The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series

Alain Daniélou

Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 1991 - History - 441 pages

The study of Hindu mythology explores the significance of the most prominent Hindu dieties as they are envisioned by the Hindus themselves. Referred to by its adherents as the "eternal religion," Hinduism recognizes for each age and each country a new form of revelation--and for each person, according to his or her stage of development, a different path of realization.

This widely praised study of Hindu deities reveals the message of tolerance and adaptability at the heart of this ancient religion.

What people are saying

User Review -

One of the best encyclopedic books on Hinduism

User Review -

The book is perhaps the most comprehensive explanation of Hindu philosophy and it's world view in print.
Applying a western scientific and European philosophic referencing and interpretation of the profoundly complex networks of meaning which constitutes Hinduism, Danielou, with an exceptional degree of accessible, scholarly clarity, unpicks and joins up understanding to create an unparalleled degree of enlightened penetration on the subject.
One could call it the definitive handbook to God, in the true sense of the word; where Hinduism is the font of so much north of the equator. 

Contents

• The Theory of Polytheism: 3
• The Representation of the Transcendent: 4
• The Nondual Principle: 6
• Monotheism and Polytheism: 8
• Nondualism and Monism: 11
• The Nature of the Ultimate: 14
• the Substrata of Space Time and Consciousness: 15
• The I and the Self: 18
• Immensity brahman the Common Substratum: 20
• The Three Fundamental Qualities and the Trinity: 22
• The Three States of Experience: 24
• The Three Qualities and Manifestation: 26
• The PowerofIllusion mdya: 28
• Illusion and Ignorance: 30
• Nature: 31
• The Living Individuality as the Power That Can Oppose Nature: 32
• The Power of Nature as the Obstacle to Knowledge: 33
• The Fundamental Duality: 34
• God Isvara and the Illusion of Divine Unity: 35
• Life as the One Deity: 36
• The Relationship of God and the Universe: 37
• Dangers of Applied Metaphysics: 40
• The Cosmic Being: 42
• Cosmic Duration: 44
• Cosmic Location: 48
• The Nature of Manifestation: 52
• The Appearance of the Universe: 53
• Cosmic Consciousness: 54
• The Personification and the Description of the Cosmic Being: 57
• The Gods of the Vedas: 61
• The Cosmic Sacrifice: 63
• The Relation of the Spheres: 66
• The Ritual of Sacrifice yajna: 67
• The Forms of the Sacrifice: 69
• The Technique of the Sacrifice: 70
• The Creation of Man: 72
• The Last Sacrifice: 73
• The Way of the Fathers: 74
• The Image of the Sacrifice: 76
• The Inner Yajna of the Yogi: 77
• The ThirtyThree Gods: 79
• The Three Spheres of Agni: 80
• The Three Aspects of Deities: 81
• The Number of the Gods: 82
• The Spheres and Their Deities: 85
• The Earth: 87
• The Ten Forms of Fire: 89
• The Sphere of Space and the LordofWind Vayu: 90
• The Sky Dyaus: 92
• The Image of the Sun: 94
• Dawn lisas: 97
• The Moon the CupofOfferings Soma: 98
• The Story of the Moon: 100
• Divinities of the Sphere of Space: 102
• The Maruts Immortals: 103
• A Legend of the Maruts: 106
• The Adityas the Sovereign Principle: 112
• Mitra Friendship Solidarity: 115
• Aryaman Chivalry: 116
• Bhaga the Inherited Share: 117
• Varuna the Coverer or Binder the Mysterious Law of the Gods: 118
• Daksa Ritual Skill: 121
• Arhsa the Share of the Gods: 122
• Tvastr the Shaper Craftsmanship the God of Industry: 123
• Vivasvat the Ancestor the Embodiment of Morality or Ancestral Law: 124
• Savitr the Vivifier the Magic Power of Words: 125
• Sakra the Mighty the Divinity of Courage and Outer Security: 126
• 9 Other Vedic Deities: 128
• The Regents of the Directions: 129
• Yama the Binder the Lord of Death: 132
• ManifoldSecret Citragupta the Scribe of the Lord of Death: 134
• Kubera the Lord of Riches: 135
• The Yaksas Guardians of the Earths Treasures: 137
