THE D EVA EVOLU TION
by N iels B ron sted
In tro d u c to ry D e fin itio n s
It is a widespr ea d belief a m on g esot er icist s a n d
st u den t s of occu lt ism t h a t t h e deva evolu t ion is
pa r a llel t o t h e h u m a n evolu t ion . Th is belief
pr oba bly or igin a t es in m a n y sou r ces bu t n ot
l e a s t i n t h e w r i t i n g s of w e l l -k n ow n
t h eosoph ica l pion eer s lik e C.W. Lea dbea t er ,
Geoffr ey H odgson or Dor a va n Gelder Ku n z.
I n t h e or d in a r y m ea n in g of t h e wor d
parallel it wou ld m ea n t h a t t h er e a r e deva s a t
t h e sa m e level of evolu t ion a s h u m a n bein gs,
t h a t som e r a m ifica t ion of t h e on e life pa sses by
h u m a n it y a n d in d ivid u a lis es ou t s id e t h e
h u m a n k in gdom so t h a t t h ese bein gs do n ot
obt a in t h e st r ict ly h u m a n exper ien ce.
We will in t h is a r t icle discu ss t h e qu est ion
a n d s e e k t o e s t a b lis h a n ot h e r w or k in g
h ypot h esis, for t h er e is gr ea t bea u t y in t h e
t h ou gh t t h a t on e m igh t y wa ve of life sweeps
t h r ou gh t h e va r iou s for m t ypes of evolu t ion ,
pa ssin g a ll st a ges, wh et h er h u m a n or devic,
a n d en d in g u p wit h t h e t ot a l a m ou n t of
exp er ien ce p os s ible in p la n et a r y a n d s ola r
m a n ifest a t ion .
In Alice A. Ba iley's A T reatise on Cosm ic
F i r e (CF ) a n d H .P . Bla va t sk y's T h e S ecret
D oct r i n e (SD) we fin d a n u m ber of cr u cia l
st a t em en t s wh ich we sh a ll sim ply qu ot e in
or der t o m a ke ou r m a in poin t :
H e m u st rem em ber lik ew ise t h e fa ct
th at every life of every d egree, from a
god t o t h e m ost in sign ifica n t of t h e
lesser d evas, or bu ild ers, m u st at som e
t im e or a n ot h er p a ss t h rou gh t h e
h u m an fam ily. (CF ,pp.895-96).
Forget n ot th e occu lt tru ism th at all
form s of existen ce pass at on e stage of
1
t h ei r ca r eer t h r ou gh the hum an
k in gd om . (CF ,p.437).
N o bein g ca n becom e God ,or Deva,
u n less h e passes th rou gh th e h u m an
Cycles. (S D,II, p.336).
M oreov er, from th e begin n in g of th e
R ou n d , all in N atu re ten d s to becom e
M a n . A ll t h e im p u lses of t h e d u a l,
cen tripetal an d cen trifu gal Force are
d irect ed t ow a rd s on e p oin t - M a n .
(S D,II,p.179).
T h e (goal of th e) L u n ar Pitris (is) to
becom e m en . T h ey w ill in th eir h igh er
grad es pass d irectly in to th e an im al
ev olu t ion of t h e n ext cycle a n d so
even tu ally in d ivid u alise.
(CF,844,tabu lation ).
T h e goal for th e d evas (below th e ran k
of S ola r Pitris) is in d ivid u alisation ,
an d th eir objective is to becom e m en in
som e fu tu re cycle. (CF,p.836).
T h ese L u n ar S pirits h av e to becom e
"m en " in ord er th at th eir M on ad s m ay
reach a h igh er plan e of activity an d
self-con sciou sn ess. (S D,I, p.203).
