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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.

Baka-dālbhya

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Baka-dālbhya literally means ‘Baka, a descendant of Dalbha’.

Baka-dālbhya has been mentioned in three different manners in several ancient scriptures. It is unclear whether these references pertain to a single person or to multiple people.

Baka-dālbhya as per Chāndogya Upaniṣad[edit]

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad mentions one Baka-dālbhya, as a sage who had realized the prāṇa[1] through the singing of the udgītha (a part of the sāma hymn). He was the udgātṛ priest in the sacrifice performed by the Naimiśīyas and successfully got them what they wanted[2].

Baka-dālbhya as per Jaminiya Upaniṣad Brāhmana[edit]

The Jaminiya Upaniṣad Brāhmana states that Baka-dālbhya restrained Indra from harming the Ajakeśins (members of a particular family)[3].

Baka-dālbhya as per Vāmanapurāna[edit]

The Vāmanapurāna gives the story of a sage Baka-dālbhya who was about to destroy, the kingdom of a ruler, Dhṛtarāṣṭra by name, through a sacrifice. Dhṛtarāṣṭra meanwhile realized his mistake of slighting the sage once. He then made amends to rectify for the mistake and pleased the sage and got back all that he had lost[4] .

References[edit]

  1. ↑ The chief vital air in the body and the deity presiding over it
  2. ↑ Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1.2.13
  3. ↑ Jaminiya Upaniṣad Brāhmana 1.9.2
  4. ↑ Vāmanapurāna chapter 39
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

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