His lineage goes back to Russian hereditary nobleman and Germans von Krause. Andrew Mikhailovich’s grandfather Peter Mikhailovich Fadeyev was captain in the army of Peter the Great. Helena Pavlovna and Andrew Mikhailovich had four children. Elder daughter Helena Hahn was well-known writer; she had a name Russian George Sand. She was a mother of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Vera Petrovna Jelihovsky and Leonid Hahn. Next, son Rostislav Fadeyev, was general, army writer and reformer. Daughter Ekaterina Andreevna was mother of well-known Russian statesman Sergey Yul’evich Witte. And the last, daughter Nadejda Andreevna was active member of Theosophical Society. S.Yu. Witte wrote that his grandfather P.V. Dolgorukov during his daughter’s marring had blessed daughter and son-in-law by ancient cross which according to family legend belongs to the Grand Prince of Kiev St. Michael of Chernigov. Later this cross passed into the hands of Helena Pavlovna and further to S.Yu. Witte.

According to lineage of her father Peter Alekseevich Hahn, Helena Petrovna belongs to Baltic-German family Hahn. Boris Zirkoff, a editor and active promoter of theosophy, in introduction to H.P. Blavatsky’s collected works pointed to that Hahn's family (H.P. Blavatsky’s forefathers from father’s side) belongs to count’s family von Hahn from Basedov (Mecklenburg). According to information from another source, this family goes back to Caroling’s dynasty and German knights and crusaders. Meanwhile, any documents supporting a relationship between H.P. Blavatsky’s family and the Mecklenburg’s counts are still not found. In the record of service of “Aleksey Fedorov Hahn’s son” (1751-1815) (H.P.Blavatsky’s grandfather, governor of fortress Kamenets-Podolsk) is mentioned as descended from “Eastland’s inhabitants. His father had foreign citizenship and was Kraits-commissioner in the Eastland”. The archives contain the documents supporting the existence of “Kraits-commissioner” Johann Friedrich (Fyodor) Hahn which was born in 1719 at Narva and died May 31, 1803, in the same place. The documents do not contain any information about the lineage or ties of relationship of the family. Note that B. Zirkoff himself belongs to Hahn's family from female side, not Johann Friedrich but Johann August von Hahn, which is not connected with H.P. Blavatsky’s family by documents.

Childhood and youth
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was born on July 31 (August 12 for new style) 1831 at Yekaterinoslav (from 1926 Dnepropetrovsk) in the family of well-known writer Helena Andreevna Hahn (Fadeyeva) and an officer of horse-artillery battery Peter Alekseevich Hahn. Because of father’s profession, the family often chooses the place of abode. A year later after Helena’s birth, the family moved to Romankovo (now it enters Dneprodzerzhinsk), and in 1835 they moved to Odessa, where Helena’s sister Vera (future writer Jelihovsky) was born. Further the family lived in Tula and Kursk and in spring 1836 arrived to St. Petersburg where lived up to May 1837. From Petersburg Helena Petrovna with her sister, mother and grandfather Andrei Mikhailovich Fadeyev moved to Astrakhan. There Andrei Mikhailovich worked a main relieving officer over Kalmyk people and local German colonists. [36]. In 1838, mother with the little girls moved to Poltava where Helena began to take the dance lessons and learned to play the piano with the mother.

In spring 1839, the family moved to Odessa because of Helena’s wealth aggravation. There Helena Andreevna found the governess for her children which had taught them English. [38]. In November, Helena’s Grandfather Andrei Mikhailovich was assigned for a governor of Saratov by approval of Emperor’s Nikolai I. After this, Helena Andreevna with her children moved to him. In June 1840, at Saratov her son Leonid was born. Then Helena Petrovna was nine years old. Nadejda Fadeyeva, Helena’s aunt, wrote to A.Sinnett her memory about the niece:

“In childhood, all [Helena’s] the likings and interests were concentrated on the people from lower estates. She preferred to play with domestic’s children but not with equals. <…> She always needs for attention to prevent her escape from home and meetings with street ragamuffins. And at mature age she irrepressibly reached out to them whose status was lower than her own, and displayed a marked indifference to the “nobles”, to which she belongs by birth”. [39]

Ten years old, Helena began to study the German. A progress was so appreciable that, according to V. Jelihovsky, the father “complemented her and in jest called a worthy heiress of her glorious ancestors, German knights Hahn-Hahn von der Rother Hahn, knew no another language besides German”.

In 1841, the family returns again to Ukraine. On July 6, 1842 Helena Andreevna Hahn, Helena’s mother and at that time well-known writer was died at the age of 28 because of galloping consumption.

According to Vera Jelihovsky, the mother all the time was worried about a destiny of elder daughter, “gifted from childhood by outstanding features”. [41]. Before her death, the mother said: “Well! Perhaps it is for the better that I am dying: at least, I will not suffer from seeing Helena’s hard lot! I am quite sure that her destiny will be not womanly, that she will suffer much”. [42].

After mother’s death, Helena’s grandfather Andrei Mikhailovich and Grandmother Helena Pavlovna had picked up the children to himself to Saratov, where they had a quite different life. Fadeyev’s house was visited by Saratov’s intellectuals. A known historian Kostomarov and writer Mary Zhukova were among them [16]. Now Grandmother and three teachers were occupied with the children’s upbringing and education, therefore, Blavatsky got a solid home education [43, 44].

Helena’s favorite place in the house was grandmother’s library which Helena Pavlovna inherited from her father [44]. In this voluminous library, Helena Petrovna paid a special attention to the books on medieval occultism [45].

In 1847, the family had moved from Saratov to Tiflis (now Tbilisi, Georgia), where Andrei Mikhailovich get a proposition to work in the Council of senior Governance of Transcaucasia region [46]. H.F. Pisareva wrote in her biographic essay “Helena Petrovna Blavatsky”: “They who knew her … in youth remember with delight her inexhaustibly merry, cheerful, sparkling with wit talk. She liked jokes, teasing and to cause a commotion” [26]. Nadejda Andreevna Fadeyeva, Helena’s aunt, remembered the following:

“As a child, as a young woman, as a woman, she always was so higher than her surroundings that she never was could not appreciated at its true value. She was trained as a girl from good family … Extraordinary wealth of her intellectual faculties, fineness and quickness of her thoughts, amazing lightness of her understanding and learning of most difficult disciplines, unusually developed mind together with chivalrous, direct, energetic and open character – this is what raised her so high over the level of conventional society and could not help attracting the common attention and therefore the envy and hostility from these who with their nonentity can not stand of luster and gifts of this wonderful nature” [26].

In youth, Helena had a high life, often was in society, danced at the balls and visited the parties. But when she reached 16, she has experienced sudden inner change, and she began to study the books from great grandfather’s library more deeply. [47].

In 1910, H.F.Pisareva, in her essay dedicated to H.P. Blavatsky, cited the reminiscences of Mary Grigor’evna Yermolova, Tiflis governor’s wife: “Simultaneously with Fadeev’s family, in Tiflis lived a relation of the Caucasian Governor-general, prince Golitsin. He often visited Fadeyevs and was greatly interested by an original young woman”. Just due to Golitsin (Yermolova did not cited his name) which, as it was rumored, was “either mason or magician or soothsayer” Blavatsky tried “to come into contact with a mysterious sage of the East where prince Golitsin was going to” [26]. This version was further supported by many biographers of H. Blavatsky [48]. According to reminiscences of A.M.Fadeyev and V.P. Jelihovsky, at the end of 1847, an old friend of Andrei Mikhailovich prince Vladimir Sergeevich Golitsin (1794-1861), Major General, Head of the Caucasian line centre and further privy councilor [49], arrived to Tiflis and lived there a few months. He almost daily visited Fadeyevs, and often with his young sons Sergei (1823-1873) and Alexander (1825-1864) [50]. Therefore, some researchers of H.P. Blavatsky consider the information from M. Yermolova about prince Golitsin improbable because the young Golitsin’s sons did not correspond to Yermolova’s description because of age, and aged prince Golitsin could not be “strongly interested for an original young woman” because of moral reasons. In addition, according to his biographers, prince Golitsin never was going to the East [49].