We s ee t h a t t h is p a r a llelis m , in t h e
or din a r y m ea n in g of t h e wor d, is n ot su ppor t ed
b y t h e s e im p or t a n t s ou r ce s of e s ot e r ic
k n owledge. Bu t t h e Tibet a n Ma st er a lso u ses
t h e wor d pa r a llel in r ela t ion t o t h e h u m a n a n d
deva evolu t ion s. H e descr ibes h ow t h e h u m a n
a s t r a l bod y con s is t s of lit t le in volu t ion a r y
elem en t a l lives, wh ich for m t h e veh icle it self,
a n d a n evolu t ion a r y d eva wh o m a k es it a
coh er en t wh ole, a n d h e st a t es t h a t t h e m a n , if
con t r olled by t h em (wh ich m ost people a r e),
m u st fr ee h im self. H e goes on t o sa y:
I f t h es e r em a r k s a r e r i g h t l y
appreh en d ed , som e u n d erstan d in g w ill
com e of w h at is m ean t w h en th e d eva
ev olu t ion is sp ok en of a s bein g a
“parallel evolu tion " to th at of m an . In
t h e t h ree w orld s t h e t w o lin es of
evolu tion parallel each oth er, an d m u st
n ot be con sciou sly on e. In th e plan es of
th e T riad th ey are k n ow n as a u n ity,
prod u cin g th e Divin e H erm aph rod ite…
(CF, p. 663).
So t h e wor d parallel h er e r efer s t o t ypes of
con sciou sn ess a n d n ot levels of evolu t ion . Bu t
h ow, t h en , m a y we a ppr oa ch t h e su bject in
or d er t o cla r ify ou r m in d s a bou t t h e d eva
e volu t ion ? I s u gge s t w e con s id e r t h e
r ela t ion sh ip bet ween life, con sciou sn ess a n d
for m . Kin gdom s of n a t u r e a r e m er ely for m
t ypes t h a t t h e life en er gy occu pies in or der t o
d evelop s en t ien t con s ciou s n es s . Ma ybe a n
a n a logy fr om t h e r ea lm of elect r on ics m a y be of
h elp h er e. Wh en a n elect r ic cu r r en t pa sses
t h r ou gh a wir e it pr odu ces a m a gn et ic field.
Wh en t h e wir e is st r a igh t t h e field is low, bu t
wh en t h e wir e is win ded in t o a coil t h e field
in cr ea ses it s pot en t ia l a ccor din g t o t h e n u m ber
of win din gs.
So life (t h e cu r r en t ) in ca r n a t es in t h e for m
t ypes of evolu t ion (t h e wir e) in or der t o develop
con sciou sn ess (t h e m a gn et ic field), a n d t h e
m or e com plex t h e for m (n u m ber of win din gs)
t h e h igh er t h e degr ee of con sciou sn ess power of
m a gn et ic field).
Th e life en er gy is oft en spoken of in va gu e
t er m s lik e ou tpou rin gs of life w aves, bu t it is
r ea lly gr ou ps of m on a ds a t va r iou s levels of
developm en t . Th ese gr ou ps a r e ca lled cr ea t ive
h ier a r ch ies beca u se t h ey cr ea t e ever yt h in g in
t h e syst em , in clu din g t h e pla n es of m a t t er or
su bst a n ce. E a ch h ier a r ch y (n ot t o be con fu sed
wit h t h e sp irit u a l H iera rch y) r epr esen t s a
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T h e Deva E volu tion J ou rn al of E soteric Psych ology • Volu m e 9 • N o. 1 • 1995
cer t a in evolu t ion a r y level a n d in ca r n a t es in
on e or m or e k in gdom s of n a t u r e. In t h e n ext
cycle (wh a t ever t h a t m a y be) it m oves on in t o
t h e n ext level.
