In Sanskrit the term means “virgin boys” (compare the feminine kumari “virgin,” used as the name of a goddess). But in Theosophy the masculine form is used to denote various great beings in the spiritual hierarchy, specifically: (1) the four great beings who are the highest members in the spiritual hierarchy helping the evolution of humanity; (2) one type of DHYANI-CHOHANS; (3) the AGNISHVATTAS, who are creative solar angelic beings that played an important role in the generation of our humanity. In THE LIVES OF ALCYONE, by C. W. LEADBEATER, the term LORDS OF THE FLAME is applied to those first four of the hierarchy: Sanat Kumar (the “King”), Sanaka Kumar, Sananda Kumar, and Sanatan Kumar — all of whom came into the Earth world from the Venus system. In addition to those four, three other Kumaras (Sana, Kapila, and Sanatsujata), who had accompanied the four, returned whence they had come. Helena P. BLAVATSKY, discussing the Kumaras, wrote that they “may indeed mark a ‘special’ or extra creation, since it is they who, by incarnating themselves within the senseless human shells of the two first Root-races, and a great portion of the Third Root-race — create, so to speak, a new race: that of thinking, self-conscious and divine men” (Secret Doctrine 1: 457 fn). As such, they are the Pitris or “fathers” of our kind.

Philip Sydney Harris
John Algeo

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