Marisha
Marisha is a figure from Hindu mythology, the daughter of Sage Kanda and the celestial nymph Pramlocha, and mother of Daksha. She symbolizes allegorical concepts related to early human evolution in ancient cosmologies.
Where the word comes from
The name Marisha derives from Sanskrit, likely related to "marish," meaning "to perish" or "to die," suggesting a connection to cycles of existence or the transient nature of forms. Its appearance in Puranic literature marks its integration into Hindu narrative traditions.
In depth
The daughter of the Sage Kanda and Pramlocha, the Apsara-demon from Indra's heaven. She was the mother of Daksha. An allegory referring to the jNIj'stery of the Second and Third human Races. Martinists. A Society in France, founded by a great mystic called the :\larquis de St. Martin, disciple of :Martinez Pasqualis. It was first establislied at Lyons as a kind of occult ^Masonic Society, its members believing in the possibility of communicating witii Planetary Spirits and minor Gods and genii of the ultramundane Spheres. Louis Claude de St. Martin, born in 1743, had commenced life as a brilliant officer in the army, but left it to devote himself to study and the belles lettres, • ■nding his career by becoming an ardent Theosophist and a disciple of Jacob Boehmen. He tried to bring back Masonry to its primeval character of Occultism and Theurgy, but failed. He first made his "Rectified Rite ' ' to consist of ten degrees, but these were brought down owing to the study of the original Masonic orders — to seven. Masons complain that he introduced certain ideas and adopted rites "at variance with the archaeological history of Masonry"; but so did Cagliostro and St. Germain before him, as all those who knew well the origin of Freemasonry.
How different paths see it
What it means today
Blavatsky's inclusion of Marisha, juxtaposed with the Martinist society, hints at a deeper allegorical resonance beyond mere genealogy. Marisha, daughter of Kanda (a sage associated with the Vaisheshika school of philosophy) and Pramlocha (a celestial dancer, an Apsara), represents a profound cosmic union. Her lineage, bridging the ascetic wisdom of the earthbound and the ephemeral beauty of the heavens, speaks to the intricate weaving of material and spiritual forces that underpin existence. This is not just a story of divine procreation; it is an allegory for the very emergence of consciousness and form, perhaps referencing the "Second and Third human Races" as Blavatsky notes, suggesting stages of spiritual and physical development.
The connection to the Martinists, a movement focused on inner spiritual experience and the possibility of communicating with unseen intelligences, further amplifies this. Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, the "Unknown Philosopher," sought to restore a primal, occult character to human endeavors, much like one might seek to understand the hidden principles behind cosmic generation. The idea of communicating with "Planetary Spirits and minor Gods" echoes the ancient impulse to understand the celestial mechanics and divine intermediaries that govern the cosmos, a pursuit that Marisha's own existence, as a bridge between realms, seems to embody. Her role as mother of Daksha, a primeval creator, positions her as a foundational element in the unfolding of the manifest world, a quiet force enabling the grand cosmic drama.
This ancient figure, therefore, offers a lens through which to view the perennial human quest for understanding origins. It reminds us that creation is rarely a singular event or a simple lineage, but a complex interplay of forces, a dance between the tangible and the intangible, the known and the divined, a principle that resonates across philosophical and mystical traditions. It invites contemplation on the hidden genealogies that shape our reality, both inner and outer.
RELATED_TERMS: Daksha, Prajapati, Apsara, Sage, Creation, Mythology, Allegory