E a ch h ier a r ch y h a s t o lea r n ever yt h in g
possible a t it s pa r t icu la r level, t h a t is relea se
th e rain clou d of k n ow able th in gs, a n d so we a r e
t old t h a t som e of t h e h ier a r ch ies h a ve a lr ea dy
don e t h a t in r ega r d t o ou r cosm ic ph ysica l
pla n e a n d a r e n ow focu sed on t h e cosm ic a st r a l
p la n e. F r om t h e begin n in g t h er e a r e 12
cr e a t ive h ie r a r ch ie s , a n d five of t h e m
(a ppr oxim a t ely) h a ve m oved on , lea vin g seven
h ier a r ch ies wit h in t h e sph er e of evolu t ion t h a t
t h e esot er ic t ea ch in g n or m a lly con sider s -- ou r
seven pla n es of n a t u r e.
We m a y t a bu la t e t h ese seven h ier a r ch ies
a n d t h eir fu n ct ion s in r ela t ion t o m a n in t h e
followin g m a n n er (CF ,pp.1196-1211):
1. T h e Fire L ord s, wielder s of t h e h igh est
en er gy in t h e syst em .
2. T h e Divin e B u ild ers, t h e sou r ce of the
m on a d i c l i fe b u t n ot t h e m on a d s
t h em selves.
3. T h e T riad s, st im u la t in g t h e h igh er self in
m a n a n d m a kin g h im a spir it u a l bein g.
T h ese th ree h ierarch ies are h igh ly evolved
sp irit u a l bein gs t h a t h a v e p a s s ed t h e
h u m an stage in th e previou s solar system .
4 . T h e h u m a n m on a d s, t h e cor e of t h e
pr esen t h u m a n it y on E a r t h . Th ey en d u p
on t h e seven pa t h s of cosm ic evolu t ion ,
m ost of t h em followin g t h e pa t h t o Sir iu s
a n d becom in g s ola r a n gels in t h e n ext
syst em .
5. T h e solar an gels, t h e gr ea t er bu ilder s wh o
for m t h e egoic body of m a n a n d give h im
h is s e lf-con s ciou s n e s s . T h e y p a s s e d
t h r ou gh t h e h u m a n st a ge in ea r lier ch a in
per iods, a n d becom e pla n et a r y Logoi in t h e
n ext syst em .
6. T h e L u n ar Pitris, t h e lesser bu ilder s or
n a t u r e spir it s wh o bu ild a ll life for m s in
n a t u r e, in clu d in g h u m a n bod ies , a n d
con st it u t e t h eir in h er en t life. Th ey becom e
h u m a n it y in t h e n ext cycle.
7. T h e elem en t a l liv es wh ich a n im a t e a ll
 p a r t icles of m a t t er a n d con s t it u t e t h e h igh est officia ls a r e t h e m igh t y Deva -r a ja s,
elem en t a l es s en ces . Th ey becom e t h e seven gr ea t Deva Lor ds m a n ifest in g t h e seven
et h er ic a n d den se ph ysica l body of t h e n ext pla n es of m a t t er fr om t h e seven spir illa s of t h e
syst em . cosm ic ph ysica l per m a n en t a t om -- t h e disc of
So we see t h a t t h e fift h , sixt h a n d seven t h t h e su n . Th is gives u s t h e followin g t a bu la t ion
of t h e cr ea t ive h ier a r ch ies con st it u t e t h e deva of t h e t h r ee a spect s of t h e Logos (CF ,pp.628-
evolu t ion a s we k n ow it on ou r p la n et . I t 30):
m ea n s t h a t t h er e a r e n o real s u bh u m a n
k in gd om s of n a t u r e , on ly d e va b e in gs 1. a s p e c t 2. a s p e c t 3. a s p e c t
d e v e l op i n g p h y s i ca l con s ci ou s n e s s b y Logoic life en er gy Logoic psych e Logoic for m
in h a bit in g t h e for m s of n a t u r e - a beau tifu l m a n ifest in g m a n ifest in g m a n ifest in g
d iam on d , a stately tree, or a fish in th e w ater t h r ou gh t h r ou gh t h r ou gh
are bu t d evas after all. (CF ,p.892).
