Stanza II
1. Where were the builders, the luminous sons
of manvantaric dawn (a) ? . . . . In the unknown darkness in
their Ah-hi (Chohanic, Dhyani-Buddhic) Paranishpanna, the producers of form (rupa) from no-form (arupa), the root of the
world—the Devamatri* and Svâbhâvat, rested in the bliss of nonbeing (b).
Blavatsky writes of the creative forces of the universe which to us appear as the seven planetary spheres. She writes that "this doctrine, which deals only with
our Planetary System, they, as the architects of the latter, are also called
the “ Watchers ” of the Seven Spheres, which exoterically are the Seven
planets, and esoterically the seven earths or spheres (planets) of our
chain also."
I get the impression that only in our planetary system these creative forces appear as the seven planets and probably in some other system they might appear in different way which to me sounds quite logical. Also considering that our knowledge of the Nature has gradually increased we might in some ways add new things to our esoteric understanding as well (like how the newer planets add something to the system).
The seven planets are also the seven spheres of the Earth, our chain, which means the earth also has various levels of existence in spiritual sense which can be and has been applied to our microcosm, the human, too.
It is interesting that Blavatsky tells that without self-analysing consciousness ( Paramârtha/Svasamvedana) Paranishpanna is only exctinction and no bliss. I think this idea is often in the heart of all spiritual practices as everyone will sooner or later reach Paranishpanna but only in that extent how much one has found Self-consciousness. It's similar to the idea that one only survives as a consciouss being in the process of dying if one has found connection to the higher principles of oneself. In human life it's about whether one has only identified oneself with the finite - body, personality, thoughts etc.
2. . . . . Where was silence ? Where were the ears to
sense it ? No ! there was neither silence, nor sound (a). Naught
save ceaseless, eternal breath (Motion) which knows itself
not (b).
The infinite does not know itself or the finite. I believe comprehending this idea is beyond words and beyond the material and on some level even beyond that which we might view as spiritual which to us seems relatively high and blissful but is still "below" the absolute beyond everything. Of course it's also within everything but can only be understood partly, for example through spiritual work of self-analysing (which I find a bit wrong word somehow) in which one slowly awakes to understand the unity of seemingly opposite things through which the human mind works, and deconstruct the duality.
3. The hour had not yet struck ; the ray had not yet flashed
into the germ (a) ; the matri-padma (mother lotus) had not yet
swollen (b). *
The ray is the ray of Ever-Darkness - the basis of all material existence on which everything can manifest and "flash into the germ". I think that again the darkness is only dark to our eyes as what is beyond can not be seen. The hour had not yet struck means that time has not yet started, I suppose.