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

Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children is now published after academic peer-review and available through open access.

In this book, we analyze the psycho-social consequences that Indian American children face after they are exposed to the school textbook discourse on Hinduism and ancient India. We show that there is an intimate connection―an almost exact correspondence―between James Mill’s ( a prominent politician in Britain and head of the British East India Company) colonial-racist discourse and the current school-textbook discourse. Consequently, this archaic and racist discourse, camouflaged under the cover of political correctness, produces in the Indian American children the same psychological impact as racism is known to produce: shame, inferiority, embarrassment, identity confusion, assimilation, and a phenomenon similar to racelessness where the children dissociate from the tradition and culture of their ancestors

This book is an outcome of 4 years of rigorous research as a part of our ongoing commitment at Hindupedia to challenge the representation of Hindu Dharma within Academia.

Yakṣa

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Yakṣa as per Ṛgveda[edit]

Though the word yakṣa occurs in the Ṛgveda several times[1][2] its meaning is not clear. Traditional commentators interpret it as a feast or sacrifice.

Yakṣa as per Atharvaveda[edit]

The word occurring in the Atharvaveda[3] is sometimes interpreted as a monster.

Yakṣa as per Kena Upaniṣad[edit]

In the Kena Upaniṣad[4] Brahman is said to have assumed the form of a Yakṣa to test the gods.

Yakṣa as per Purāṇas[edit]

In the epics and the purāṇas the yakṣas are described as semi-divine beings along with vidyādharas, gandharvas and kinnaras. They were the offsprings of Kāśyapa and Khasā.[5] Kubera, the god of wealth, is the lord of the yakṣas.


References[edit]

  1. Ṛgveda 1.190.4
  2. Ṛgveda 4.3.13
  3. Atharvaveda 8.9.25
  4. Kena Upaniṣad 3
  5. Viṣṇupurāṇa 1.21.25
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore