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.

Ālasya

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Ālasya literally means ‘lassitude’.

Ālasya or laziness is the worst enemy of man. Even material well-being is blocked by it. How can the lazy one hope for spiritual progress is a question. That is why Patañjali, the great teacher of Yoga, has listed it as an antarāya or obstacle in the path of yoga.[1] Since it is caused by an excess of tamas (dark element among the guṇas), it is to be overcome by rajas (activity) and sattva (dynamic goodness).

Suśruta, the great teacher of Ayurveda (medicine and surgery), considers ālasya as a condition which inclines a man more towards pleasure and less towards work even if capable of it.[2]

References[edit]

  1. Yogasutras 1.30
  2. Suśruta Samhitā, Sārirasthāna, 4.51
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore