The Sequence of Numbers 239 



lieving that " It denotes the whole range and pos- 

 sibility of all the words that can be made." All 

 the religious ideas of India have been and are 

 centered around this sacred Word; so hallowed in 

 many cults that its public utterance has been con- 

 demned when not forbidden. And this ban you 

 will now understand arises from no mere supersti- 

 tion but is based upon Occult knowledge of the 

 tremendous power invested in certain rhythmic 

 sounds. I would caution you never to utter the 

 word or discuss its profound significance in hostile 

 or flippant company; "because," says Annie 

 Besant, " the sound that, working in the harmo- 

 nious builds, working in the inharmonious destroys; 

 and every thing that is evil is tumultuous, while 

 everything which is pure is harmonious " (Building 

 of the Kosmos, p. 23). 



A Sanskrit Mantra embodies in its words an es- 

 sential virtue attributed to the rhythmic force of 

 sound ; and Mrs. Besant, addressing the Theosoph- 

 ical Society, in India, explained that she used the 

 " teaching " of the Upanishad (Mundako) but 

 not the " Sanskrit tongue in the definite order of 

 'its syllables which gives them the force of Man- 

 trams." She would not assume the responsibility 

 " of repeating the Mantram-form " of Vedic 

 Shlokas in a mixed assembly where conflicting mag- 

 netisms were gathered. 



I have dwelt thus upon the importance of the 



