n the great
central Deities have manifested, then there come forth from Them seven
Deities of what we may call the second order. In Theosophy, they are
spoken of as the planetary Logoi, to distinguish them from the great
solar Logoi, the central Life. Each of These has to do with one of the
seven sacred planets, and with the chain of worlds connected with that
planet. Our world is one of the links in this chain, and you and I pass
round this chain in successive incarnations in the great stages of life.
The world--our present world--is the midway globe of one such chain. One
Logos of the secondary order presides over the evolution of this chain
of worlds. He shows out three aspects, reflections of the great Logoi
who are at the centre of the system. You have read perhaps of the
seven-leaved lotus, the Saptaparnapadma; looked at with the higher
sight, gazed at with the open vision of the seer, that mighty group of
creative and directing Beings looks like the lotus with its seven leaves
and the great Ones are at the heart of the lotus. It is as though you
could see a vast lotus-flower spread out in space, the tips of the seven
leaves being the mighty Intelligences presiding over the evolution of
the chains of worlds. That lotus symbol is no mere symbol but a high
reality, as seen in that wondrous world wherefrom the symbol has been
taken by the sages. And because the great Rishis of old saw with the
open eye of knowledge, saw the lotus-flower spread in space, they took
it as the symbol of kosmos, the lotus with its seven leaves, each one a
mighty Deva presiding over a separate line of evolution. We are
primarily concerned with our own planetary Deva and through Him with the
great Devas of the solar system.

Now my reason for mentioning this is to explain one word that has
puzzled many students. Mahavishnu, the great Vishnu, why
that particular epithet? What does it mean when that phrase is used? It
means the great solar Logos, Vishnu in His essential nature: but
there is a reflection of His glory, a reflection of His power, of His
love, in more immediate connection with ourselves and our own world. He
is His representative, as a viceroy may represent the king. Some of the
Avataras we shall find came forth from Mahavishnu through the
planetary Logos, who is concerned with our evolution and the evolution
of the world. But the Purnavatara that I spoke of yesterday comes
forth directly from Mahavishnu, with no intermediary bet