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

Front Cover
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.
 

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
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

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 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
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About the author (1991)

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.

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