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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.


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.

Marudgaṇa

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshanananda

There are many Vedic gods out of which the Marudgaṇa or a group of Maruts is the one. They are described by some modern scholars as the personification of storms. Their number is mentioned sometimes as 21 and sometimes as 180.

They are depicted as the sons of Rudra and Pṛśni. They are handsome, fiery in color and nature. They live in the antarikṣa[1] Lightning and thunderbolt are their weapons. Giving rains to us is one of their important duties. Though terrifying in appearance they are full of compassion towards their votaries. Several hymns of the Ṛgveda[2] praise them.

The epics contain an interesting story about them. When Diti, the mother of the daityas (demons), was pregnant and expecting a very powerful son as per the blessing of her husband Kaśyapa, Indra, the king of gods, is said to have stealthily broken the foetus into 49 parts. These ‘babies’ started weeping. At the request of their mother Diti, Indra granted them protection and godhood. He made them the controllers of wind.[3]


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Antarikṣa means intervening space between this earth and heavens.
  2. ↑ Ṛgveda 5.52-60
  3. ↑ Mahābhārata, Ādiparva, 132
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

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