MIR
Not by accident does mir mean Universe and also peace. Not without reason are these two great concepts united in one sound. If one imagines the Universe, one also thinks about peaceful labor. Beginning work, one also becomes conscious of the Universe.
People talk about peace especially when they are afraid of war. Yet there are different kinds of wars — internal and external, visible and invisible. Which of them is more horrible remains to be seen.
"Indeed, the worst calamity for both ancient and present humanity is that the greatest poet and wisest teacher, blind Homer, appeared to be a bard of war and not of peace. Together with his faith in the gods, he also lost faith in peace.
"As between men and lions there is no pledge of faith, nor wolves and sheep can be of one mind, but imagine evil continually against each other, so is it impossible for thee and me to be friends, neither shall be any pledge between us until one or other shall have fallen and glutted with blood Ares, the stubborn god of war.l"
This means that "all will kill each other." "There will be no end of war in the world."
"In the Iliad — the Trojan war begins endless war which, throughout ages of universal history lasts until our days" — exclaims Merezhkovski in his Atlantis. There are not a few soul-stirring lamentations, and Dante has found infernally burning abodes for murderers and all malefactors.
In examining all the symbols and ancient testimonies one finds everywhere in images and hieroglyphics the very same longing, the heartily fell sacred prayer for peace.
And there are also other testimonies.
"Do not do evil to animals" is the ordainment of Triptolemus, the messenger sent by Demeter to savage people after the great flood; Triptolemus was to teach people agriculture and uplift them from the bestial to human life. "Do not do evil to animals" in Biblical language means: Blessed are those who have pity for everything living, for "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now." They suffer together with man, they perish with man, they are saved with him.
Should man kill animals in order to feed on meal? "No. By no means." ordains Demeter, the goddess of the fruitful earth. With bloody food there enters into man the spirit of killing, the spirit of war; but the spirit of peace enters only with bloodless food.
And Hesiod, the shepherd on Mount Helicon sings:
"For the son of Cronos has ordained:
That fishes and beasts and winged fowls
Should devour one another, for right is not in them.
But to mankind he gave right which proves for the best:"2 The Truth: Do not kill! For everybody the first step is always possible — not to kill, not to make war. "If you kill you will die; give life and you will live. A child understands this, and yet this is the mystery of mysteries!"
Should one defend culture? Yes, one should, always and in everything.
Should one help the workers of culture, the depressed and burdened? Yes, one should, always and in everything.
Should one unite around the sign of culture to overcome the onset of destruction and decay? Yes, one should, always and in everything.
Perhaps culture, knowledge, beauty are sufficiently guarded and affirmed everywhere? Perhaps the bases of culture are fully strengthened everywhere?
Perhaps the workers for culture are especially safeguarded by laws and in the consciousness of the people?
As before, the League of Culture, as the voice of public opinion, is indeferrably needed!
We have to talk about peace and non-killing. What does this mean? Is it possible that millenniums have not taught people that which has been ordained by all Commandments? But what do we see? The further we go, the more one has to reiterate the necessity of peace. Then where is evolution when a threatening cannon is already aimed and death-bringing poison is madly sown? People have become so skillful that poison and death already fall from the sky, from the same sky from whence pours prana, the panacea.
What has happened? Under the ground there are explosive mines and tunnels! From the blue sky comes poison and death! The barrels of gigantic guns are raised high. Probably there will soon be a "festival of projectiles" when they accomplish a flight around the world, when they shall reach everything that can be destroyed.
"Nations do not perceive what terrible danger humanity faces in case of a new war," writes Prof. Andre Meier in his report to the League of Nations. "The poison gases of the last war are child's play in comparison with what we shall see if a new war breaks out" adds another expert, Prof. V. Cannon of Columbia University. According to Dr. Hilton Jones of New York, a newly invented gas can destroy a whole army as easily as "blowing out a candle."
Truth! The inventor of poison believes that he creates truth. The caster of a cannon is proud that his implement will annihilate a man even beyond the horizon. The forger of the sword anticipates that steel will pierce all shields. Such are the thoughts of man!
Alas, such truth is not needed. "Mankind needs another truth," says Gorki, a truth which would heighten creative energy. A truth is needed which would stimulate man's trust in his will, striving toward wisdom, and creativity for good.
Others make impenetrable armor and shields. Perhaps they hope to create a defense against all evil intrusions? Let it be so.
The defense of culture, the defense of the Motherland, the defense of human dignity does not think of violent invasion. The armor of defense is not the poison of destruction. Defense is justified and assault is condemned.
It has some special meaning that in Russian the word mir is synonymous with peace and the Universe. These synonyms are not due to the poverty of the language — indeed the language is rich. They are mutually significant.
They are synonymous in their essence. The Universe and peaceful creativeness are indivisible. The ancient ones wanted to make this salutary healing unanimity understandable through all kinds of hieroglyphics.
Mir, the Universe, and mir, peaceful universal labor; the creative sowing, and the beauty of the world — the conqueress.
Urusvati, Himalayas
July 24, 1936
1The Iliad. Book XXII
2 Hesiod Works and Days.