Striving for full independence, in winter 1848/1849, at Tiflis Helena Petrovna entered into a sham marriage with vice-governor of Erevan Nikifor Vladimirovich Blavatsky, which was much elder than Helena. In June 7, 1849 their wedding ceremony took place. Soon after their wedding, Helena escaped from the husband and returned to her relatives. [51]. Further, she was going to Odessa and sailed away from Poti to Kerch at English sailboat “Commodore”. Then she moved to Constantinople. There she met a Russian countess Kiseleva, and together they leaved to travel over Egypt, Greece and Eastern Europe [53].

Years of travels
Next period of H.P. Blavatsy’s life is difficult for her biographers as she did not keep diaries and there was nobody with her to tell about these events. [54]. In general, a picture of a route and course of the travels is based mainly on Blavatsky’s own memories which sometimes contain the chronological contradictions [55]. N.A. Fadeyeva reported that over all her relatives the father only knows where his daughter is, and from time to time he sent money to her. [56]. It is known that Helena Blavatsky met Albert Rawson at Cairo. At that time he was the student learned the art. After H. Blavatsky’s death, A. Rawson, already a doctor of theology and doctor of law in Oxford described their meeting at Cairo. According to her memory, Blavatsky told him about her future participation in the work which some day will serve to liberation of the human mind. Rawson wrote:

“Her relation to her mission was highly impersonal because she often repeated: “This work is not my but he who sends me”. [57].

According to H. Blavatsky’s reminiscences, after she leaved Middle East she together with her father began to travel over the Europe [58]. It is known, that at this time she learned to play piano with I. Mosheles, well-known composer and virtuoso pianist. Later she gave several concerts in England and other countries [59].

In 1851, on her birthday (August 12), Blavatsky for the first time met her Teacher in Hide-Park at London. Previously, she saw the Teacher in her dreams. Countess Konstanz Wahtmeister, widow of Sweden ambassador at London, remembered the details of this talk in which Teacher said that he “needs her participation in the work he is going to undertake” and “she will live three years at Tibet to prepare for carrying out of this important mission” [60,61]. When leaved England, H.P. Blavatsky had gone to Canada, then to Mexico and Central and Southern America. In 1852 she arrived to India. [63]. Helena Petrovna remembered: “I lived there about two years and monthly received money from unknown person. I honestly followed the pointed route. I received the letters from this Hindu but not once seen him during these two years” [64].

Before leaving India, Blavatsky tried to pass to Tibet through Nepal but Britain representative broken her plans. [65].

From India, H.P. Blavatsky came back to London, where, according to V. Jelihovsky, “acquiring a fame by her music talent. She was a member of philharmonic society” [66]. Here, according to H.P. Blavatsky, she met her Teacher another time [67]. After this meeting she came to New York, where resumed to met A. Rawson. Then, according to A.P. Sinnett, H.P. Blavatsky came to Chicago, and further, together with settler caravans, to Far West through the Rocky Mountains. After this, she stayed some time at San Francisco. In 1855 (or 1856), she sailed through the Pacific Ocean to the Far East. Then she via Japan and Singapore arrived to Calcutta [68].

In 1856, H. Blavatsky’s memories about her living in India were published in the book “From caves and jungles of Hindustan”. In that book Blavatsky has displayed an eminent literature talent [69]. The book was composed from essays written from 1879 to 1886 under the pen name “Radda-Bay”. In Russian, the essays firstly published in newspaper “Moskovskie vedomosti” which was edited by known publicist M.N. Katkov. The essays attracted a great interest of the readership so Katkov republished them at attachment to “Russkii vestnik” and then published new letters written specially for this journal. In 1892, the book was partially translated into English; in 1975 it was fully translated into English [70].

The book “From the caves and jungles of Hindustan” in a literature style describes the travels of H. Blavatsky and her Teacher which she named Takhur Gulab-Singh [71]. In spite of that the book was considered as novel, Blavatsky asserted that “the facts and persons that I cited are true. I simply collected to time interval in three-four months the events and cases occurring during several years just like the part of the phenomena that the Teacher has shown” [72].

In 1857, Blavatsky repeatedly tried to pass to Tibet from India via Kashmir but shortly before the Mutiny she got the instructions from her Teacher and sailed at a Holland ship from Madras to Java. Later she returned to Europe [74].

Further Blavatsky during several months was in France and Germany, and then she moved to Pskov to her relatives. She arrived to him in the Christmas night of 1858 [75]. According to V. Jelihovsky, H.P. Blavatsky returned from the travels as “a human gifted by exceptional features and forces amazing all the people around her”.

On May, 1859 Blavatsky with her family moved to village Rugodevo of Novorzhev district where Blavatsky lived almost one year. This period finished by her strong illness. On spring 1860, when she got well she, together with her sister, moved to Caucasus to visit her grandparents [66].

As V. Jelihovsky has reported, on the way to Caucasus, at Zadonsk, Blavatsky met the former exarch of the Georgia Isidor. Further he was the metropolitan of Kiev and then Novgorod, St-Petersburg and Finland. Isidor gave one’s blessing to H.P. Blavatsky [66]. (Details see below). From Russia, Blavatsky began to travel again. Although her further route is not known for certain, probably, she visited Persia, Syria, Lebanon, Jerusalem and more than once was at Egypt, Greece and Italy [76].

In 1867, she traveled through Hungary and Balkans during a few months. Then she visited Venice, Florence and Mentan. [76]. According to N. Fodor’s biography [77], in November 17, 1867 she took part in the battle near Mentan on Garibaldi’s side. Her left hand was twice broken by saber stabs; in addition, she got two hard missile wounds in right shoulder and leg. Initially, she was considered as killed but further she was picked up at the battlefield [78]. Blavatsky told Olcott that she was a volunteer at Mentan together with other European women [79]. On the beginning of 1868, when Blavatsky recovered from the wounds she moved to Florence. Then she traveled to North Italy and Balkans and further to Constantinople, India and Tibet [80]. Later, when she answered to the question why she traveled to Tibet, H.P. Blavatsky wrote: “Really, it is quite useless to go to Tibet or India to recover some knowledge or power that are hidden in any human soul; but acquisition of higher knowledge and power requires not only many years of intensive studying under the guidance of higher mind together with a resolution that cannot be shaken by any danger, and as much as years of relative solitude, in communication with disciples only which pursue the same aim, and in such a place where both the nature and the neophyte preserve a perfect and unbroken rest if not the silence! There the air is not poisoned by miasmas around a hundreds miles, and there the atmosphere and human magnetism are quite clear and there the animal’s blood is never shed” [81].

According to biographers, H.P. Blavatsky’s path laid to Tashilunpo monastery (near Shigatse) [82]. A book “The Voice of the Silence”, published for the request of Panchen Lama IX in 1927 by Chinese society for Buddhism study at Peking, reports that H. Blavatsky during several years was studied in Tashilunpo and knew well Panchen Lama VIII Tenpay Vangchug [83]. Blavatsky also confirmed her living at Tashilunpo and Shigatse [84]. In a letter, she depicted her correspondent a solitary temple of Tashi Lama near Shigatse [85].

S. Cranston asserts that, according to H.P. Blavatsky, it is not known would she was at Lhasa in that time, but V. Jelihovsky affirmed the follows: “It is reliably that she (Blavatsky) sometimes was at Lhasa, capital of Tibet, and also at Shigatse, main Tibetan religious centre … and at Karakoram mountains in Kunlun Shan. Her living stories about this proved that for me many times” [86].

According to the biographers, last period of her living at Tibet H.P. Blavatsky has conducted in the home of her Teacher Koot Hoomi (K.H.). He helps Blavatsky to get to several lamaseries where any European was not before her. [78,86,87]. In the letter from October 2, 1991 she wrote to M. Hillis-Billing that the house of Teacher K.H. “is in the region of Karakoram mountains beyond Ladakh which is at minor Tibet and related now to Kashmir. This is a large wooden building in China style looking like to pagoda located between lake and a nice river”. [88]. Researchers believe that just at this time (during living in Tibet) Blavatsky began to study the texts which later will come to the book “The Voice of the Silence” [89].

