3. See Alain Daniélou, The Four Aims of Life: Social Structures of Traditional India.
4. "The castes are not distinct entities, as classes in the Western tradition may be.... Castes are above all contrasting elements which may eventually be in harmony with each other, but which are in all events necessary to each other. The hierarchical unity of the caste system is a combination of various distinct sets of relationships. What Western Monism has persistently stifled and rejected flourishes in such a system in all its richness. In place of one-dimensionalism, which entails isolation, we find polytheism, which rests on interdependence. Instead of gregarious solitude, we find the richness of a harmonious solidarity. Thus, rather than a denial of the reality of contrasting elements, with the risk of seeing them reemerge later in multiple forms of bloody violence, the acceptance of an organized plurality will lead to an integrated, dynamic society. . . . The family, the mafia, the group, the village, and the district of a city are so many channels for community life" (Michel Maffesoli, L'Ombre de Dionysos, pp. 87 and 501).
5. Shivä Svarodayä, translated from the Sanskrit by Alain Daniélou.
Part Five: THE THEORY OF CYCLES
Chapter 1. The Duration of the Universe
1. We could perhaps, in modern terms, consider that the unity of cosmic time, linked to the initial explosion of the energetic principle, is the speed of expansion of the universe, which seems to be constant within the period of the evolution of the universe, during which time living species are born and die. According to Hindu cosmology, we are a third of the way through the expansion of the universe. This speed should gradually diminish to zero, then inverse itself when the universe is reabsorbed.
2. According to modern data, "the number of cells which make up the human body is 3 × 1028 or thirty billion billion billion" (Hubert Reeves, Patience dans l'azur, p. 122). According to Indian theory, this figure should be similar to the number of cosmic cells or galaxies that constitute Cosmic Man.
3. Until relatively recently, the data of Hindu cosmology were considered absurd and were often ridiculed by the West, which maintained that the world was created in seven days, concluding, according to Johannes Kepler, on Sunday, 27 April, in the year 3877 B.C. This date, of biblical origin, derived from Sumerian data, corresponds approximately to the beginning of the Kali Yugä, the fourth and current age of mankind, and not to the creation of the world.
4. According to a theory suggested by the Commentaries of the Puränä(s), the ark may have been a space vessel in which some survivors of the previous human cycle had taken refuge. It would have been they who gave birth to the new humanity and its Golden Age.
Chapter 2. The Three Cities
1. The idea that we find in the Bible of the creation of the world in seven days is perhaps an evocation of the birth of the seven cycles of humanity. Similarly, the mention of seven wise men in various traditions, in particular in the Epic of Gilgamesh, ties up with the seven "Manus" who have reorganized human society at the beginning of the golden age of each of the seven cycles.
2. The parts of the account that are not extracted or in quotation marks are résumés of chapters or excerpts taken from commentaries.
Part Six: FORESTALLING THE END
Chapter 1. The Three Cities
1. We have already seen in relation to the Assurs the description of the destruction of the world by means of terrifying weapons that destroy all life forms. The modern descriptions of an atomic war are almost identical to the vision of the Purânä. According to Jonathan Schell: "In the first moments of an attack ... dazzling fire balls would appear out over metropolises, towns, and suburbs, like so many suns even more blinding than the star itself; simultaneously most of the inhabitants would be irradiated, crushed, burnt alive. The thermal radiation would subject more than 1,500,000 square kilometers to a heat of 40 calories per square centimeter—the temperature at which human flesh is carbonized."
Bibliography
In the following bibliography, the publisher's name is not given for texts existing in multiple editions, nor for texts in manuscript form or published only in local Indian editions that are difficult to obtain.
Texts
IN TAMIL
Kâranâgamä
Tirukkural of Tiruvallur (V.R.R. Dikshitar, Adyar, 1949)
Manimékhalaï (U. V. Svaminath Aiyar, Madras, 1898)
Navakadir
Onbadukadir
Shilappadikâram (U. V. Svaminath Aiyar, Madras, 1927)
Tiruvorriyur Purânam
IN SANSKRIT AND IN PRAKRIT
Purânä(s)
Kâlikâ
Kûrmä (Bibliotheca Indica, Calcutta, 1890)
Lingä (Calcutta, 1885)
Mârkandeyä (Bibliotheca Indica, Calcutta, 1862)
Matsyä (Anandashrama, Poona, 1907)
Shivä (Benares, 1930, with Hindi commentary)
Skandä (Venkateshvara, Bombay, 1911)
Vâyu (Anandashram, Poona, 1905)
Vishnu (Gorakpur, 1915, with Hindi commentary)
Mahâbharatä (Kumbhakonam, Bombay, 1906)
gamä(s)
Kamikä
Mrigendrä
Parameshvarä
Shivä
Sukshmä
Yogä
Upâgamä(s): Secondary gamä(s)
tmayogä
Bhaïravottarä
Narasimhä
Sâmkhyä
Shanti
Târakä
Uttarä
Vinashirottarä
Tanträ(s)
Achârabhedä
Damarä
Kulârnavä (Ganesh and Co., Madras, 1965)
Mahânirvânä (Ganesh and Co., Madras, 1953)
Shaktisangamä (Baroda, 1932-1947)
Shashti
Vedä(s)
Aitareyä ranyakä
Atharvä Vedä
Chhandogyä Upanishad (Adyar edition)
Kathä Upanishad (Adyar edition)
Rig Vedä
Shatapathä Brâhmanä
Shveâshvatarä Upanishad (Adyar edition)
Taïttirîya Brahmanä
Darshanä(s)
Dighä Nikâyä (in Pali): Dialogues of the Buddha (translated and published by Rhys Davids, London, 1890-1911)
Ganä Kârikâ of the Bhâsarvajña
Nyâyä Sarä of Bhâsarvajña
Sâmkhyä Kârikâ of Ishvara Krishna
with commentary by Gaudpadä (Poona, 1933)
with commentary by Varshagânä
with commentary by Vasubandhu
Sarvä Darshanä Samgrahä of Sâyanä-Madhavä (with Hindi translation, Chowkhamba, Benares, 1964)
Sâmkhyä Pravachanä Suträ of Asuri
Sâmkhyä Tattvä Kaumudi of Vâchaspati Mishrä
Shaddarshanä Samuccayä of Haribhadrä (with commentary by Gunäratnä, Calcutta, 1905)
Shankarä Digvijâyä of Mâdhavä (with commentary by Unmattä Bhairavä)
Tattvä Sâmasä of Varshaganyä
Vaisheshikä Sûträ of Kanâdä
Pâshupatä
Ganä Kârikâ of Haradattä (with the Ratnatika Commentary of Bhâsarvajña, Gaekwar Oriental Series no. 15, Baroda)
Ishvarä-Kartri-Vâdä of Bonteya Muni
Lâkulâgamä Sâmayä
Pâncharthä-Bhâshä (Commentary on the Pâshupatä Sûträ by Kaundinyä)
Pâshupatä Sûträ (with Commentary by Kaundinyä, Trivandrum University, 1940)
Ratnä Tikâ of Bhâsarvajñä
OTHER TEXTS
gamä Prâmanyä
Aksharä-Vijnâñä of Raghunandana Sharma
Ashtâdhyayi of Pânini
vashyakä Sûträ (in Prakrit) with commentary by Jînä Dâsä Gani (Rutlam, 1928)
Bauddhâyanä
Bhagavati Sûträ (Jaïnä) (in Prakrit) (Agamodayä Samiti, Bombay, 1928)
Brahmä Sûträ, with commentary by Râmânujä
Brahmä Sûträ Bhâshyä of Sankarâchâryä (with various commentari
es) (Nirnayä Sâgar, Bombay, 1938)
Buddhächaritä of Ashvaghoshä (Punjab University, 1935)
Harshächaritä of Bânä (Motilal Banarsi Dass, Delhi, 1965)
Kadambari of Bânä (Nirnayä Sâgar, Bombay, 1920)
Lalitä Vistarä (Mithila Institute, Darbhanga, 1958)
Mahâbhashyä of Patañjali
Mâlatîmadhavä of Bhavabhûti (Poona, 1935)
Manu Smriti
Nandikéshvarä Kâshikâ
Prabodhä-Chandrodayä of Krishnä Mishrä (Nirnayä Sâgar, Bombay, 1965)
Rudrä Damaru of Nandikeshvarä
Shabdä aur Arthä of Swâmî Kârpatrî (Revue Siddhantä)
Shankarä Vijayä of nandä Giri (Bibliotheca Indica, Calcutta, 1968)
Sharadâtilakä
Shrî-Bhâshyä of Râmânujä (Poona University, 1959-1962)
Siddhantä Kaumudi of Bhattoji, Dikshitä (Calcutta, 1926)
Tripitakä
Vâkyapadîyä of Bhartrihari (Varanasi, 1961)
Vétalä Panchavishati of Jumbhaladattä (American Oriental Society, 1934)
Vishnu Smriti (Adyar edition, 1964)
Vyâkaranä of Kalâpä
Yâjñavâlkyä Smriti (Nirnayä Sâgar, Bombay, 1946)
Yashodharä-Kavyä of Vadirâjä Suri
Recent Works
Aiyangar, S. Krishnaswami, Manimekhalai in Its Historical Setting (London, Luzac, 1927).
Banerjee, P., Early Indian Religions (Delhi, Vikas, 1973).
Basham, A. L., History and Doctrines of the jîvikas (London, 1951; reprinted by Motilal Banarsi Dass, Delhi, 1981).
Bharati, A., The Tantric Tradition (London, 1965).
Bhattacharya, Narendra Nath, History of Shakta Religion (Delhi, Munshiram Manohar Lal, 1974).
Chakraborti, Haripada, Asceticism in Ancient India (Calcutta, Punthi Pustak, 1973).
Golzio, Karl Heinz, Der Tempel in alten Mesopotamien (Leiden, Brill, 1983).
