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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.

Sinhāsana

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Sinhāsana literally means ‘lion-seat’.

The lion is generally considered the king or the monarch of the forest, the animal kingdom. Hence it became a symbol of royalty. The throne of a monarch is usually decorated with figures of lions on either side of the seat as arm-rests. The four legs of the throne may also be shown as resting on crouching lions. Hence it is called sinhāsana.

Sinhāsana

The Mānasāra,[1] a famous ancient work on the religious Architecture, divides the siṅhāsanas into four classes:

  1. Prathama
  2. Maṅgala
  3. Vīra
  4. Vijaya

These four are used successively by the same king during coronation. Deities in temples also have sinhāsanas.

The one used for daily worship is called nityārcana-simhāsana. The viśesa-siṅhāsana is used on special occasions. The thrones in general are sometimes divided into ten kinds such as:

  1. Padmāsana
  2. Śrībhadra
  3. Śrīmukha
  4. Etc.

Though various kinds of siṅhāsanas have been described, the most beautiful one may be chosen for the king or the deity.


References[edit]

  1. Mānasāra 55.1-112
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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