The Lords of Karma
Some of the most advanced beings in our solar system are called the Lords of Karma. They are generally presented as four in number, “but the whole system works through graded representatives.” TCF, Page 468
There are thus many entities who assist in carrying out the great work, but there are four who oversee the whole of the karmic plan that deals with the past in our solar system. Then there are others who deal with future and racial karma.
Some may question as to why agents for karma are necessary, as some think that it works itself out by a natural cause and effect. After all, if you murder someone don’t you just come back and become a victim yourself?
It is true that cause and effect is behind all things, but this law created these agents of karma to ensure that karma works out fairly, for without the application of quality discerning judgment the law of karma just would not work.
The main reason agents of karma are needed to create balance is because of the feeling nature that affects humanity so strongly, for DK tells us that “The life influence of the desire or astral body, the strongest karmic agency which has to be considered.” TCF, Page 799
Consider this: If you drop an apple it falls to the ground. That is simple cause and effect when only considering the event.
On the other hand, suppose that apple was taken from a starving child and you dropped it down a well while laughing at the kid’s misfortune. Because of feelings involved, the event becomes much more significant than that of gravity causing the apple to fall. The perpetrator obviously needs to learn a lesson and a situation needs to be set up so he will understand the error he committed.
Consider a situation strongly involving the feeling nature. A child writes her first poem and asks her father what he thinks. He says it sounds great for such a young person. But then in another family the guy says, “This is dumb. You’ll never be a poet.”
In both instances the dad gave an honest answer but the second did harm due to hurt feelings and diminished confidence of the child. The second created a negative karma that would take an intelligent judgment to balance the scales.
Humanity thus needs the Lords of Karma and their many helpers to balance the scales in such a way that each individual affected will eventually understand the fairness of the overall plan.
The presiding Lords of Karma who deal with humanity and their past karma are four in number and are sometimes called the Four Maharajahs. They are sometimes identified with the Lipika Lords. Some Theosophical writings make it sound like the Maharajahs and Lipikas are the same and others different so there is a division of opinion on the matter.
DK seems to have solved this mystery and speaks of “the Lipika Lords in Their three groups (the first group, the second, and the four Maharajahs, making the totality of the threefold karmic rulers who stand between the solar Logos and the seven planetary Logoi) … The four Maharajahs, the lesser Lipika Lords, who apply past karma and work it out in the present.” TCF, Pages 111-112
We thus see that all the Maharajahs are Lipikas, but not all Lipikas are Maharajahs. The Maharajahs are in the third Lipika group and are called “the lesser Lipika Lords.” The second group is “occupied in applying future karma, and wielding the future destiny of the races. The work of the first group of four cosmic Lipika Lords is occult and is only revealed somewhat at the fourth Initiation (and even then but slightly) so it will not be touched upon here.” TCF, Page 112
Lipika comes from “Lipi”, which means “writing”. These are said to be celestial recorders, who record every word and deed, said or done by humans while on this earth.
These “Lipika Lords of our system, the systemic Lords of Karma, are under the rule of a greater corresponding Lord on Sirius.” TCF, Page 570 We thus have our karma linked to an extra solar source.
Generally, when DK speaks of the “Lords of Karma” he is talking about the Four Maharajahs who deal with the working out of past karma, but when he is speaking about the working out of Future or racial karma he may speak of the Lipika Lords.
Often DK merely speaks of the Lords of Karma without indicating what category they are in. If he is talking about karma in general, he is usually referring to the Four Maharajahs along with their many assistants. Concerning them only one has been positively identified:
“Saturn is one of the most potent of the four Lords of Karma and forces man to face up to the past, and in the present to prepare for the future.” Esoteric Astrology, Page 164
“Saturn is the Lord of Karma, the imposer of retribution and the one who demands full payment of all debts and who therefore condemns us to the struggle for existence, both from the form side and from the soul side. Saturn, therefore, ‘fell’ when man fell into generation. He ‘followed the sons of men down into their low place.’ Esoteric Astrology, Page 105
Since he is speaking of past karma we know that he is speaking of Saturn as one of the Four Maharajahs.
DK teaches about planets forming the lower quaternary of the solar system whose synthesizing scheme is Saturn. He names three of them which would most likely be where we would find the four Lords of Karma, the Maharajas.