• Nirrti the Goddess of Misery: 138
• 10 Gods and Antigods: 139
• The Antigods asura: 140
• The Gods of PreVedic India: 141
• Description of the Antigods: 142
• Different Kinds of Asuras: 143
• The Age and the Felicity of the Gods: 145
• The Trinity: 147
• 11 Visnu the Pervader: 149
• The Nature of Visnu: 150
• The Names of Visnu: 151
• The Image of Visnu: 152
• The TwentyFour Icons of Visnu: 153
• The Conch: 155
• The Lotus: 156
• The Jewel Treasure of the Ocean: 157
• The Earrings the Armlets and the Crown: 158
• The Dark Color: 159
• The Sword and Sheath: 160
• The Serpent Remainder: 162
• The Attendants of Visnu: 163
• The Avatars or Incarnations of Visnu: 164
• The Planets: 165
• The Incarnations of the First Age the Satya Yuga Age of Truth: 166
• The TortoiseIncarnation Kurmaavatara: 167
• The BoarIncarnation Varahaavatdrd: 168
• The Incarnations of the Second Age the Treta Yuga: 169
• RamawiththeAx ParasuRdma: 170
• THE TALE OF RENUKA: 172
• THE MANTRA RAMA: 174
• THE IMAGE OF RAMA: 175
• RamatheStrong BalaRama: 179
• The Incarnations of the Fourth or Present Age the Kali Yuga Age of Strife: 180
• Kalki: 181
• The Minor Incarnations of Vimul: 182
• Dattatreya Magic: 183
• Rsabha the Bull Morality: 184
• Hayaslrsa the Horseheaded Protector of the Scripture: 185
• Dhruva the Immovable Will Power: 186
• Narada Music: 187
• Siva the Lord of Sleep: 188
• The Tendency toward Disintegration tamos: 190
• The Many Aspects of Siva: 191
• Rudra the Lord of Tears the Destroyer: 192
• The Name Rudra: 194
• The Personification of Anger: 195
• Bhairava the Terrible: 196
• Siva the Auspicious the Lord of Sleep: 197
• The Lord of Knowledge Mahesvara: 198
• The Mahesvara Sutra: 199
• Time Kala the AllDestroyer: 200
• The Divinity of Time: 201
• The Lord of Yoga: 202
• The Hermaphrodite: 203
• The Forms of RudraSiva: 204
• 2 Existence Bhava: 205
• 6 The LordofTears Rudra: 206
• 1 The ConquerorofDeath Mrtyumjaya: 207
• 3 The LordofLust Kamesvara: 208
• 5 The LordoftheElements Bhutesa: 210
• 1 The Ruler Isana: 211
• 3 The Nonfearful Aghora: 212
• The Image of Siva: 213
• The White Color: 214
• The Moon: 215
• The Tiger Skin: 216
• The Spear Pasupata: 217
• The Noose and the Garland of Skulls: 218
• The Hourglassshaped Drum the Damaru: 219
• The Lion: 220
• The Linga: 222
• The Yoni: 223
• The Divine Lust: 224
• The Father Owner of the Linga: 225
• Bija the Seed: 226
• Different Forms of Linga: 228
• The Altars Fire: 229
• The Selfborn Svayambhu: 230
• The Triangle: 231
• Brahma the Immense Being Brahma the SpaceTime or Revolving Principle: 232
• The Names of Brahma: 234
• The Worship of Brahma: 235
• The Brahma Icon: 237
• The LordofProgeny Prajapati: 238
• The Creation of the World: 240
• The Myth of Creation: 243
• The Creation of Man: 246
• The Creation of the Ritual Sacrifice: 247
• The Opening of the Cosmic Egg: 248
• The Duration of the Universe: 249
• The Divine Power Sakti as the Goddess: 251
• Sakti the Allpervading Energy: 253
• Origin and Worship of the Goddess: 256
• The Consorts of the Three Gods: 258
• The Progenitors of the Gods: 259
• The Divinity of Speech Vac: 260
• The Goddess of Fortune Laksim: 261
• Destiny or Transcendent Fortune MahaLaksmi: 262
• Success Radha the Personification of Devotion: 263
• The PowerofEnjoyment ahlodinisakti: 264
• The Amorous Lalita: 266
• The Ten ObjectsofTranscendentKnowledge mahavidya: 268
• The Eternal Night: 269
• Kali the Power of Time: 270
• The Image of Kali: 271
• THE SWORD: 272
• THE NAKEDNESS: 273
• Tara the Star the Power of Hunger and the NightofAnger Kroclharatri: 274
• Tara and Kali: 275
• The Representation of the Void: 276
• The Image of Tara: 277
• Sodasi the GirlofSixteen the Power of Perfection and the DivineNight Divyaratri: 278
• Bhuvanesvari the Lady of the Spheres the Power of Knowledge and the NightofRealization Siddharatrl: 279
• KNOWLEDGE Chinnamasta the Beheaded the Power of the Sacrifice and the NightofCourage Viraratri: 280
• Bhairavi the Fearful Goddess the Power of Death and the NightofDeath Kalaratri: 281
