Since ancient times the sages have advised their students to know themselves and to ask, “Who am I?” Self-observation is possible for us because we are self-conscious beings.
We know that we exist and we can reflect on our life. The self-consciousness differentiates us from the animal. Animals are in a dreamlike state.
Some animal species that live in closer contact with humans can also develop mind. In minerals, plants and the majority of the animals, however, the mind, called Manas in Sanskrit, has not yet awakened.
Through the awakening of Manas, man has grown from being guided by instinct to an individual. He slowly develops from an individual to a personality and from there to soul consciousness.
The unfoldment of the core of his being happens through the presence of high beings who have given to man the fire of mind.
Since eons they are sending their light rays so that the blossom of human awareness unfolds. This blossom is also called the egoic lotus, the lotus of our soul.
There are different legends and allegorical narrations which explain the awakening of the mind.
The story of the Fallen Angels contains in its esoteric meaning the key to the secrets of human consciousness in the same way as the eastern allegories of the Kumaras or Agnishvattas, the Solar Angels.
It depends on our subtle understanding how far the teachings disclose themselves to us.
Thus, the Greek legend of Prometheus, who brought man the fire from the gods, resembles the story of the awakening of self-consciousness through the Kumaras which we want to study here.
There are four Kumaras who were born out of the Creator at the beginning of creation.
A fifth Kumara, Narada, later joined them as the teacher of the beings. The Kumaras are called the Sons of Mind, of the creative mind principle. They had been perfect beings already in the previous creation.
The Kumaras came at the beginning of this creation, not to learn something more, but to help, especially the human beings.
They are pure beings who are symbolically represented as five-year-old boys or as eternal youths of 16 years.
The Puranas describe that Brahma, the Creator, asked them to co-create with him.
But they refused, for they knew that they had another task. Brahma got angry and cursed them to descend to earth. Because of their disobedience they are also called the cosmic rebels.
Their disobedience had a purpose which Brahma did not know. They said, “The forms into which we are to move are not yet suited for us.”
They refused to let their fire flow downwards and to stimulate beings for procreation.
Therefore, they are also called Agnishvattas, those who have put off the procreative fire. Their flames are always directed upwards, to the origin.
Thus, they are also described as innocent youths because impressions do not stick to their virginal pure mind.
Though they were perfect beings of the most sublime worlds, they didn’t refuse to descend into the dense matter because this is precisely what they wanted.