“1. The Earth – planetary vital body.
2. Venus – planetary astral vehicle, or Kama-manas.
3. Mercury – planetary mind.” Esoteric Astrology, Page 362
We are definitely told that Saturn is one of the Four Lords, and the other three appear to be from the Earth, Venus and Mercury.
We previously established that Sanat Kumara not only represents the Logos of earth but is “one of the Seven Spirits before the throne,” or one of the sacred planets and that planet is most likely Saturn. The above quote clinches it for is says the Saturn Lord “‘fell’ when man fell into generation. He ‘followed the sons of men down into their low place.’”
Just as he represents the logos of earth it appears that before he came here he represented the logos of Saturn.
This explains why the Lords of Karma have such a strong connection with Shamballa:
“There are four Lords of Karma associated with the Council Chamber at Shamballa. They represent—in Their totality—the three Rays of Aspect, and one of Them represents the four minor Rays of Attribute.” Rays and Initiations, Page 724
Thus, it would appear that Sana Kumara himself would be one of the Lords of Karma. Concerning the Three Buddhas of Activity – “On our planet, the Earth, They (three of the Lords of Karma) find Their points of contact through the three Buddhas of Activity,” TCF, Page 74
It indicates then that the three Buddhas are not Lords of Karma, but represent them.
Since Saturn is designated as one of the Lords, one would assume the other three Maharajahs would be planetary logoi also, but he is not clear on this and just identifies this one planet. Perhaps it is because Saturn has such a strong connection to this earth and that both are on the third Ray. Saturn also has a strong link with Jehovah of the Jews who strictly meted out karma to them.
It is said that the three heads of the Spiritual Hierarchy work closely with the Four Maharajas:
“This entire process is under the control of the Christ, assisted by the Manu and the Lord of Civilisation. These three Great Lords thus represent the three divine Aspects in the Hierarchy; They, with the four Lords of Karma, form the seven Who control the whole process of incarnation.” Rays and Initiations, Page 93
So, who are all the entities who work at carrying out karma in our system for we are told that “the whole system works through graded representatives.”
The Four Maharajas are just one division of the Lipika Lords. On the upper level there are “Three extra-systemic or cosmic Lords of Karma, Who work from a centre in Sirius through the medium of three representatives. These form a group around the solar Logos, and hold to Him a position analogous to the three Buddhas of Activity Who stand around Sanat Kumara.” TCF, Page 1142
Working with karma on this planet are three divisions of Lipika Lords of whom the Four Maharajas draw the most attention. One of these Lords oversees the building of human bodies and “Under Him are to be found certain karmic agents, who again are divided into the following groups:
- Three karmic agents responsible to the karmic Lords for the work on the three planes.
- Five karmic Lords who work in close connection with the Manus of the various races, and who are responsible for the correct building of the varying race types.
- Karmic agents responsible for the subrace types of the present time.
- Certain intermediary agents who represent (within these three groups) the seven Ray types.
- Those agents of the good Law who are connected specifically with the work of the etheric centres, and their response to the different planetary centres.
- The keepers of the records.” TCF, Pages 942-943
DK also speaks of “The great Lipika Lords with their vast bands of helpers are the most frequent users of the charts, and many of the discarnate egos awaiting incarnation or having just left the earth, sacrifice their time in devachan to assist in this work.” A learning Experience, Page 23
It seems that the Lords of Karma have many helpers including “discarnate egos awaiting incarnation.” Concerning them it is written: “the Ego (higher self) is aware of his karma, and of what must be done to promote growth during the coming incarnation. He works, therefore, in connection with these Lords,” TFC, Page 943
We thus have many entities who work with and assist the Lords of Karma. They range from high entities on Sirius, to the Solar Logos, to residents of Shamballa, to the Spiritual Hierarchy, and even to ourselves through our higher selves in the after death state.
It is therefore through “the knowledge of this law (of cycles) as it concerns rounds, races, subraces, groups (involutionary and evolutionary) and individuals (human and superhuman) which enables the Lords of Karma, and the Adepts of the good Law, to manipulate force or energy, and so carry all that is, on to its triumphant conclusion.” TCF, Page 1141
Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. – Winston Churchill
Sept 2, 2025
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