Ma ybe we ca n get som e idea of wh a t (for 7 Spir it s 7 Ra y Lor ds 7 Deva Lor ds,
in st a n ce) a n a n im a l is by com pa r in g it t o a befor e or P la n et a r y P l a n e L or d s
h u m a n bein g. Ma n is t h e s u m t ot a l of t h e t h r on e: Logoi: or Deva r a ja s:
elem en t a l essen ces, t h r ee evolu t ion a r y deva s
(et h er ic, a s t r a l a n d m en t a l) a n d a s elf- F ir st spir it F ir st r a y Logoic pla n e - Sh iva
con sciou s iden t it y expr essin g it self t h r ou gh t h e Secon d spir it Secon d r a y Mon a dic pla n e - Su r ya
sola r a n gel. Bu t if we r em ove t h is iden t it y a ll Th ir d spir it Th ir d r a y At m ic pla n e - Br a h m a
t h a t is left is a s y n d r om e of deva for ces, a n d F ou r t h spir it F ou r t h r a y Bu ddh ic pla n e - In dr a
t h a t is wh a t t h e a n im a l seem s t o be. F ift h spir it F ift h r a y Men t a l pla n e- Agn i
So ou r con clu sion n ow is t h a t t h e deva Sixt h spir it Sixt h r a y Ast r a l pla n e- Va r u n a
e volu t ion is n ot p a r a lle l t o t h e h u m a n Seven t h spir it Seven t h r a y P h ysica l pla n e- Ksh it i
evolu t ion bu t pa sses t h r ou gh it , so t o spea k .
Th er e is on ly on e life st r ea m , a n d it m oves So, gen er a lly t h e deva s a dm in ist er a ll life
t h r ou gh va r iou s ph a ses of for m life in or der t o on E a r t h except h u m a n life. In t h e pla n et a r y
develop con sciou sn ess. Deva is bu t a st a t e of body, h u m a n it y con st it u t es t h e cen t r es, wh ile
con sciou sn ess, a n d so is m a n . t h e deva s for m t h e r est of t h e st r u ct u r e. Th is
m a y be d ifficu lt for u s (h u m a n s ) t o
Th e F u n c tio n s a n d S tru c tu re o f th e D e v a com p r eh en d , beca u s e we a r e s o u s ed t o
Ev o lu tio n r ega r din g ou r selves a s t h e su pr em e r eign in
At t h e creation of t h e syst em t h e pla n et a r y n a t u r e, wh ile we a r e r ea lly t en a n t s in a deva
Logoi m ed i t a t es or visu alises t h e a r ch et ypa l wor ld.
for m p a t t e r n s t o b e m a n ife s t e d d u r in g F in a lly t h is lea ds u s t o t h e st r u ct u r e of t h e
evolu t ion -- t h e blu e pr in t s of t h e a r ch it ect , a s deva h ier a r ch y of a pla n e. It m igh t be a n y of
it wer e. Th ese a r ch et ypes or blu e pr in t s, a s t h e pla n es, bu t for t h e sa k e of ou r gen er a l
a ssim ila t ed by t h e gr ea t er bu ilder s, m a y be in t er es t we h a ve ch os en t o t a bu la t e t h e
a n a logou s t o t h e m a n n e r in w h ich a h ier a r ch y of t h e ph ysica l pla n e:
pr ogr a m m e is t r a n sfer r ed t o t h e h a r d disk of a
com pu t er . N ow it is t h eir t a sk t o r ea lise t h e Ks h iti - th e D e v a Lo rd o f th e p la n e
en er gy pa t t er n s in t im e a n d spa ce ou t of t h eir H a vin g a level of evolu t ion cor r espon din g t o a ch oh a n of
own essen ce. So t h ey a r e t h e cr ea t ive for ces a r a y.
t h a t bu ild t h e for m s a s well a s con st it u t in g
t h eir su bst a n ce. 7 D e v a Lo rd s - o n e fo r e a c h s u bp la n e Con st it u t e t h e
Th is m ea n s t h a t t h e deva evolu t ion belon gs "cou n cil" of Ksh it i.
