Review

Author(s): Massimo Scaligero

Review by: Massimo Scaligero
Source: East and West, Vol. 14, No. 3/4 (September-December 1963), pp. 261-266
Published by: Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO)
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owe their indebtedness to Dr De for the the division of speech into 3 or 4 (like
valuable edition of this classical work, the par? etc.) and about the sabdabrahman
vakroktijivita. and parabrahman etc. is well explained by
T. Venkatacharya the author in his introduction (see pp. 11,
12 etc.). Detailed synopses of the contents
of the text are also included, which will be
found very useful by the readers. A list
Parum alaghumanj?s? of N?gesabhatta, of errata is added at the end. Gratitude of
with the Sanskrit commentary Jyotsn? scholars cannot be expressed sufficiently
by Sri K?lik?pras?d Shukla (Baro? in words to the authorities of the Baroda
da, M. S. University of Baroda, 1961.
University for their distinguished service
Pp. xiii + 47 + 217). for the cause of Indological studies.

Ofthe six ancillary sciences of the Veda,

T. Venkatacharya
grammar is the important ariga. Also, leav?

ing asidespecialization, cultivation of the

science of grammar was regarded
general
in the past as a sine qua non, and was m
thus pursued by everybody laying claim to
correct knowledge and linguistic usage in

any field of study in Sanskrit. Of themany PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION

systems of grammar that of P?nini receiv?
ed an enormous into a vast
development
with numerous contributions, Guenon, Rene : Symholes
discipline fondamentaux
as well as original. de la Science Sacree (Paris, Gallimard,
exegetical
N?gesa wrote on various branches of nrf, 1962; pp. 468).
Sanskrit learning, but he contributed quite
a number of commentaries and original A noticewhich accompanies this work
treatises to the P?ninian school of gram? states among other things: ? ...le present
mar. The Paramalaghumannj?s? is a com? volume constitue un tresor unique de scien?
a brief of ce et restera comme un verita?
pendium containing exposition symbolique
some of the important topics of Sanskrit ble monument de 1'intellectuality sacree-?.
grammar which N?gesa discussed at great We esteem Guenon's work, and can agree
length in his other works such as laghu with thejudgement that the volume is a
manj?s? etc. This is now presented with treasury of symbolic science, above all be?
a commentary in Sanskrit, called Jyotsn?, cause of the marked autonomy of this
by Sri K?lik?pras?d Shukla of the Baroda author in regard to modern myths and the
Sanskrit College. Deep and remarkable various or in?
psychoanalytical analytical
of the author can be noticed of symbols; he has given as
scholarship terpretations
in the commentary at every step, which well a severe and penetrating criticism of
explains every item of the text, these and we can only
clearly interpretations,
quoting appropriate authority wherever share his opinions.
necessary. We cannot however share the other jud?
The introduction in Sanskrit is quite gement: that this work will remain a true

good and up to the mark, and gives much monument of sacred intellectuality. Here
useful information about the position of there is already a confusion between the
the grammarians and that of the followers treatise and the object treated, a confu?
of the other schools. How is the sion that Guenon himself would note. In
tangible
difference between the view of Bhartrhari fact, Sacred Science cannot be a series of
and that of N?gesa, for instance, studies orientating towards itself, due to
regarding