• Dhumavati the Smoky One the Power of Poverty and the NightofFrustration Darunaratri: 282
• The Deceitful Craneheaded Bagala the Power of Cruelty and the Second NightofCourage Viraratrl: 283
• The LotusGirl Kamala the Power of Wealth and the NightofSplendorMaharatri: 284
• Some Other Aspects of the Goddess: 285
• The Unborn or the SheGoat Aja: 286
• The Mother Ambika: 287
• The Destroyer of the BuffaloDemon Mahisaasuramardinil: 288
• Secondary Gods: 289
• The Sons of Siva: 291
• The Birth of Ganapati: 292
• Elephant and Man: 293
• The Remover of Obstacles: 294
• The Image of Ganapati: 295
• THE TRUNK: 296
• Kumara the Adolescent: 297
• Minor Gods and Genii: 301
• The UniversalPrinciples Visvas or Visvadevas: 302
• The Shining Abhasvaras: 303
• The SkillfulCraftsmen Rbhus: 304
• The Fragrances gandharva: 305
• The Wanderers cdrana: 306
• The Heavenly Humans kinnara: 307
• The Serpents or Dragons the Evermoving naga: 308
• The NightWanderers raksasa: 309
• The EatersofRawFlesh pisaca: 310
• The Ghosts preta: 311
• Other Deities Kama Eros the Divinity of Lust: 312
• The SeedofLust Kamabija: 313
• The ArchitectoftheUniverse Visvakarman: 314
• The ArchitectoftheAntigods Maya: 315
• The Cow: 316
• The Fiery Arigiras: 319
• The OwnerofWealth Vasistha: 320
• The CrackofFire Bhrgu: 322
• The Devourer Atri: 323
• Light Marici: 324
• Sukra the Teacher of the Genii: 325
• Prthu the First King: 326
• The Representation and the Worship of Deities: 329
• The Representation of Deities: 331
• The Representation of Deities: 332
• The ThoughtForms or Mantras: 334
• The BasicThoughtForms bijamantra: 335
• Other Kinds of Mantras: 336
• The Chief Basic ThoughtForms or Seed Mantras: 338
• 2 The SeedofConsciousness or SeedofSpeech vagblja: 341
• Seed of Energy saktibija: 342
• 6 The PrimordialSeed adyabija or SeedofthePowerofTime kallblja: 343
• The Expanded Mantras: 344
• Tlie Mantra of the SupremeEnergy para Sakti: 345
• Brahma Mantra: 346
• The CalmingofAnger krodhasanti: 347
• The Siva Mantra of FiveLetters pancaksara: 348
• The ThoughForm of FifteenSyllables pancadasi of the First Goddess: 349
• The Yantras or Magic Diagrams: 350
• The Constituent Elements of the Yantras: 351
• The Triangle: 352
• The Pentagon Star: 353
• The Lotuses: 354
• The Yantra Guarded on all Sides sarvatobhadra: 355
• The RemoverofDesire smarahara: 356
• The Yantraof Liberation mukti: 358
• The Sri Cakra: 359
• The Ganapati Yantra: 360
• The Visnu Yantra: 361
• The Images murti of Deities: 362
• The Forms of the Images: 363
• The Worship of Deities: 366
• The Kinds of Worship: 370
• The Stages of Worship: 372
• Ritual: 374
• The Technique of Worship: 375
• The Place of Worship: 376
• The Purification and Dedication of the Body: 377
• Removing Obstacles: 378
• Meditation: 379
• The Accessories of Worship: 380
• The Incense: 381
• Selective Bibliography: 385
• Index: 397

About the author

Alain Daniélou was an intimate of Stravinsky, Cocteau, and Nabokov in his early years, then spent twenty years in India studying music and philosophy with eminent scholars of the Hindu tradition. He is the author of more than thirty books on the religion, history, and arts of India and the Mediterranean, including While the Gods Play, Gods of Love and Ecstasy, Yoga: Mastering the Secrets of Matter and the Universe, and The Complete Kama Sutra. Daniélou was the founder and director of the International Institute for Comparative Musicology in Berlin, and was a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and Officier du Mérite National.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series; Volume 73 of Bollingen series; Princeton/Bollingen Paperbacks
• Author: Alain Daniélou
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 1991
• ISBN: 0892813547, 9780892813544
• Length: 441 pages
• Subjects: Body, Mind & Spirit / Mysticism; History / Asia / South / General; Religion / Hinduism / General; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Folklore & Mythology