View source for Third Root-Race

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'''[ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION]'''<br>

'''Third Root-Race''' is a [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] concept described by [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]] in [[The Secret Doctrine (book)|''The Secret Doctrine'']] and other writings.

== Description by Blavatsky and Mahatmas ==

[[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]] wrote:

<blockquote>Now compare the evolution of the Races, the First and the Second of which are of the nature of [[Ātman|Atma]]-[[Buddhi]], their passive Spiritual progeny, and the Third Root-Race shows three distinct divisions or aspects physiologically and psychically:  the earliest, sinless the middle portions awakening to intelligence; and the third and last decidedly animal: i.e., [[Manas]] succumbs to the temptations of [[Kāma|Kama]].<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 254, fn.</ref></blockquote>

[[Koot Hoomi|Mahatma K.H.]] said that some of the more primitive populations today are "side-shoots" of the third Root-Race:

<blockquote>The Australian, the Esquimaux, the Bushmen, the Veddahs, etc., are all side-shooting branchlets of that Branch which you call "cave-men" — the third race.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in Chronological Sequence'' No. 62 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 160. See [[Mahatma Letter No. 62#Page 4|Mahatma Letter No. 62 page 4]].</ref></blockquote>

However, in the height of its cycle, the Third Root-Race developed great civilizations. In the words to the same [[Masters of Wisdom|Master]]:

<blockquote>Greek and Roman and even Egyptian civilization are nothing compared to the civilizations that began with the 3rd race.<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in Chronological Sequence'' No. 93b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 310. See [[Mahatma Letter No. 93b#Page 9|Mahatma Letter No. 93b page 9]].</ref></blockquote>

== Lemuria ==

The continent in which this Root-Race lived is called [[Lemuria]]:

<blockquote>The third Continent, we propose to call “Lemuria.” The name is an invention, or an idea, of Mr. P. L. Sclater, who asserted, between 1850 and 1860, on zoological grounds the actual existence, in prehistoric times, of a Continent which he showed to have extended from Madagascar to Ceylon and Sumatra.  It included some portions of what is now Africa; but otherwise this gigantic Continent, which stretched from the Indian ocean to Australia, has now wholly disappeared beneath the waters of the Pacific, leaving here and there only some of its highland tops which are now islands.  Mr. A. R. Wallace, the naturalist, extends the Australia of tertiary periods to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and perhaps to Fiji;” and from its Marsupial types infers “a connection with the Northern Continent during the Secondary period,” writes Mr. C. Gould in “Mythical Monsters,” p. 47.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 7-8.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>[[Lemuria]] can no more be confounded with the Atlantic Continent [Atlantis] than Europe with America. Both sunk and were drowned with their high civilizations and "gods," yet between the two catastrophes, a short period of about 700,000 years elapsed; "Lemuria" flourishing and ending her career just at about that trifling lapse of time before the early part of the Eocene Age, since its race was the third. Behold, the relics of that once great nation in some of the flat headed aborigines of your Australia!<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in Chronological Sequence'' No. 93b (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 309. See [[Mahatma Letter No. 93b#Page 6|Mahatma Letter No. 93b page 6]].</ref></blockquote>

== Cities ==

The [[Stanzas_of_Dzyan#Stanza_XI.|Stanzas of Dzyan]] state:

<blockquote>They (the Lemurians) built huge cities. Of rare earths and metals they built. Out of the fires (lava) vomited. Out of the white stone of the mountains (marble) and the black stone (of the subterranean fires) they cut their own images, in their size and likeness, and worshipped them.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 316.</ref></blockquote>

Blavatsky elaborates explaining:

<blockquote>We find the Lemurians in their sixth sub-race building their first rock-cities out of stone and lava. One of such great cities of primitive structure was built entirely of lava, some thirty miles west from where Easter Island now stretches its narrow piece of sterile ground, and was entirely destroyed by a series of volcanic eruptions.  The oldest remains of Cyclopean buildings were all the handiwork of the Lemurians of the last sub-races; and an occultist shows, therefore, no wonder on learning that the stone relics found on the small piece of land called Easter Island by Captain Cook, are “very much like the walls of the Temple of Pachacamac or the Ruins of Tia-Huanuco in Peru,” (“The Countries of the World,” by Robert Brown, Vol. 4, p. 43); and that they are in the CYCLOPEAN STYLE. The first large cities, however, appeared on that region of the continent which is now known as the island of Madagascar.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. II, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 317.</ref></blockquote>

== Additional resources ==
* [[Root-Races]]
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/dumb-races Dumb Races] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/sweat-born Sweat-born] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/cain Cain] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/abel Abel] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/adamic-races Adamic Races] in Theosophy World.
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/adi-varsha Adi-Varsha] in Theosophy World.

== Notes ==
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[[Category:Theosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]