Beasts, Men and Gods

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Summary: F. Ossendowski's Journey Through Mysterious Asia.
Review: _Beasts, Men and Gods_, reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, is Ferdinand Ossendowski's fascinating account of his adventures and travels in northern Asia; Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet, and China, in an effort to flee the Red army of the Russian revolution. Dr. Ossendowski was a scientist and writer who lived for a time in Siberia when the Russian revolution broke out. It came about that he became suspected of being a counter-revolutionary and thus had to flee his home one day into the forests. There he began his adventures as related in this book, where he met up first with a murderer and later with various peasants along the way. Eventually, Ossendowski joined the White forces in Mongolia who opposed the revolution and the Bolsheviki. Much of the book is spent relating the various political events that occur in the "heart of Asia" involving Russia, China, Mongolia, and Tibet, and the relations between these nations. The book becomes interesting however when Ossendowski begins to relate the tales of the Buddhist religion of Mongolia. He encounters many of the Lamas, holy pontiffs, and doctors of this religion and relates tales of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa in Tibet, as well as tales of various fortune tellers, poisoners, and soothsayers. Ossendowski also encounters "the Living Buddha", the King of Mongolia, who has become blind through excessive drinking. The Living Buddha is chosen from among the peasants as the incarnation of the Living Buddha in a child (his soul having passed into another body after the death of the previous Living Buddha) and this child is taken to be reared by the Lamas. The Living Buddha relates a special prophecy for all of Asia, which Ossendowski records. In addition, Ossendowski becomes fascinated with tales of a mysterious subterranean kingdom called Agarthi (similar to the kingdom of Aggartha noted by another writer Saint-Yves d'Alveydre in his _Mission de l'Inde_) which can be reached by passageways from throughout the world. In Aggarthi the King of the World or Brahytma lives along with his two assistants, Mahytma (who knows the purposes of future events), and Mahynga (who rules the causes of these events). From what Ossendowski is able to piece together of this legend, many have travelled to the kingdom of Agarthi, returning with much scientific knowledge. In addition, in 1890 the King of the World appeared in a temple to make a special prophecy regarding Asia and the world in the coming century. There he noted that many events and cataclysms would occur, followed by the emergence of those who dwell in the subterranean kingdom into the upper world. Ossendowski's adventure ends at this point, with him travelling to Peking in China and eventually making his way back out of Asia to Europe again. Ossendowski wonders what will happen when Asia rises up to meet Europe in the coming century. This book which has proven itself to be prophetic has remained popular with esotericists ever since. It remains a fascinating travel adventure which occurs at an historic moment, the coming of the Russian revolution and the rise of the communist state at the beginning of the twentieth century.