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 the simple fact that explanatory expres? thousand different forms; that is, the Ab?
sion, however rich in content, is always solute which remains unaltered by its ma?
the means of communication of him who nifestations, postulating the reduction of
is outside true ? understanding ?, on a to a spiritual ? monism ?,
everything by
on which there can be no other rela? Gue?
plane way of metaphysical understanding.
tion but the profane one; for this, expla? non tried to identify the latter in its pure
natory mediation is necessary, and it alone state, the various traditional ex?
through
is possible. alterations, means of
pressions, beyond by
This study of sacred symbols is not itself an investigation which is certainly not
sacred but an attempt at orien? ? ?, but its dialectic form.
symbolism, metaphysics
tation towards it through concepts and no? To think that this is Sacred Science or
tions, being a thought which, having to an expression of it, is to identify meta?
to name
physics with dialectic, that is, the work of
link itself and form, necessarily
renounces its own sacredness, like any the spiritwith theword referringto it.And
thought which must express itself dialec when this word thinks it is referring to it
Such a
tically. thought may be reanimat? without having it or perceiving it undia
ed, or else remain in its temporary abstract are even worse. This is
leetically, things
state, but that depends on the interior ac? there
certainly not Guenon's case, because
tion of him who reads. However, even
is undoubtedly a concrete spiritual expe?
when this interior action succeeds in mak?
rience behind his words: his dialectic can
ing the content poured into the words come
be intuited as the shape of a metaphysical
to life again, it is not a case of Sacred
We in our
experience. recently expressed
Science animating itself, but rather that
reserve as to its value and
of the thought which might lead to it, publications
function as an ? actual ? way to
that the thought was ca? regards
granted originally the spirit. But we recognise that Guenon
pable of doing so. It is the thoughtwhich, has undergone the metaphysical
once ceased to be that which it for? experience
having
it is
of which he speaks; he is without a doubt
mally is, might become vision. But
the most authoritative modern expounder
clear that symbolical exposition is no such
of traditional material, the lucid indicator
vision, and not even a series of mantram;
of the connecting forces in the transmission
therefore one must state that here sacred
of sacred knowledge.
intellectuality,which in itself is undialec too
But Guenon has spoken
tic, is confused with its dialectic expres? perhaps
has selected and sectioned and
sion, which really has nothing sacred much,
too much; perhaps
about it. judged this material
This is the confusion of almost all the he has tried too hard to help his followers
Guenonians who have let themselves be in distinguishing the true from the false,
the a traditional ? from the ? pseudo-tra?
ex?
influenced by the form of the master's
ditional or from the ? anti-traditional?.
position, and who deify this form instead ?,
of back to the forces And all this has perhaps brought about
referring spiritual
fromwhich it is derived. One has only to the opposite effect. Because these disci?
overcome by so much elaborated ma?
read the pages or the periodical ples,
publica?
tions of these followers of Guenon: they terial, by so many already-completed judg?
have found themselves unable to
all resemble one another, it is Guenon's ments,
his his discriminate with their own forces; every?
language, phrasing, style. Except
that it is a language devoid of the spirit been chosen for them.
thing has already
which animated it; so that we are before While it might perhaps have been more
a traditionalism without traditional con? useful to have taught them to develop their
tent, before an abstract which interior so as to regulate themsel?
Vedantism, powers
the same in a ves, with their own autonomy and respon
always repeats concept

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 sibility, with regard to the contents of a candidate for a neurosis; but what this
Tradition. analysis demands would be his annihilation
One must ask oneself: has this vast and or the awareness of his formalism. Such
minute analysis been
really useful, or has is the neurosiswhich continues to analyze
it not rather blocked the attitudes for in the form of a critical irritation, which
-?* can see
learning of the disciples who today with only the negative side of every?
?
some rare exceptions
pretend to be thing; but the negative according to the
judges of presuming, as they memorized Guenonian canon, not accord?
everything,
clutch the Guenonian terminology, to pos? ing to one's own ideas. Because true ideas
sess the spirit which has operated in this are not linked to any
language.
analysis? Without a doubt they think they The truth is that Tradition identified is
are orientating spiritual research, continu? not Tradition. The historical and
critical,
as?
symbolical identification of Tradition may
ing to analyze, to identify, to criticize,
a role which presupposes be as the effort of one wishing
suming something recognized
more than the work of the master standing to destroy it through its metaphysical con?
behind them: it really presupposes realiz? tent. Such an identification is not neces?
ed awareness.
sary for those who are of redisco?
capable
soon to fol?
These disciples want all too vering its metaphysical content, but only
low in the path of their master, who effecti? for those who cannot go beyond the ? let?
vely had something to say, even if within ter ?; and certainly this world too has a
are
determined limits. Like their master, they right to exist today, since there those
presume to frame critically every expres? who need it and nothing else. And they
sion of the spiritual or of the ?traditional?, are in the majority.
or anything pertinent to them, as if they This explains the diffusion of Guenon's
possessed an infallible key which, when works, and the fame which he has achiev?
ismerely a dialectic ed, as well as his recognition
closely examined, key: by persona?
Guenonian dialectic. No longer Guenon, lities representative of the official culture
but his critical method. of our time. The study of Guenon's work

