These devas are many in number, are of involutionary and evolutionary nature, and of all grades and types.
Ruling over them on the physical plane is the great deva Kshiti. He is a deva of rank and power equal to a Chohan of a Ray: He presides over everything outside the human kingdom upon the physical plane, and He has for His council the four subordinate deva lords of the four etheric levels. He, with these subordinate devas, presides over a subsidiary council of seven devas who handle all that concerns the deva evolution, and the work of the greater and the lesser builders.
The deva Ruler of the fourth, or lowest ether, has delegated a member of his council to meet with certain of the Masters at this time for two specific purposes, first, to see whether the approximation of the two lines of evolution, human and deva, might be now tentatively permitted, and, secondly, to reveal some of the methods of healing and the causes of physical disability which are inherent in the etheric double.
Devas of all kinds and colours are found on the physical etheric levels, but the prevailing hue is violet, hence the term so often employed, the 'devas of the shadows'.
With the coming in of the ceremonial ray of violet, we have the amplification therefore of the violet vibration, always inherent on these levels, and the great opportunity therefore for contact between the two kingdoms. It is in the development of etheric vision (which is a capacity of the physical human eye) and not in clairvoyance that this mutual apprehension will become possible. With the coming in likewise of this ray will arrive those who belong thereon, with a natural gift of seeing etherically. Children will frequently be born who will see etherically as easily as the average human being sees physically; as conditions of harmony gradually evolve out of the present world chaos, devas and human beings will meet as friends.
As the two planes, astral and physical, merge and blend, and continuity of consciousness is experienced upon the two, it will be difficult for human beings to differentiate at first between devas of the astral plane, and those of the physical.
It is interesting to note, in the light of the last comment,
the following quotation:
" The devas of the ethers carry on their foreheads a translucent symbol in the form of a crescent mood, and by this they may be distinguished from the astral devas by those able to see clairvoyantly."
At the beginning of this period of recognition, men will principally contact the violet devas, for those of the higher ranks amongst them are definitely making the attempt to contact the human. These devas of the shadows are of a dark purple on the fourth etheric level, of a lighter purple, much the same colour as violet, on the third etheric level, a light violet on the second, whilst on the atomic subplane they are of a glorious translucent lavender.
Some of the groups of devas to be contacted on the physical plane are as follows:
Four groups of violet devas, associated with the etheric doubles of all that exists on the physical plane.
These four are in two divisions, those associated with the building of the etheric doubles, and those out of whose substance these doubles are built.
The green devas of the vegetable kingdom. These exist in two divisions also. They are of high development, and will be contacted principally along the lines of magnetization. The greater devas of this order preside over the magnetic spots of the earth, guard the solitude of the forests, reserve intact spaces on the planet which are required to be kept inviolate; they defend them from molestation, and with the violet devas are at this time working definitely, though temporarily, under the Lord Maitreya. The Raja Lord of the astral plane, Varuna and his brother Kshiti, have been called to the council chamber of the Hierarchy for specific consultation, and just as the Masters are endeavouring to prepare humanity for service when the World Teacher comes, so these Raja Lords are working along similar lines, in connection with the devas. They are arduous in Their work, intense in their zeal, but much obstructed by man.
The white devas of the air and water who preside over the atmosphere work with certain aspects ofelectrical
phenomena, and control the seas, rivers and streams. From among them, at a certain stage in their evolution,
are gathered the guardian angels of the race when in physical plane incarnation. Each unit of the
human family has his guardian deva.
Each group of devas has some specific method of development and some means whereby they evolve and attain a particular goal.
For the violet devas the path of attainment lies through feeling and through educating the race in the perfecting
of the physical body in its two departments.
For the green devas the path of service is seen in magnetisation, of which the human race knows nothing as yet. Through this power they act as the protectors of the vegetable plant life, and of the sacred spots of the earth; in their work lie the safety of man's body, for, from the vegetable
kingdom for the remainder of this round comes the nourishment of that body.
For the white devas the path of service lies in the guarding of the individuals of the human family, in the care and segregation of types, in the control of the water and air elementals, and much that concerns the fish kingdom.Thus in .the service of humanity in some form or another lies attainment for these physical plane devas. They have much to give and do for humanity, and in time it will be apparent to the human unit what he has to give towards the perfecting of the deva kingdom. A great hastening of their evolution goes forward now coincident with that of the human family.
There is another group of devas about which much may not as yet be communicated. They have come in from another planetary scheme, and are specialists in their particular line. They have attained, or passed through, the human kingdom, and are of equal rank with certain members of the Hierarchy, having chosen to stay and work in connection with the physical plane evolution. They are not many in number, being only twelve. Four work in the violet group, five in the green group, and two in the
white, with a presiding officer of rank equal to a Chohan.
-Devas and Men, A Compilation on Theosophical Studies of Devas and Men by the Southern Centre of Theosophy Robe, South Australia