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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.

Avyaṅga

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Avyaṅga literally ‘that which is not incomplete or defective’.

The images of Surya, the Sun-god, have a waist band called abhyaṅga or avyaṅga.

According to the Bhaviṣya- purāna, during each of the six ṛtus or seasons, one representative from the list mentioned below came to Surya by rotation:

  1. Ṛṣis
  2. Devatā
  3. Nāgas
  4. Gandharvas
  5. Apsaras
  6. Yakṣas
  7. Rākṣasas

In one of those turns Vāsuki, the nāga, presented Surya with a cord called ‘avyaṅga’ produced from his body. This cord was composed of gold and was half red and half white. Iconographical representation of Surya is invariably shown with the avyaṅga. The followers of the Surya cult wear a similar cord round their waists.


References[edit]

  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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