They presume to distinguish truth from authorizes, even in a simple reading and
error in spiritual research, without demon? rational the of a
acceptance, presumption
their own in the distinction between ? tradi?
strating that they truly possess degree
ideas, apart from the monotonous Gueno? tional ? and non-traditional, in the casual
nian canon. They presume to avoid the pos? reader of our day, for whom everything
error when one is about to err, is a question of culture, or of intellectua
sibility of
as if critical formulation could operate by listic position. Today's materialist, thanks
itself, without ideas; they do not ask them? to Guenon, promotes himself with great
selves if their criticism might not be an ease to the position of judge of spiritual
interior ? block ? to themselves and to matters, without himself any
undergoing
?
others, and given the nature of the age true transforming action. We have heard
? a way to neurosis. And this is not a all too many of these intimate judgments
spiteful observation, since a neurosis is the without intimacy.
result of the use of the intellect in con? To tell the truth, no one has ever reach?
tradiction to the sources from which it ed the spirit through the interpretations
springs: whether its object is physics, or of sacred or through critical eso
symbols
metaphysics. The form of the limit chan? terism; unless he has at least assumed de?
ges, but the limit is the same. termined contents of such interpretations
The Guenonian who Guenonizes, re? as themes for meditation; according to a

peating the style, manner and language of meditation, however, which

is positive only
Guenon, instead of doing all that that vast inasmuch it is not linked to any con?
as

analysis requires of him, is undoubtedly tent, and which has no need for a previous

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 interpretation of the symbols in order to one might call its sattvico, but inevitably
have an intimate understanding of them. abstract and rationalistic, aspect.
?
According, therefore, to a meditation In saying that this work which is a
which calls on its own intimate strength, collection of articles published by Guenon
independent of any canon, any canon in themagazines Regnabit, he Voil d'Isis
?
being its dialectic, that is, its negation. To and Etudes Traditionelles belongs to
have already in mind the interpretation the culture of our time, we are not
deny?
of the symbols, be it even the most refin? ing that it may be useful to the scholar
ed, is a mental fact which stands as an of Spiritual Sciences. It depends on whom.
to
the penetration of their work is useful to a free man. This
impediment Any
But as in the modern world treatise on the symbols of ?Sacred Science?
meaning. just
? ? can be of use to one who does not deify
so criticized R. Guenon
acutely by
and abstract sciences have been the teaching, and who knows how to dis?
profane
formed, and can attain their systematiza cover its dialectic limits. But this is a very
tion and offer knowledge available to all, relative utility, because the art of one who
at the cost of splitting the vital element follows a spiritual way is that of bringing
from the object to which they turn, in the determined symbols to life through interior
same way the formidable cri? action, and being free in their regard from
symbolical,
tical and philological of an eso any previous interpretation; this is an ani?
analyses
terist like Guenon and others equally gift? mation which aims solely at the elimina?

such as Evola, and Coomaras tion of any meaning whatsoever, that is,
ed, Schuon
seem aimed more at at an intuition capable of rediscovering its
wamy, understanding,
own pure movement in the essential struc?
tend to give a knowledge already organized
a way to knowledge. ture of the symbol.
rather than This is
on
a way of teaching ? and the
the ?: sacred The meanings intuited by Guenon
? traditional ? which the matter are undoubtedly
of Tradition
stamps in advance
on the reader's important from the exact point of view of
learning attitude determin?
(cmodern ? culture, which tends to ex?
ed forms from which he will free himself
to frame and to plan out everything
with difficulty, and at the same time ap? plain,
(we have been informed that Guenon came
peals to a mental movement of which he
very close to nominated a member
will never be aware, because he will always being
believe that it was that content to provoke
of the French Academy: this is a fairly
it and not that which moves from him, significant sign); but these are just the
meanings from which a researcher must
stimulated by that content. Such a symbo?
free himself if he wishes to attain an au?
lism, impressed in such a way on the soul,
thentic spiritual experience. One may
will act as a limit to spiritual experience,
and in some cases
as a negative object that he still must know them, in
spell. order to free himself from them: we are
Any interpretation of a sacred symbol bound to admit this. But we are also bound
can
only be intellectual, that is, abstract: to add that we find no point in Guenon's
metaphysical content cannot be explana? work at which he invites us to pay no at?
tion or reasoning, but only interior percep? tention to that which he identifies with
tion. Therefore the task of him who suc? such care his esoteric criticism.
through
ceeds in perceiving this content is not to In reality, orientation in the jungle of
give the picture of the symbols interpreted symbols, myths, rites and traditional con?
or a science of the symbol, but rather the remains outside such an
tent, investigation
method of understanding and mysticism and such a study. is required
Something
which permits arriving at that perception. which cannot come from this kind of
Yet those masterly treatises belong to the study: the interior dignity of him who
culture of our time: undoubtedly to what seeks, that is to say, his lucidity and his

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 independence, his capacity for understand? thought, of the thought which begins to
ing that there is no ? truth ? in his soul identify itselfwith thatwhich stands above
which may become true through its own it, but suddenly loses it, because it is not

strength, if the soul does not draw the for? aware of its identity or of its own intimate
ces of truth from its movement, and mythicizes it, projecting in
depths.
The of Guenon stands be? front of itself the spiritual object, or meta?
supernatural
fore the seeker like the Nature of the physics,
or Tradition. For there is no
materialists: metaphysical, untouchable, spiritual objectivity which does not take
object presupposed for the spirit which place in pure subjectivity, that is, in the I
contemplates it. becomes pre? which begins to actuate
its transcendency.
Everything
the au? ? The is within you ?.
of Heaven
supposed: conformity, regularity, Kingdom
thorized traditional organism, etc., before There is no realization of the spirit for
a passive to do, man which is not self-activity. This is as
disciple who has nothing
because everything has already been done. well the final meaning of the Vedantic
There is no possibility for his free being; Atman-Purusa.

because, when he moves, he risks But for the ? enthusiasts ? of tradition,

swerving
from tradition. But it is important that the exerciseof traditional culture, tradi?
he does not even discover that his confor? tionalist activism, is far more interesting
to tradition is a interior mo? than knowing. Because true knowledge is
mity personal
vement, as in the act of the tra? to know Tradition without presupposing
conceiving
ditional and awakening the sentiment of Tradition, that is, to know the spirit apart
traditional value; for if he discovered it, from the name and form it wore in the
he would of necessity have to past, a name and form which make up
recognize
that that interior movement is more im? the hindrance to conceiving the un?
today
portant than its ? object ?: he would dis? conditioned nature and the unforeseeable
cover that he may realize as much nobi? quality of the ? metaphysical ?. Instead,
to a name and form, and
lity,metaphysical quality and eternity in one ties oneself
that object, as he may draw from himself, would like to see them repeated today.
from his own depths, which only realize Name and form cannot help but be dia?
that which is living as Tradition. Even lectic. The courage of man consists in his
the being invested with
impersonal an me? freeing himself from dialectic, if he truly
taphysical force which makes us illumi? seeks the spirit. The art is to discover that
nated and intelligent, after our at bottom he does not seek it: therefore
having
one more or less metaphysical
been obtuse and obscure, is realized thanks plays with
to an of which we are idols, with myths and supposed traditional
identity capable,
since it is the fact of the I, the acceptance, realities.
the actuation, the identification of the I. Meanwhile the house burns down. While
If it offers itself, it does so thanks to him we assist at the integral dialecticising of
who accepts it. culture and at the moral failure of all in?
No content is vestigation, because there is no investiga?
metaphysical separated
from the knowledge through which it ari? tion conducted which does not eliminate
ses. This is what makes the essential values, no modern inquiry whose
knowledge
content itself arise. who does not dialecticism does not mean a reduction of
Anyone
understand this cannot presume to have the vital current of the spirit to dead ab?
because there straction; thus the worst materialism is
metaphysical understanding;
is no spiritual content which can be con? exactly the spiritualism presumed from the
ceived of as a supernatural thing exceed? present forms of pedagogy, psychology,
ing thought; since even this excess inac? sociology, etc.; while, with the final mean?
cessible to thought is the movement of ing or supersensible significance of all re

