Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children Book Cover.webp

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.


This book is the result of four years of rigorous research and academic peer-review, reflecting our ongoing commitment at Hindupedia to challenge the representation of Hindu Dharma within academia.

Hiṃsā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Hiṃsā literally means ‘violence’.

Since ahiṃsā has been defined as not injuring any living being either physically, by harsh words or by inimical thoughts, the opposite of this can be considered as hiṃsā or violence. Hiṃsā is any act that hurts a person’s body or mind, whether it ultimately causes his death or not.

The scriptures[1] signify that hiṃsā, whether perpetrated directly or caused to be perpetrated by others or even approved of when committed by others, is a sin and must be eschewed. Such persons go to hell and suffer terribly for a long time.

However, immolation of animals in Vedic sacrifices or hiṃsā committed by one under the attack for saving one’s life and limb, are not considered as hiṃsā.


References[edit]

  1. Yogasutras of Patañjali 2.34
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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