In 1927, one of the eminent explorers of Tibet and its philosophy U.I. Evans-Vents wrote in introduction to his translation of “The Tibetan Book of the Dead”: “As concerning an esoteric meaning of forty ninth day of Bardot, please see about this in H.P. Blavatsky’s “The Secret Doctrine” (London, 1888, v.1, P.238, 411; v.2, p. 617,628). Late lama K.D. Samdup believed that in spite of malevolent critics of Blavatsky’s works, this author has undisputable proofs that she was well acquainted with the highest lamaist teaching, and for this she needs to get an initiation” [90]. Doctor Malalasekera, founder and President of the World Buddhist brotherhood, wrote about Blavatsky in a monumental “Buddhism Encyclopedia”: “Her acquaintance with Tibetan Buddhism and also with esoteric Buddhism practices is indubitable” [91]. Thus, Japan philosopher and Buddhologist D. Suzuki supposes that “undoubtedly Ms. Blavatsky somehow or other was initiated into deeper propositions of the Mahayana teaching” [92].

After almost three years living at Tibet, Blavatsky began to travel through Middle East [93]. Then she visited Cyprus and Greece [94, 95].

In 1871, during the travel from Piraeus to Egypt at the ship “Evnomia” the powder magazine blew up and the ship was destroyed. Thirty passengers died. H.P. Blavatsky escaped but lost her luggage and money [78].

In 1871, Blavatsky arrived to Cairo where she has founded a Spiritualistic society (Societe Sirite) aimed on studying of mental phenomena. However, soon the society turned out in centre of financial scandal and was disbanded. [77, 78].

On July of 1872, after leaving of Cairo, Blavatsky came to Odessa through Syria, Palestine and Constantinople where she lived during nine months [96].

S.Yu. Witte remembered that Blavatsky “when settled at Odessa, <…> firstly opened a shop and factory for ink and then a flower shop (for artificial flowers). At this time she often visited my mother. … When I make the acquaintance of her, I was surprised by her colossal talent to grasp any thing very quickly. … Many times before my very eyes she wrote the longest letters to her friends and relatives. … In the main, she was very not unkindly woman. She has so huge blue eyes that I never see in my life.” [97].

On April of 1873, Blavatsky moved from Odessa to Bucharest to visit her friend. Then she came to Paris where she lived with her first cousin Nikolai Hahn. In the end of July, she purchased a ticket to New York. H. Olcott and Countess K. Vahtmeister reported that when H.P. Blavatsky saw a poor woman with two children which can not to pay the fare, she have changed her first-class ticket for four third-class tickets and traveled through the Pacific Ocean during two weeks under third-class. [98, 99].

Main creative period
In 1873, Blavatsky moved to Paris and further to USA where she met a colonel Henry Steel Olcott. In 1875, they established the Theosophical Society [100]. In April 3, 1875, in New York, Blavatsky formally has married with a Georgian living in America Michael Betanelly. The marriage had broken after several months [78]. In July 8, 1878 she became an American citizen [101].

In February of 1879, Blavatsky and Olcott leaved for Bombay. In 1882, they founded a headquarters of the Theosophical Society in Adyar near Madras [100].

Soon they met Alfred Sinnett, editor of the government Allahabad’s newspaper “The Pioneer”. Sinnett was seriously interested in activity of the Society. Using H. Blavatsky’s mediation, he began to correspond with Mahatmas. Sinnett was against the publication of the letters in total volume. He selected for publication some fragments which, as he believed, reflected the Mahatmas thoughts exactly enough. For all that, the correspondence was published by Alfred Barker in 1923, after the Sinnett’s death. [102].

The Theosophical Society has many followers in India [96].

From 1879 to 1888 Blavatsky edited the magazine “The Theosophist” [96].

In 1885, Blavatsky leaved India because of the aggravation. After this, she lived some time in Germany and Belgium. Then she moved to London where she was occupied with writing of the books [96]. Then she wrote “The Voice of the Silence” (1889), “The Secret Doctrine” (1888), “The Key to Theosophy” (1889). On May 8, 1891 Blavatsky died after she was down with flu. Her body was burned and the ashes were divided between three centers of the theosophical movement: London, New York and Adjar (near Madras). The day of her death is observed by the followers as “day of the white lotus”.

The teaching of H.P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society
The letters of H.P. Blavatsky about her travels entitled “From the caves and jungles of Hindustan” and “The people of the Blue Mountains” had been published under pen name “Radda-Bay”. They showed a prominent literature talent of Blavatsky [98]. In 1875, Blavatsky began to write a fundamental work “Isis Unveiled” (finished in 1877). The first number of printed 1000 copies was sold during ten days. [103].

The book resulted in mixed reaction on the part of the critics and society. In opinion of New York newspaper “Gerald Tribune”, the book was named as one of “the prominent creations of the century”. V.P. Jelihovsky wrote in her book “Radda-Bay. Truth about H.P. Blavatsky” that “the first her capital work “Isis Unveiled” had excited the hundreds of complimentary comments in American and European press” and cited the opinion of Armenian archbishop Aivazovsky (brother of the prominent Russian painter, died in 1880 at Tiflis). According to this opinion, Aivazovsky wrote that nothing would be “higher than the appearance of such a phenomenon under the pen of women”. [66]

However, since “Isis Unveiled” revealed the methods of activity of Vatican and its special division the Jesuits Order then the response was not kept to wait. “Springfield Republican” has named the Blavatsky’s work as “large dish of leavings”, “New York Sun” – “as ejected litter”, and the reviewer of “New York tribune” wrote: “H.P. Blavatsky’s knowledge is crude and not digested, her unintelligible exposition of Brahmanism and Buddhism is rather based on suggestions than on the author’s being in the know” [104].

In the same year Blavatsky together with H. Olcott and W. Judge has established a Theosophical Society which proclaimed the following main objectives:

1. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color. 2. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science. 3. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature, and the powers latent in man.

In 1888, Blavatsky has written her main work “The Secret Doctrine” with the following subtitle: “Synthesis of science, religion and philosophy”.

“The teaching brought by Blavatsky is the synthesis of achievements of philosophic and religious thought of mankind: approaching through analysis of Egyptian, Chaldean, Indian, Christian, Zoroastrian, Gnostic, Buddhist and other sacred sources, Blavatsky pointed on a single essence of all religions and philosophies. She strived to unite them by harmonious world-view system named the Secret Doctrine. Considering for any religion it’s esoteric (sacred) and exoteric (external) parts, Blavatsky examined their hidden side and strived to purify it from social and historical appearance, later dogmatic developments and time caused perversions”. [106].

“Teaching of Blavatsky (theosophy) has also an aim to prove that the Nature is not “custom combination of atoms” and to point the human on his legal place in the scheme of Universe; to save from perversion the ancient truths which are the base of all religions; to open, to a certain degree, a main unity from which all religions originate; to show that the hidden side of the Nature was never accessible to the nature of modern civilization. The teaching negates an existence of anthropomorphous God, and asserts a belief in a Universal divine Principle called the Absolute; belief in that the Universe extends by itself from its own Essence and is not created. Blavatsky believed that the most important points of the theosophy were the cleansing of souls, relief of sufferings, moral ideas, and observance of a principle of a Universal Brotherhood. Blavatsky called herself not a creator of the system but only a champion of Supreme Forces, keeper of sacred knowledge of Teachers and Mahatmas from which she get all theosophical truths”. [107].

H.P. Blavatsky asserted that Mahatmas Morya, Koot Hoomi and Joal Khul were among her teachers.

Some religious philosophers, particularly Vladimir Solovyov considered the theosophy as adaptation of Buddhism to needs of European atheistic thinking. [109]. Vl. Solovyov published an article containing a critical review of Blavatsky’s book “The Key to Theosophy” in “Russian review”, on August, 1890. H.P. Blavatsky engaged in polemics, pointing to that the interpretation of theosophy and Eastern philosophy in Solovyov’s review she consider as “mistakes of the critic, both deliberate and custom” [110].

Development of the Theosophical movement aroused an aversion from English colonial administration and clerical circles, especially worked in India Jesuits. The supporters of spiritism had also displayed the aversion so Blavatsky violently came out against the practice of communication with souls of the deceased.