u n der t h e t h ir d or Br a h m a a spect of t h e Logos,
cr ea t ive in t elligen t a ct ivit y. Th er efor e t h e 3 grou ps:

T h e Deva E volu tion J ou rn al of E soteric Psych ology • Volu m e 9 • N o. 1 • 1995

 F irs t g ro u p - o n th e firs t s u bp la n e
Th e gr ea t er bu ilder s,
h oldin g t h e pla n of evolu t ion in t h eir con sciou sn ess,
pr oject in g it t o t h e n ext gr ou p.
S e c o n d g ro u p - o n th e s e c o n d , th ird a n d fo u rth
s u bp la n e s
Th e lesser bu ilder s,
a ssim ila t in g t h e im pu lses fr om t h e fir st gr ou p,
bu ildin g a ll life for m s in clu din g h u m a n bodies.
bein gs a r e seen by t h e cla ir voya n t obser ver t o
be of a level of con sciou sn ess cor r espon din g t o
in t elligen t h u m a n it y.
N iels B ron sted , teach er/ tran slator, lives in
Den m a rk a n d is a life-lon g st u d en t of t h e
A geless W isd om . H e is a fou n d in g m em ber of
th e T h eosoph ical U n ion in Den m ark . H e is
cu rren tly tran slatin g A T r ea t i s e on C os m i c
Fi r e in to Dan ish .

Th ird g ro u p - o n th e fifth , s ix th a n d s e v e n th
s u bp la n e s
Th e elem en t a l lives,
con st it u t in g t h e su bst a n ces m a n ipu la t ed by t h e lesser
bu ilder s.

Co n c lu s io n
Ma ybe we ca n r ega r d t h is m od el a s a
w or k in g h yp ot h e s is con ce r n in g t h e d e va
e v ol u t i on . B u t h ow com e p r om i n e n t
cla ir voya n t s a s t h e on es m en t ion ed a bove do
n ot a gr ee t o t h is m odel bu t r ega r d t h e deva s a s
belon gin g t o a life st r ea m pa r a llel t o t h e on e of
h u m a n bein gs?
Ma ybe t h eir poin t of view is sim ply ba sed
on obser va t ion . Ma ybe t h ey obser ve in n a t u r e
d eva s wh o s eem t o r ep r es en t a level of
con s ciou s n es s cor r es p on d in g t o t h e h u m a n
level.
If we wa n t t o a n swer t h is qu est ion t h er e
a r e t h r ee poin t s we sh ou ld be a wa r e of. F ir st ly,
deva s do n ot seem t o be a s fir m ly r ela t ed t o a
pla n et a r y sch em e a s h u m a n bein gs do. Th ey
m a y h a ve t h e wh ole of t h e sola r syst em a s
t h eir field of a ct ivit y. Secon dly, t h e degr ee of
in it ia t ion t h a t con clu d es a n d p er fect s t h e
h u m a n st a ge is n ot a lwa ys t h e fift h a s in ou r
pr esen t sit u a t ion , bu t va r ies fr om sch em e t o
sch em e, ch a in t o ch a in a n d r ou n d t o r ou n d.
An d t h ir dly, t h eir r a t e of u n foldm en t seem s t o
be con sider a bly slower t h a n du r in g t h e h u m a n
ph a se.
Th is m ea n s t h a t t h er e m a y be m em ber s of
t h e a n gelic kin gdom on E a r t h wh o h a ve pa ssed
ou t of t h e h u m a n k in gdom in ot h er sch em es,
ch a in s or r ou n ds a t a fa r ea r lier st a ge t h a n t h e
pr esen t (t h e fift h in it ia t ion ), a n d t h a t t h ese
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T h e Deva E volu tion J ou rn al of E soteric Psych ology • Volu m e 9 • N o. 1 • 1995