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In this book, we analyze the psycho-social consequences faced by Indian American children after exposure to the school textbook discourse on Hinduism and ancient India. We demonstrate that there is an intimate connection—an almost exact correspondence—between James Mill’s colonial-racist discourse (Mill was the head of the British East India Company) and the current school textbook discourse. This racist discourse, camouflaged under the cover of political correctness, produces the same psychological impacts on Indian American children that racism typically causes: shame, inferiority, embarrassment, identity confusion, assimilation, and a phenomenon akin to racelessness, where children dissociate from the traditions and culture of their ancestors.


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Agniprākāra

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
(Redirected from Agniprakara)

By Swami Harshananda

Agniprākāra literally means ‘wall of fire’.

Worship gives a concrete shape to abstract philosophical principles and the basic convictions born out of them. It also elevates the mind of the worshiper to higher levels of spiritual experience and provides emotional satisfaction.

Several steps are prescribed in the process of worship. Some of these are just preliminaries which help in preparing the mind of the worshiper. ‘Agniprākāra’ is one such in which an imaginary wall of fire is erected round the worshiper by drawing three lines in the air about him with the right index finger or by sprinkling water all round. This is done with the recital of mantras like ‘raṃ’ or ‘sahasrāra huṃ phaṭ.’ This wall of fire is believed to act like a fort preventing evil spirits or passions from attacking the worshiper.


References[edit]

  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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