H.P. Blavatsky has founded a periodical edition called “Lucifer”. She edited it together with Anne Besant up to her death on May 1891.

To explain such a title, V. Jelihovsky cited a Blavatsky’s letter. “Why you have attacked me because of I named my magazine “Lucifer”? This is a beautiful name. Lux, Lucis means light; ferre means to carry: “Carrier of light” – what can be better? Lucifer became a synonym of the fallen spirit due to J. Milton’s “Lost Paradise” only. The first fair deed of my journal will be to remove a misunderstanding slander from this name which was used by first Christians for Christ. Easphoros of Greeks, Lucifer of Romans is the name of a morning star which is forerunner of the bright sunlight. Unless Christ not said about herself: “I, Jesus, a star of the morning” (The Revelation of St. John the Divine, XXI I verse 16)? Let’s our journal will foreshadow, like pale clear star of the morning, a bright dawn of the truth, that is merging of all literal interpretation in a single, in spirit, light of truth!” [66].

Several meetings initiated by Episcopal Church of the USA took place in London. However, according to V.P. Jelihovsky, a letter published by H.P. Blavatsky in “Lucifer” which was entitled “Lucifer to the Archbishop of Canterbury”, put an end to the conflict. Jelihovsky wrote that Primate of England declared that this letter brings “if not the theosophical teaching then its advocate a total sympathy and respect”. Also after this the clergy began to visit the Theosophical Society meetings. She maintained that the wife of the Bishop of Canterbury visited these meetings. [66].

H.P. Blavatsky’s relation to spiritualism and mediumism.
Blavatsky’s relatives wrote that from childhood she was lavishly gifted by inner psychical forces. That was displayed in medium phenomena. But further, after she was near thirty three, Blavatsky could bend these forces to one’s will. [66, 112].

In early 1860s, H.P. Blavatsky conducted the séances in Russia. [113]. V.P. Jelihovsky, in her essay “Truth about H.P. Blavatsky” (published in Russian magazine “Rebus” No 40-48, 1863), mentioned that H.P. Blavatsky conducted a séance in order to investigate a murder in Rugodevo village [66].

Sergey Witte, H.P. Blavatsky’s cousin, future chairman of the council of ministers of the Russian Empire, remembered this time: “I remember her (H.P. Blavatsky) at that time when she arrived to Tiflis. <…> Her face was very expressive; it was seen that formerly she was very nice. <…> I remember that high society of Tiflis every evening has gathered for these séances. <…> It seems to me that my mother, my aunt N. Fadeeva and even my uncle Rostislav Fadeev take a great interest in this. >…> At that time, a count Vorontsov-Dashkov, present (1911) governor-general of the Caucasus, both the counts Orlov-Davidov and Perfiliev were young people from St-Petersburg guardian jeunesse dore’e (gold youth); I remember that all of them constantly passed at our place the whole evenings and nights were occupied with spiritism. … So, for instance, once in my presence, according to the wish of one of the present a piano begin to play from another room. It was closed and nobody stays near it” [114].

Although then some people, including V. Jelihovsky, explained this by medium forces but H.P. Blavatsky herself criticized the sister and has denied this, contending that both in Russia and other countries the whole life she was influenced by quite different forces, namely, those which are used by Indian sages or Rajah Yogi. [115-117].

In 1871, when living in Cairo, H.P. Blavatsky has founded a “Spiritual Society” (Societe Spirite), according to her words, in order “to study mediums and phenomena on the basis of theories and philosophy of Allan Cardeck since the absence of another way to show peoples that they are deeply mistaken”. [118]. To make this she first intended to disclose the medium manifestations and then “to show them a difference between passive medium and active creator [of phenomena]” [118]. This case ended in failure: Blavatsky wrote in her letter about the amateur mediums which she found at Cairo:

“They steal the Society’s money; drink hard without of break, but now I catch them for very dishonest deception when they demonstrate the false phenomena to members of our Society which come to study the occult phenomena. I had some very disagreeable cases with few people which make me responsible for all this. Therefore, I have to banish them. <…> A comedy is mixed with a drama when a mad Greek almost shoots me. He attended on two public séances that we have time to conduct, and, probably, becomes possessed by some depraved spirit”. The letter is ended by following words: “I swear forever to finish with similar séances as they are dangerous too, but I don’t have enough experience and strength to overcome the depraved spirits that can get access to my friends during such meetings” [118].

According to Vsevolod Solovyov, H.P. Blavatsky wrote in her letter to A.N. Aksakov (November 14, 1874): “I am a spiritist and a spiritualist in full sense of these words. … During more than ten years I was a spiritist and now all my life belongs to this teaching. I am fighting for it and try to dedicate it all time of my life. If I would rich, I would use of all my money up to last penny pour la propagande de cettle divine verite” [122]. Also Vs. Solovyov testified that Blavatsky said about her devotion to the teaching of the spiritism founder Allan Cardeck [123]. However, as it was noted above, one must relate very carefully to the Vs. Solovyov’s publications.

In another letters, H.P. Blavatsky wrote that she was specially sent to America by her Teachers both to prove a reality of the psychic phenomena in spite of extending atheistic opinions and to reveal a fallibility of a theory accepted in spiritualist circles that during the séances the medium supposedly deals with the spirits of dead people. With this aim she repeatedly took part in the séances [124]. J.N. Farquhar wrote that between 1873 and 1875, in USA, Blavatsky very actively asserted a belief in spiritism, and her occult contacts occurred not with the Teachers from Tibet, but with the spirits of the dead [125]. In the latest works, H.P. Blavatsky rejected an opportunity to communicate with the spirits of the dead. She wrote: “They (spiritualists) assert that all these phenomena are made by the spirits of the dead, mainly of their relatives, which return to the earth, according to their words, for communication with the persons which they loved. We fully reject such an opportunity. We assert that the spirits of the dead can’t return to the earth unless in rare and exclusive cases” [126]. Blavatsky wrote in the one of her letters to General Lippit: “So far I cannot understand why some spiritualists so attacked me! … Perhaps, such a hate towards me is due to that I deny that I have a medium abilities. But why I have lie. Whoever I was not in the childhood, why I have call myself the medium, when know that now I have not a single well-known feature of medium. If I would do this, I would easily dupe the hundreds of people and make a lot of money. … But I am not a medium. I never had their negative qualities and never was under so hard control as it takes place in their case” [127].

H.P. Blavatsky in her latest works criticized the practices of spiritism. She wrote in “Theosophical Glossary”:

“… A belief in constant communication between the living and the dead both through own medium quality and through so called medium is none other than the materialization of spirit and degradation of human and divine souls. They who believe in such communications simply dishonor the dead and continually blaspheme. In ancient times, this fairly was named “Necromancy” [128].

Helena Ivanovna Roerich, a Russian philosopher, traveler, translator of “The Secret Doctrine” in Russian, also criticized the medium phenomena and noted very careful relation of H.P. Blavatsky to mediumism and spiritism:

“… Let nobody <…> will consider a mediumism as a gift, quite the contrary; this is a greatest danger and a stumbling block for the spirit rise. A medium is coaching inn, is a capturing. Really, the medium has not open centers and high psychic energy is absent for him. <…> Let us remember a rule – it is impossible to get any teachings through the mediums. H.P. Blavatsky all her life fights against the ignorant relation to mediums. There are many her articles dedicated just to description of the dangers through which the people must go during the séances if they have not enough knowledge and strong will” [129].

Theory of basic races in the works of H.P. Blavatsky.
One of the most disputable and incorrectly treated ideas in H.P. Blavatsky’s creativity is a conception about the evolution of races, partially states in second volume of “The Secret Doctrine”.

