The Place of the Hidden Moon: Erotic Mysticism in the Vaisnava-Sahajiya Cult of Bengal [Paperback]

Edward C. Dimock Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1989 | ISBN-10: 0226152375 | ISBN-13: 978-0226152370

The Vaisnava-sahajiya cult that arose in Bengal in the sixteenth century was an intensely emotional attempt to reconcile the sensual and the ascetic. Exploring the history and doctrine of this cult, Edward C. Dimock, Jr., examines the works of numerous poets who are the source of knowledge about this sect. Dimock examines the life of the saint Caitanya, the mad Baul singers, the doctrines of Tantrism, the origins of the figure of Radha, and the worship of Krishna. His study will appeal to students of the history of religion as well as of Indian culture. This edition includes a new Foreword by Wendy Doniger.

"This is a magnificent book—painstakingly researched and gracefully written. . . . Professor Dimock's book is one of the most rewarding and stimulating studies to appear in recent years."—G. Richard Weldon, Journal of Asian Studies

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About the Author

Edward C. Dimock, Jr., is Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (October 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226152375
• ISBN-13: 978-0226152370
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,116,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, but..., July 31, 2008

By 

James R. Schwartz (Michigan City, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Place of the Hidden Moon: Erotic Mysticism in the Vaisnava-Sahajiya Cult of Bengal (Paperback)

This is an excellent reference book concerning the mysterious Sahajiya cult of Bengal. The Sahajiyas were very secretive, with good reason, and developed their own "twilight language" for communication.

This twilight language is so esoteric that their teachings are almost extinct. Is this a good thing? In my opinion, no. You do not want to throw away the wheat from the chaff, or the baby with the bathwater: even a broken clock is right twice a day. It would be a great tragedy for this philosophy to completely disappear.

Today, in many circles, the term "sahajiya" is considered a pejorative insult. But great schools of thought have been lost in the history of the world due to misapprehension and misconception. In the western world, Gnosticism is an example.

This being said, I must take issue with a section from this book. In this passage, the peerless, illustrious, incomparable Nityananda Rama is inferred to be a sahajiya just because he knows the "street term" for alcohol ("ananda", or "bliss"). This is faulty logic. I know that the street term for heroin is "smack", but just knowing this does not make me a heroin user.