Evening star., 1935-06-11
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

A co-ordinating principle which
tends to clear UP some ditflcult para
doxes which have confronted students
of mythology is presented by DR..
Amanda K. CoomaraSwany, noted
Vedic scholar, in a publication Just
issued by the Smithsonian Institution.
DR.. Coomaraswamy's Interpretation
Of the great basic drama which the
human mind has rationalizeo out Of
the behavior of nature even ties to-
gether obscure elements of the reli-
gious epic, the fairy tale and the
nursery rhyme.
forces were light and darkness. The
one represented life and goodness, the
other death and evil. Much Of the
worlds mythology and folklore con-
sists of accounts Of their struggles
They appear under many names Of
racial folk heroes and devils. The
former always triumph for a time, but
usually succumb in the end, just as
day inevitably succumbS to night.
Most of the worlds creation myths
are built up on this framework, but
there are perplexing paradoxes in
which gods act like devils. and vice
versa. Some of these instances are.
found in obscure passages of &he
great Hindu epic, the Rig Veda, which
DR.. Coomsraswamy attempts to inter-
pret. They are due, he says, to still
deeper element in creation and folk
lore mythology. The supposed con-
tradictions are only superficial, for the
folk heroes and fiends, like the light
and darkness and the good and evil
which are their prototypes. are merely
two aspects of common generative
principle which underhes everything.
This, DR.. Coomaraswamy explains,
is the supreme diety, which usually is
presented under a double aspect-on
the one hand as gracious and on the
other as aweful. He Is both light
and a darkness, a revelation and a
mystery. Most religions, the scholar
points out, treat these contrasted
aspects in outward operation as dis
tinct and opposed forces. Yet tbs
solar hero, representing light, and the
devil or dragon, representing darkness,
inevitably are brought together again,
it may be quite paradoxically, in some
part of the neurological system. An
example is the Greek god Zeus, who
was represented and worshiped both
in human and snake form, represent
ing the two aspects.
Metaphysical religion" says DR..
Coomaraswamy, "envisages supreme
identity In which the outwardly OPP
posing forces are one imparticle primo
iple. The contrasted powers are sepa-
rated only by the very nature OF
reason, which sees things apart as sub
Ject and object, affirmation and mega
tion, act and potentiality, heaven and
earth. Contemplative practice, alike
in East and West, seeks to approach
divinity In both aspects, avoiding a
one sided vision of the Unity and
willing to know Him both as being
and non-being, life and death"
When this very ancient principle,
now concealed under fold over fold
of naturalization, Is understood, DR..
Co,nnaraswamy says, many of the
paradoxes Of mysticism will disappear
and a common fundamental principle
be seen running through the earth's
chief religions.
A common representative Of the
supreme Deity In His aspect Of evil
and darkness is that of a serpent or
fiery dragon, inhabiting cave or
lying on mountain, where he guards
treasure against all comers and,
above all, restrains the rivers Of life
from flowing. He Is conquered by
the fe-desiring powers of light-rep-
resenting the supreme principle itself
In its contrasted aspect. This Is the
essential theme of the battle between
st. George and the dragon, or Of the
great battle of Hindu mythology he
tween the angels and the titans for
the possession Of the worlds Of Light,