According to some researchers, H.P. Blavatsky called by races not anthropological kinds but the development stages which are passed by all human souls when evolving by repeated incarnations [130]. According to evolutional theory of the theosophy, mankind must develop up to practically infinite spiritual enhancement like as Buddha, Christos, Moses and Lao-tse, which are the ideals of human desiring. [130]. To illustrate this, it is reasonable to cite H.P. Blavatsky:

“To the Scientists of the closing Sixth Root-Race, millions and millions of years hence, our modern races, or rather their fossils, will appear as those of small insignificant apes—an extinct species of the genus homo”. [132] … There is a theory according to which the occult ideas of H.P. Blavatsky, especially related to her ideas about the races, underlie for occult theories of German authors (for instance, ariosophy of Guido von List and Lanz von Liebenfels) which, in turn, influence on Third Reich ideology. It is necessary to note that this theory does not imply that Blavatsky’s ideas were Nazi per se or they directly determine the world-view of Hitler and his ideologists. The authors supporting this theory consider that the theosophical ideas, which were widely expanded in Germany of the beginning of XX century (in the first instance, ideas about the races and nature mystics), in ariosophy theories were connected with nationalistic, fascist, racist and anti-Semitic opinions of German authors. Just this combination of ideas but not the theosophical theories per se, underlies for Hitler’s ideology. [138].

The authors supporting this theory note the significant differences in views on the races between Hitler’s ideas and theosophical conception of H.P. Blavatsky. In particular, they write that H.P. Blavatsky did not identify an Aryan race with the German people. Also, she did not support the use of strength and suppose that the race evolution is natural and inevitable process that is determined by spiritual laws [139].

One more argument showing that the ideas about the races in Blavatsky’s works and the fascist ideology have a different sense is the fact that in “The Secret Doctrine” is a phrase that, according to Sylvia Cranston, would infuriate any Nazi ideologist: “… The Aryans and their Semitic branch belong to the fifth race” [141]. Also S. Cranston note that one of the aims of the Theosophical Society “To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color” does not correspond to Hitler’s plans for establishing of supremacy using the genocide, i.e. by the way of extermination of the whole races and ethnic groups. Therefore, according to a personal order of reichsfuerer SS H. Himmler and Chief of German police R. Heydrich S-PP (II B) No 1249/36 on July 20, 1937 all Theosophical societies were closed and their property was confiscated. [140].

H.P. Blavatsky asserted that the study of theosophy is conductive for overcoming of the race and religious prejudices. So, she wrote in the letter to Prince A.M. Dondukov-Korsakov (on December 5, 1881):

“This Sinnett, which only two years ago so despised Hindus, that in present one of these “Negroes” he feels bad, now, using self-disparagement expressions, has devoted his book to my friend Hindu”. [144].

Now the ideas of H.P. Blavatsky have extended over the world: India, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Russia, and many other countries have the theosophical centers. Oxford has a scientific society named after Blavatsky; University of arts named after Blavatsky has opened in Holland.

The Society for Psychical Research and H.P. Blavatsky.
To gain authority among her supporters, H.P. Blavatsky conducted the demonstrations of “violation of the nature laws” including fall of the letters (as she affirmed, coming from the Mahatmas) from ceiling to her hands, inexplicable appearing of various objects (flowers, cups, brooches), “energy exchanges” etc. {145, 146]. In 1884, spouses Coulomb, previously supporting H.P. Blavatsky, made public several letters, which, as they affirmed, were written by H.P. Blavatsky. According to these letters, the phenomena were mystifications. [147].

R. Hodgson’s report
A scandal arising for this case forced the London Society for Psychical Research to publish in 1885 the report of the Society’s Committee. This report, mainly written by R. Hodgson, charges Blavatsky in fraud. However, it is necessary to note that the Society for Psychical Research does not expressed the collective opinions, so both the Hodgson’s report, published in 1885 and a work of V. Harrison (1986) containing a critical analysis of this report, reflect the personal opinions of the authors. [148]. Particularly, the Hodgson’s report contains the following: “We do not see in her neither a representative of mysterious sages, nor a single adventurer. We agree that she deserves her place in the history as one of the most perfect, witty and interesting fraud of the present time” [Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research. Vol. 3 (December 1885). Pp. 201—400] [105]

V. Jelihovsky has revealed an origin of the Hodgson’s accusation:

“On initiative of Scotland Jesuit Patterson (as it follows from the reports for this case and repeatedly published, he did not conceal that “for the Christian purposes” without a moment's hesitation has bribed the servants of H.P. Blavatsky in order “to obtain the needed information”) there was made a whole conspiracy. H.P. Blavatsky’s former housekeeper and her husband, joiner, whom she entrusted the property in Adyar and keeping the order in her rooms, peoples, which she saves from death of starvation, have made such foot-dragging from false letters and joineries allegedly in order to future frauds that it has been used by her ill-wishers for infinite calumny on her. After this, how much her supporters would have published the disclaimers, have proved resolutely and clearly the falsity and absurdity of these charges and all negligent work of the London Society for Psychical Research, which published it’s accusatory “report” based on statements of a man only, that did not allow to collate the handwriting of fabricated letters with the true handwriting of Helena Petrovna – nothing could help to remove the disgraceful charge from her”. [66]

Besides that, V.P. Jelihovsky cited a following opinion of the learned pundits from Negopatama about of the report of Society for Psychical Research, published in “Boston Courier” in July 18, 1886:

“We, undersigned, are very surprised when have read the “Report of London Psychical Society” about the theosophy. We dare to declare that existence of Mahatmas, or Sadhu, is by no means coined by m-m Blavatsky or nobody else. Our grand grandfathers which lived and dead long before m-me Blavatsky’s birth had a full belief in their existence and the psychical forces, saw and knew them. And now there are many persons in India which not connected with the Theosophical Society and are in constant relations with these Superior Beings. We have many means to prove these true facts; but we have not time and inclination to prove this Europeans.” <…> Let m-r Hodgson and his “committee”, if they are serious about this case, look for truth more deeply, and then they, probably, find that they have hurried and make very mistaken conclusion. Of course, m-r Hodgson not at all will not shaken our religious; but he and his committee have displayed a great ignorance and sheer lack of knowledge of the history of India and Hindu! It seems to us that this much talked-about “Society for psychical findings” did not satisfy any hope of mystics, which set hopes upon its opening; but it never makes worse mistake that this report about the Theosophical Society”. [ ]

Press Release of Society for Psychical Research (1986) and V. Harrison’s work.
In 1986, the Society for Psychical Research has published a work of Dr Vernon Harrison [150], past president of The Royal Photographic Society, who is an expert on forgery. In this work, Dr Harrison has affirmed that the report of 1885 is non-scientific, insufficient and is not to be trusted. [151]

At that time, SPR has published a press release for the printed media of Great Britain, Canada and USA which is opened by following words:

“MADAME BLAVATSKY, CO-FOUNDER OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, WAS UNJUSTLY CONDEMNED” [152]

Text of the press release is beginning with the words:

“The 'exposure' of the Russian-born occultist, Madame H. P. Blavatsky by the S.P.R. in 1885, is in serious doubt, with the publication in the S.P.R. Journal (Vol.53 April 1986) of a forceful critique of the 1885 report”.

Also the press release contents the following citations from Dr Harrison’s conclusion about the Hodgson’s report:

“Whereas Hodgson was prepared to use any evidence, however trivial or questionable, to implicate HPB, he ignored all evidence that could be used in her favor. His report is riddled with slanted statements, conjectures advanced as fact or probable fact, uncorroborated testimony of unnamed witnesses, selection of evidence and downright falsity”.

Some sources have consider this publication as fully justifying for H.P. Blavatsky [152], other of them have noted that many issues raised in the Hodgson’s report were leaved without a response. [153].

Accusation of H.P. Blavatsky in plagiarism H.P. Blavatsky was charged in plagiarism by some researchers. So, a spiritualist William Coalman, the author of a series of critical articles about H.P. Blavatsky which were published in various spiritualistic journals, announces that Blavatsky’s book “Isis unveiled” contains more than two thousand fragments taken from one hundred occult books of XIX century [154]. However, W. Thackara, in her critics of a book P. Washington “Madame Blavatsky`s Baboon”, make a citation of opinion of historian M. Gomes which have examined the Coalman’s accusation and concluded that practically all citations in the “Isis Unveiled” were supplied by references (there are 2400 references in the book). M. Gomes also allowed that the mistakes in the book may arise during preparing and typesetting of the manuscript.