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 search removed, science becomes the cult La L?ne. et Rites, ? Sources Orien?
Mythes
of the moral consumption
or the immora? tales ? (Paris, Editions du Seuil, 1962.
man. as a ccway?,
lity of The presentation Pp. 374).
or or salvation, of ?metaphysics?
remedy,
identifiedwith the forms of tradition and One might say that the symbology of the
thus deprived of its power of informality moon is as frequent as that of the sun in
and unforeseeability, means
deviating the history of religion, in myth and in
those who seek, hindering the authentic ritual. Complementary
or
opposed to the
(c ?. It means to de? of the sun, the moon-sign remains
metaphysics helping sign
prive man of the remedy which has the within the field of the symbolism of light
urgent nature of desperate situations: it and its cyclical course in the earthly world
prevents the seeker of our time from ar? and the cosmos: its meaning is therefore
riving at an awareness of self, which might varied and vast, and a
unitary idea or
him the means of starting, not from can as a
give image of it only be drawn philo?
a or but or task. It seems in fact
supposed imagined interiority, sophical poetic
from that in which he is immediately ac? that the initiative of ? Sources Orientales ?
tive, from that which allows
him, among with its typical monographs, must be a con?
other things, traditional criticism. It means tribution by specialists for scholars who
defrauding man of the true Tradition, that can rise to elevated ideas and syntheses.
of that ? ineffable ? in turn can be useful to specialists.
is, thing whose form, Which
unrepeatable and unforeseeable, must have The universal and the particular always
relations with the intimate movement of fertilize themselves reciprocally. Besides,
what is taking place in this era. even a can be a ?
specialist philosopher
sense of the term ? or a
science cannot be the catch-all in the classic
Spiritual
of the past, but the light of the Logos poet. As is shown by some parts of this

which, in every epoch, faces and resolves interesting monograph.

the problems of the epoch; it does not The myths and moon gods of Egypt are
elude them with the facile condemnation treated by Philippe Derchain; the moon
of the modern world. There exists no pro? among the Sumerians, Ur the city of the
blem which cannot be penetrated by the moon-god and its relative cults, by Maurice
light of the Logos, The task is without Lambert; the moon in Babylonia, the
doubt that of recognizing where and how of its the correlated
symbolism phases,
that light shines; but the sign of itsmeta? cults and prayers, by Marcel Leibovici;
physical virtue is in its not fleeing from among the Hittites and the Hurrites, by
the problems of the time, its penetrating Emmanuel Laroche; in Canaan and Israel,
by Madeleine Petit; among the Arabs and
them, its helping man to their
recognize
meaning. in Islam, by Maxime Rodinson; in ancient
The perennial vitality of Tradition is not Iran, by Marijan Mole; in India, by Jean
shown by repeating the forms which Varenne; in Cambodia, by Eveline Poree
clothed it in the past, but in its operating Maspero and Solange Thierry; in Chinese
in the relationship between the inner man religions, by Michel Soymie; in Japan, by
and his deeds in space and time; therefore, Rene Sieffert; among the Siberian and
in this space and in this time. In this sym? Eskimo peoples, by Evelyne Lot-Falck.
bolism: which asks to be known outside One synthesis thatmay be drawn is the
of abstract for the same of a double
traditionalism, presence aspect of the meaning
reason for which it is to be known outside of the moon and its influence: one sha?
of the mythical interpretations of psycho? or destructive, the other
dowy, chilling,
analysis or of beneficial and creative. But in some myths
analytical psychology.
and rituals it is clear that these are diffe?
Massimo Scaligero rent ways in which man arrives at a single

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