Johnston, E. H., Early Sâmkhyä (London, Royal Asiatic Society, 1937; reprinted by Motilal Banarsi Dass, Delhi, 1974).
Kramrisch, Stella, The Presence of Shiva (Princeton University Press, 1981).
Lorenzen, David N., The Kâpalikäs and Kâlâmukhas (University of California Press, 1972).
McEvilley, Thomas, An Archeology of Yogä (RES I, Harvard University, 1981).
Mellersh, H. E. L., Chronology of the Ancient World (London, Barrie and Jenkins, 1967).
Narayana Ayyar, C. V., Origins and Early History of Shaivism in South India (University of Madras, 1974).
Rao, Gopinath, Elements of Hindu Iconography (Madras, 1914-1916).
Sakhare, M. R., History and Philosophy of Lingayat Religion (Darwad, Karnatak University, 1978).
Van Duk, J., Lugal Ud Me-Lam-Bi Nir Gal (Leiden, Brill, 1983).
Translations
Le Shivä Svarodoyä, translated from Sanskrit by Alain Daniélou (Milan, Arché, 1982, and Paris, Dervy Livres).
Manimekhalaï, partial translation into English by S.Krishnaswami Aiyangar (Madras, 1928).
Shilappadikâram (The Ankle Bracelet), translated from Tamil by Alain Daniélou (Paris, Gallimard, 1981, and New York, New Directions, 1965).
The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated from Sumerian by J. B. Pritchard (Princeton, Ancient Eastern Texts, 1950, and Abed Azri, Paris, Berg International, 1979).
Other Works Consulted
Alexandrian, Histoire de la philosophie occulte (Paris, Seghurs, 1983).
Bernard, Jean, Le Sang et l'histoire (Paris, Buchet-Chastel, 1983).
Espagnat, Bernard d', A la recherche du reel (Paris, Gautier Vilars, 1979).
Maffesoli, Michel, L'Ombre de Dionysos (Paris, Meridiens/Anthropos, 1982).
Reeves, Hubert, Patience dans l'azur (Paris, Le Seuil, 1981).
OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR (IN ENGLISH):
SHIVA AND DIONYSUS
Inner Traditions International, New York, 1984
THE GODS OF INDIA
Inner Traditions International, New York, 1985
THE WAY TO THE LABYRINTH
Memories of East and West
New Directions, New York, 1987
THE RAGAS OF NORTHERN INDIAN MUSIC
Reprint,
Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi, 1980
SHILAPPADIKARAM (The Ankle Bracelet)
Prince Ilangô Adigal
Translated from the Tamil
New Directions, New York, 1965
About the Author
Alain Daniélou (1907-1994) spent more than 15 years in the traditional society of India, using only the Sanskrit and Hindi languages and studying music and philosophy with eminent scholars. He was duly initiated into esoteric Shaivism, which gave him unusual access to texts transmitted through the oral tradition alone. He is the author of more than 30 books on the religion, history, and arts of India and the Mediterranean.
About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
Founded in 1975, Inner Traditions is a leading publisher of books on indigenous cultures, perennial philosophy, visionary art, spiritual traditions of the East and West, sexuality, holistic health and healing, self-development, as well as recordings of ethnic music and accompaniments for meditation.
In July 2000, Bear & Company joined with Inner Traditions and moved from Santa Fe, New Mexico, where it was founded in 1980, to Rochester, Vermont. Together Inner Traditions • Bear & Company have eleven imprints: Inner Traditions, Bear & Company, Healing Arts Press, Destiny Books, Park Street Press, Bindu Books, Bear Cub Books, Destiny Recordings, Destiny Audio Editions, Inner Traditions en Español, and Inner Traditions India.
For more information or to browse through our more than one thousand titles in print, visit www.InnerTraditions.com.
Books of Related Interest
A Brief History of India
by Alain Daniélou
Translated by Kenneth F. Hurry
The Myths and Gods of India
The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series
by Alain Daniélou
Gods of Love and Ecstasy
The Traditions of Shiva and Dionysus
by Alain Daniélou
The Hindu Temple
Deification of Eroticism
by Alain Daniélou
The Complete Kama Sutra
The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text
Translated by Alain Daniélou
The Celestial Key to the Vedas
Discovering the Origins of the World's Oldest Civilization
by B. G. Sidharth
The Essence of Yoga
Essays on the Development of Yogic Philosophy from the Vedas to Modern Times
by Georg Feuerstein and Jeanine Miller
Ritual Art of India
by Ajit Mookerjee
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First U.S. edition 1987
While the Gods Play was first published in French under the title La Fantaisie des Dieux et L'Aventure Humaine by Editions du Rocher, Monaco, 1985
© 1985 Editions du Rocher
© 1987 Alain Danielou
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Inquiries should be addressed to Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Daniélou, Alain.
While the gods play.
Translation of: La fantaisie des dieux et l'aventure humaine.
Bibliography: p.
1. Shaïväism. I.
Title.
BL1280.54.D3613 1987 294.5'2 87-10831
eISBN-13: 978-1-59477-736-3
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