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.

Bāhudā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Bāhudā literally means ‘that which gives arm’.

Tale of Sage Saṅkha and Likhita[edit]

The ancient sages strove to maintain the highest standards of ethical purity in their personal as well as social life. Saṅkha and Likhita, the brothers whose Smriti has earned a place for itself in the dharmaśāstra literature, were men of such sterling character.

Once Likhita, the younger brother, went to the hermitage of Saṅkha and ate some fruits from the garden without his prior permission. He realized the mistake which amounted to stealing and confessed the same to Saṅkha. Saṅkha sent him to the king Sudyumna. The king cut off his arms as a punishment. Likhita returned to Saṅkha who approved of the punishment. Then he directed him to take a bath in the nearby river. When Likhita did so, he regained his arms. Since then, the river got the name ‘Bāhudā,’ ‘that which gave arms’. It is identified with a river near Ayodhyā.


References[edit]

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

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