H.P. Blavatsky and Vs. Solovyov In 1892-1893, on the ground of personal acquaintance with H.P. Blavatsky, Vs Solovyov has published in a journal “Russian messenger” a series of essays about their meetings under general title “Modern priestess of Isis”. In 1893, these essays were published as a separate book with a dedication to “London Society for Psychical Research” and all careful readers”. In 1895, SPR has published in London the English translation of the book edited by Walter Leaf [156]. It is affirmed in the book, that once, during a meeting of Vs. Solovyov and H.P. Blavatsky, the last said him the following:

“What to do when in order to hold the people it is necessary to deceive them; when in order to intrigue them and to force to pursue for anything it is necessary to promise and show them the toys. <…> If my books and the “Theosophist” are in a thousand times more interest, would have I anywhere and any success if the phenomena do not stand for all this? I would get nothing and very long ago died of starvation. They would crush me, <…> and nobody would think that I am also a living creature and also wish to eat and drink. But I long ago have understood these “dears” people, and their foolishness gives me sometimes a great pleasure. <…> Here you so “not satisfied” by my phenomena, but do you know that almost always the more simple, foolish and crude is the phenomenon, the more rather it will be successful. Some time, I can tell you in this regard such anecdotes that you will really split your sides with laughter! Vast majority of the people who consider oneself and are considered as clever, are perfectly foolish. If you would know what lions and eagles, over the world, under my penny whistle became donkeys, and I only have to whistle, they dutifully clap their ears in time with me!” [158].

However, this Solovyov’s book met a severe criticism from the readers. A Russian writer of political essays and literature critic V.P. Burenin (which is not a Blavatsky’s supporter) said about Vs. Solovyov and his book:

“Our accuser (Solovyov) had thrown on “modern priestess of Isis” so much mud, and besides very impudent, that <…> it would enough to make an enormous barrow over the fresh grave of this Russian woman which even tacking into account all her ardors and delusions, free and involuntary, for all that was a very talent and remarkable women. <…> In his zeal to abundant outpouring of mud, Vs. Solovyov apparently forget that the dead was a woman, may be, very weak, very sinful but <…> worthy of respect and sympathy already because of that we have very few such woman which are out of line in our country. <…> When reading the Solovyov’s exposure I often concluded that either m-r Solovyov <…> speaking by words from a comedy “willingly stretches the truth”, or during his meeting with the priestess of Isis he <…> was not healthy” [158].

Like above, Vs. Solovyov’s publications were estimated by a Russian philosopher and writer P.D. Uspensky [159]:

“H.P. Blavatsky was an unusual woman what can be described, in all fullness and bends, by the great painter only. <…> A Vs. Solovyov’s book “Modern priestess of Isis”, which is for many people a source of knowledge about H.P. Blavatsky, is full of petty spite what is not understandable for reader and as a whole consists of detective description of spying, questions from servants and, in common, trifles, trifles and trifles what the reader can not examine. And above all, Blavatsky’s books, her life and ideas as if not exist for the author. <…> Whatever have been said and written about theosophical movement, it undoubtedly has big positive aspects” [161].

H.P. Blavatsky’s sister, V.P. Jelihovsky also opposed the book of Vs. Solovyov. In the book “H.P. Blavatsky and modern priest of the truth: answer of m-m Y (V.P. Jelihovsky) to m-r Vsevolod Solovyov”, she cited Vs. Solovyov’s letters to H.P. Blavatsky. According to V. Jelihovsky, these letters indicate that the charges pressed against H.P. Blavatsky are the forgery and slander [162].

It is affirmed in a Russian biographic dictionary (1896-1918) that “one can very carefully relate” to Vs. Solovyov’s essays (and also to V.P. Jelihovsky book [69]).

The modern scientific appraisals concerning the H.P. Blavatsky’s teaching.

H.P. Blavatsky’s teaching from very beginning was formed as synthesis of philosophical systems, religions of various ages and peoples and the modern (for this time) scientific ideas [163]. So, it was influenced by various religious orientations especially eastern [164]. Theosophy of H.P. Blavatsky was one of the first attempts to create a new paradigm of thinking by a synthesis of scientific and non-scientific knowledge [141]. In a “The Secret Doctrine” some researchers have revealed the scientific foresights which were experimentally confirmed in physics, astronomy and biology during XX century. [165, 166].

In the world, the theosophy of H.P. Blavatsky is considered as one of the major religious and philosophical directions. The life and creativity of H.P. Blavatsky occupies a special place in the history of philosophy. [164].

One of the issues of “Bulletin of the Russian Academy of sciences” pointed to that an interest to theosophical literature, including the scientific circles, sharply rises in the end of XX century. [163]. In the Soviet Union, philosophical heritage of H.P. Blavatsky was prohibited because of mismatch to an official state ideology, and was ostracized. For instance, an “Encyclopedia” issued in 1953 called the theosophy as “one of the forms of obscurantism of reactionary bourgeoisie”. [164]. Members of the Russian theosophical societies have experienced on themselves suppression from the state powers. A largest in Russia society in Kaluga stopped its existence in 1929 because of arrest of sixteen members [165].

Today in many countries of the former USSR the Theosophical societies develop and work freely.

A state “Museum centre of H.P. Blavatsky and her family” began to work in 2004 at Ukraine, in Dnepropetrovsk. This centre is aimed on “return of H.P. Blavatsky’s name to context of national science, culture and public thought”, and also an “active participation in international work for the purpose of scientific understanding of the works and public acknowledgement of H.P. Blavatsky’s heritage and its creative and spiritual-uniting potential” [167].

Some researchers called H.P. Blavatsky “an outstanding thinker which laid the first stones to a building of new thinking and has developed the foundations of space genesis and anthrop genesis” [168]. They have compared Blavatsky’s creativity with heritage of Russian philosophers and noted that she stands near the origins of the Russian cosmism [170].

The creativity of H.P. Blavatsky has been reflected in the theories of Russian cosmists and was close to a Russian avant-garde in philosophy and art [167]. According to “Newest philosophical dictionary”, “her feat of life and a contribution to world culture were highly appreciated by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Nicholas Roerich” [171].

H.P. Blavatsky’s ideas in literature and art.

Leo Tolstoy

It is known that H.P. Blavatsky presented her book “The Voice of the Silence. The Seven gates. Two ways” to Leo Tolstoy. At the first page of the book was made an inscription on a gift: “To count Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, “one of the few”, from author H.P. Blavatsky”. According to reminiscences of D.P. Makovitsky, on October, 1906 L. Tolstoy said that H.P. Blavatsky “wrote him from England about fifteen years ago”. [173]. Therefore, H.P. Blavatsky sends the book to Tolstoy soon after its publishing in 1889.

“The books are well known. They contain many good but it is wrong only that they say about that the human do not has to know” [174]

Such a note Leo Tolstoy has made on the envelope of I. Lavrov’s letter on August 16, 1909. In this letter Lavrov asked him about his relation to the book “H.P. Blavatsky. “The Voice of the Silence. The Seven gates. Two ways” (from the sacred Indian writings. Translation from English of H.P. Blavatsky, Kaluga, 1908) [175].

Dicta from the book, presented by H.P. Blavatsky, Leo Tolstoy has used in her books “The thoughts of wise people”, “For every day”, “A circle of reading”. He signed their as “Brahmin’s wisdom”. [176]. Comments to Tolstoy’s complete set of works contain explanation that redaction has made an addition to manuscript, giving the source as follows: “Brahmin’s wisdom. From the Voice of the Silence”.

Let’s cite a book of L. Tolstoy “For every day”.

“March 3. If you want grasp the cognition of a comprehensive “I”, you must, first of all, to know yourself. In order to know yourself you must to sacrifice your “I” to universal “I”. Sacrifice your life if you want live in spirit. Move off your thoughts from external things and all that is received from without. Try to separate the arising images from yourself in order they not cast a shadow on your soul. Your shadows live and disappear. What is eternal into you, what understand, do not belongs to transient life. This Eternal is this human who was, is and will and the time of which has never was struck. The Brahmin' wisdom”. [176].

Also Leo Tolstoy, in his works, used the dicta from the theosophical journal “Teosophisner Wegwiser” [175]. In his diary, on February 12, 1903 he made a following writing: “I am writing a beautiful theosophical journal and find many common with my understanding” [178].

On his copy, L. Tolstoy had marked aphorisms of Ramakrishna, St. Thomas Aquinas, H.P. Blavatsky from “The voice of silence”. [176].

Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin

Authors of the biographies of a prominent Russian composer and pianist Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin give many mentions concerning to Scriabin’s deep liking for the theosophical ideas and his respect to H.P. Blavatsky.

Leonid Sabaneev, in his book “Reminiscences about Scriabin” (1925), wrote that Blavatsky’s “The Secret Doctrine” and journals “Bulletin of theosophy” constantly were on Scriabin’s work table. [179]. Scriabin reread the “Secret Doctrine” very carefully and marked the most important places by a pencil. [180].

L. Sabaneev wrote: “Blavatsky has for him more sacred authority than any Gospel. [181]. “He believed <…> Blavatsky like as a child believes his parents” [182]. In Scriabin’s presence, “nobody can argue against Blavatsky” [183].

Another Scriabin’s biographer, philosopher Boris de Schloezer wrote in 1923: “I not remember who from his friends once pointed him to that he spike about a Mystery, confluence of all and return of the world to unity is many common with a theosophical doctrine, and advised him to read Blavatsky’s books. Here, probably, we can talk about the influence. Few months ago I see Scriabin at Switzerland, where he was reading Blavatsky and <…> constantly uses in talk the theosophical terms. He said about plans, seven races, manvantaras and so on as about self-evident things, very clear and undisputable, and strongly rises against the doubts that I speak concerning to truth of one or another Blavatsky’s statement, and objects me with persistence and zeal of neophyte. One can really think that he became a true theosophist. However, when under influence of his persuasions I begin to read the theosophical books, soon I got evidence that Scriabin uses the theosophical terms to express his own thoughts, expectations and striving <…>” [184]

“In general, for the rest of her live, he was nice to Blavatsky. As he owned, Blavatsky and her books attract him due to bold attempt of grandiose synthesis, breadth and depth of her views and all that he highly appreciated in another field, and in Wagner’s creativity” [184].

A museum centre of H.P. Blavatsky and her family

A museum centre of H.P. Blavatsky and her family is established in an old municipal manorial estate of Dnepropetrovsk, on the basis of Dnepropetrovsk historical museum named after D.I. Yavornitsky. In 1815-1834, this estate belongs to a statesman and public figure A.M. Fadeyev and her wife, naturalist E.P. Dolgorukaya-Fadeyeva. Their children, writer E.A. Hahn, general and writer of political essays R.A. Fadeyev, public figures E.A. and N.A. Fadeyev grew up at this house. In 1831, their old granddaughter, researcher, writer and a founder of International Theosophical society H.P. Blavatsky was born here together with other Fadeyev’s grandchild: writer V.P. Jelihovsky and a statesman and reformer Yu. Witte.

In 2005-2006, the complex historical and architectural study was conducted at the Fadeyev’s estate. Now specialists have conducted a scientific and educational activity. In the frameworks of a project “Museum from zero circles”, lections and excursions for city public have been conducted at the estate. [185]

Memory about H.P. Blavatsky

•	In 1924, an outstanding painter, philosopher, scientist, traveler and public figure Nicholas Roerich has created a picture “The messenger” dedicated to H.P. Blavatsky. On January 25, 1925 he presented this canvas to the Theosophical Society in Adjar. [186, 187]. •	On May 8, 1991 a 100-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky’s demise was celebrated in the Hall of columns at Moscow.

Scientists and cultural workers about H.P. Blavatsky

“I admire a great spirit and fiery heart of our great compatriot, and I know that in future Russia her name will be put up to the proper mark of honoring. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky is really our national pride. She was a great Martyr for the Light and True. Eternal glory to her!” H.I. Roerich, a Russian philosopher

“The more of just and good words will be said about a Great Russian woman [H.P. Blavatsky], the more necessary it is now. Recently, we have heard again that some people do not read books but at once, they say gloatingly and with injustice of ignorance about that they do not know and do not wish to know. It is sad that certain people wish to fight but only at all not there where their struggle is needed. [189]. Helena Ivanovna [Roerich] is convinced that an institute named after H.P. Blavatsky will be established at her Motherland” N.K. Roerich, a Russian painter, philosopher and scientist

“Whatever the critics said about m-me Blavatsky or colonel Olcott or d-r Bezant, their contribution to development of humanism will already be very important”. [191] Mahatma Gandhi, one of the leaders and ideologists of the movement for India independence, philosopher

“Perhaps, H.P. Blavatsky, after her long stay in India, firstly established a strong connection between these “barbarians” and our culture. This gives rise to one of the greatest spiritual movements which unites today (1910) many peoples in Theosophical society”. [192] V.V. Kandinsky, a Russian painter, graphic artist, one of the founders of abstract art.

“Here, near Madras, at a suburb Adyar (near a little river with the same name), a center of new original brotherhood has been established. An American colonel Olcott was a friend and active assistant of H.P. Blavatsky, known in Russian literature as Radda-Bay. […] Some periodicals were especially dedicated to statements of inexplicable psychic phenomena related to yogism, i.e. magical acts of the human’s will which ignore the conditions of space and time. Blavatsky has drawn a storm of charges in charlatanism and nearly because of suspiciousness of the English had forever leaved this loved by her and full of miracles peninsula. But her art to excite the disinterested liking and devotion of the natives, their dim thirst for unity under the banner of this strange northern woman from the people which is quite alien to England, her regular travels over the country in order to draw closer to Magi for the purpose of getting of right to access to various hidden secrets of Brahmans and Jainism – all this together creates for Blavatsky an exclusive position which nobody has from the ancient times, perhaps, from the distant days when, at the turn of the century, the clairvoyants said with their primitively thinking congeners in the language of Gods. For the present and future India, Blavatsky is not died and will not die never” [193]. Prince E.E. Ukhtomsky, diplomat, poet, near to Emperor Nicholas II.

Interesting facts

•	Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was a descendant of the Great Prince Yaroslav the Wise according to the mother line. [12]. •	Mahatma Gandhi, in his autobiographic book „My life“, has mentioned that his world-view was influenced by personal contacts with the members of Theosophical Society and reading of H.P. Blavatsky’s works. “After two years of my staying in England, I make the acquaintance of two theosophists which were brothers and bachelors. They told me about a “Bhagavad-Gita”. They have read it in translation of Edwin Arnold and proposed me to read the original together. It was a shame to confess that I did not read this divine poem neither in Sanskrit nor Guajarati. But I have to say that I do not read the “Gita” and with pleasure will read it with them. <…>. We began to read the “Gita”. <…> The book seems to me priceless. In due course, I become stronger in this opinion and now I consider this book as main source for cognition of the truth. <…>. The brothers recommend me to read also “The Light of Asia” of Edwin Arnold which before I knew that the author of “Heaven song” only. I have read this book with more interest that the “Bhagavad-Gita”. When I began to read, I can not to stop. The brothers brought me to Blavatsky’s society and there introduced me to m-m Blavatsky. <…> I remember that I read Blavatsky’s “The Key to Theosophy” at their insistence. This book gives me rise to read the books for Hinduism. I do not more trust missionaries which assert that Hinduism contains many prejudices”. [194] •	•	According to a book of well-known culture expert and political scientist Kseniya Myalo, Mahatma Gandhi said that he will be very pleased “to touch edge of m-m Blavatsky’s clothes” [195]. •	In 1927, by a request of Panchen Lama IX (1883-1933), Chinese society for study of Buddhism at Peking has published H.P. Blavatsky’s book “Voice of Silence”. It was reported n introduction to this book that H.P. Blavatsky during several years was learned in Tashilunpo and knew well previous Panchen Lama. Besides that, the book contains a message of Panchen lama IX written especially for this book:

All creatures wish to become free from the suffering. Therefore, seek after sources of the suffering and remove it. Liberation from the suffering is reached by this path. Therefore, initiate all the creatures follow this path. [196]

In 1989, when celebrating the 100-th anniversary of publishing of the book “The Voice of the Silence”, an anniversary edition of this book was released. Dalai Lama XIV wrote an introduction for it entitled “The path of Bodhisattva”. We cited:

“For the first time I meet the members of Theosophical society more than thirty years ago in India, during celebration of Buddha’s 2500-th anniversary. Since I more than once have a pleasure to exchange thoughts with the theosophists from different quarters. <…> I am proud of my long friendship with theosophists and I am glad to know about the anniversary edition of “The Voice of the Silence”, which will be released in current year. I think that this book greatly influences on many peoples who sincerely search for and strive to join to wisdom and compassion of a Bodhisattva’s path. From the bottom of my heart I welcome this anniversary edition and hope that it will help to many peoples more”. [196]

•	At official meeting, Dalai Lama XIV said that Buddhist theologians highly appreciate the works of H.P. Blavatsky. [197] •	In 1991, Russian film studio “Centrnauchfilm” has released a film “Who are you, m-me Blavatsky?” Major role in this film was played by a People’s Artist of Russia Irina Muravyova. •	The information is widely known that 1991 has been designated by UNESCO as year of H.P. Blavatsky’s memory. Some reliable sources of information mentioned about this. For example, this information is at first page of “Secret Doctrine” in Russian, released in 1991 by “Nauka” Publishers. In 1992, this information was published in the journal “Messenger of Russian Academy of Sciences” [163]. In 1999, another scientific edition, the “Newest philosophical dictionary” (in Russian) has repeated this information. [198]. However, these sources did not cite any officinal UNESCO documents proving this information. Some private persons made inquiries to UNESCO about this information, and send officinal answers from the UNESCO officers. It is asserted in these answers that UNESCO, in general, not announces any “years” and makes a calendar of memorable events [199]. In such a calendar of UNESCO for 1990-1991 made in 1989, H.P. Blavatsky is absent. [200]. •	Many works of H.P. Blavatsky are still republished, often by several editions simultaneously. Her works have been translated in all European languages and also in Hebrew, Arabic, Tamil, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and many other languages. [201] •	In 1975, Indian government has released a commemorative stamp dedicated to 100-th anniversary of foundation of Theosophical Society. The stamp depicts a seal of the Society and its motto: “There is not a religion higher that truth”. •	A house, where H.P. Blavatsky was born and lived with her parents and grandparents, is preserved in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

Bibliography

Main works of H.P. Blavatsky 1.	From the caves and jungles of Hindustan 2.	Isis Unveiled (1877) 3.	The People of the Blue mountains (1883) 4.	The Secret Doctrine (1884-1891) 5.	Talks with Blavatsky (stenographic records of H.P. Blavatsky’s answers for the questions of the disciples. (1889) 6.	The Voice of the Silence (1889) 7.	Key to Theosophy (1889) 8.	Theosophical Glossary (posthumous edition) (1892) 9.	Blavatsky H.P. Letters to friends and collaborators

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in dictionaries and encyclopedias

•	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. 1891. •	H.P. Blavatsky. // Meyers Konversationslexikon. — Online Version (German) •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Short philosophical encyclopedia (in Russian) – Moscow, “Progress”- “Encyclopedia” Publishers, 1994. – 576 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Russian philosophy. Dictionary / Edited by M.A.Maslin. – Moscow, “Respublica” Publishers, 1995. – 655 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Newest philosophical dictionary / Edited by Gritsanov A.A. – Minsk, 1999. – 896 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // New philosophical encyclopedia. / Moscow, “Misl” Publishers, 2000. - V.1-4. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Philosophic dictionary / Edited by I.T. Frolov. – Moscow, “Respublica” Publishers, 2001. – 719 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Russian philosophers. Reference book. / Kornilov S.V. Edited by prof. A.F. Zamaleev. – S.-Petersburg, 2001. – 448 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Esoteric encyclopedia / Gritsanov A.A. – Minsk, “Interpressservis Publishers, 2002. – 1040 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Philosophical encyclopedia / Edited by E.F. Gubskaya et.al. – Moscow, “Infra-M”, 2003. – 576 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Short philosophical dictionary / A.P. Alexeev, G.G. Vasiliev et. al. Edited by A.P. Alexeev. – Moscow, “Prospect” Publishers, 2004. – 496 p. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Large Russian Encyclopedia. V.3. – Moscow, Scientific Publishers “BRE” – Pp. 571-572. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Short philosophical dictionary. Contains more than 1000 articles. / Edited by N.N. Rogalevich. – Minsk, 2007. – 830 p. •	Pushkareva N. Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // “Krugosvet”. Internet-encyclopedia – 2007. •	Blavatsky Helena Petrovna // Buddhism as culture and historical phenomenon. Dictionary.

Discussion of H.P. Blavatsky’s teaching

Scientific publications

•	Theosophy as world-view position // Bichikhina L.V., doctor of philology / “Messenger of Russian Academy of Sciences” 1992, No 6 (html-version) •	Religious and philosophical direction of cosmism: Russia and America // “Sophia: a handwritten journal of Society of adherents of Russian philosophy” (Philosophical department of Ural State University), issue No 8, 2005. “About the parallels in creativity of N.F. Fedorov and H.P. Blavatsky”. •	Helena Petrovna Blavatsky – 175-th anniversary / Messenger of the Russian philosophical society, No 4, 2006. •	Theosophy // Foundations of religious studies. Textbook / Yu.F. Borunkov, I.N. Yablokov, et.al. Edited by I.N. Yablokov (head of sub department for religious studies of Moscow state university). – Moscow, “High school” Publishers, 1994. – 368 p. •	L.I. Korochkin [204]. About the roles of science and religion in formation of world-view paradigm. Excursus in biology. // Website “High-society humanist” of Russian humanistic society. •	History of Russian philosophic thought // History of philosophy. Textbook for high school / A.N. Volkova, V.S.Gornev et. al. Edited by V.M. Mapelman and E.M. Penkov. – Moscow, “PRIOR Publishers”, 1997. – 464 p. •	“175-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky. Proceedings of an International scientific and public conference”. S.-Petersburg, 2006. – 180 p. The edition is made using support of Petersburg branch of International League for protection of Culture. •	Shabanova Yu.A. [207] Creativity of H.P. Blavatsky: foundations of synthesis of science, religion and philosophy // “To the origins of the cosmic thinking. Dnepr region in a world treasury of cultural and historical heritage of the earth. Proceedings of a circular table. – Dnepropetrovsk, 2009. – P.23-32. •	Shabanova Yu.A. [207] Development of the cosmism ideas in H.P. Blavatsky’s creativity // Ideas of cosmism in philosophy, science and art. History and today. Proceedings of an International scientific and public conference. S.-Petersburg branch of the International centre of the Roerichs, 2009. – P.31-35. •	Prigunov A.S. [208] Quantum conception of knowledge transfer from Cosmic Mind to mankind // “To the origins of the cosmic thinking. Dnepr region in a world treasury of cultural and historical heritage of the earth. Proceedings of a circular table. – Dnepropetrovsk, 2009. – P.52-62.

Scientific and public conferences

•	Review of scientific conference “Blavatsky and modern times” (Dnepropetrovsk, Museum of H.P. Blavatsky, 2008). •	To 175-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky // O.A. Lavrenova, E.Yu. Tomsha. Published in the journal “Culture and time”, No 3, 2006. •	Resolution of scientific and public conference dedicated to 175-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky. (2006). •	Anniversary scientific and public conference dedicated to 175-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky at the Russian museum named after A.S. Pushkin (2006) •	Anniversary scientific and public conference dedicated to 175-th anniversary of H.P. Blavatsky at the Museum of G.R. Derzhavin and Russian philology of his time (2006).

Literature dedicated to H.P. Blavatsky

Cranston S.L. “HPB: the extraordinary life and influence of Helena Blavatsky, founder of the modern theosophical movement”. Jeremy P. Tacker / Putnam Book, 1993. Murphet H. “When Daylight comes: a biography of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky”. Wheaton, IL: TPH, 1975. P. Washington. “Madame Blavatsky`s Baboon” W. T. S. Thackara, Notes on Madame Blavatsky`s Baboon Deacon A. Kuraev. “Who has send Blavatsky?” L.V. Shaposhnikova, academician of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Russian Academy of astronautics and Russian Academy of Ecology. “Selfless devotion of deacon Kuraev”. Chapter 5. “Kuraev and H.P. Blavatsky”.

Other materials about H.P. Blavatsky