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.

Cikitsā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Cikitsā literally means ‘desire to get rid of disease’.

Āyurveda, the science of health and longevity, is an ancient discipline. Its aim is to treat the patient and remove the root cause of a disease in addition to its symptoms. One step is in supporting the recovery of a patient is the curative treatment.

Out of the ‘aṣṭāṅgas’ or eight limbs of this science, ‘cikitsā’ or treatment of the disease, forms the sixth. It has four pādas or quarters:

  1. Vaidya - the physician: He should be an adept in this science not only in theory but also in practice. He should be devoted to his profession following righteous conduct.
  2. Auṣadha - the medicine: It must be prepared by the vaidya himself after proper examination of the patient and diagnosis. It should be prepared with the right kind of materials.
  3. Paricāraka - the nurse: She must be meticulous, hardworking and sympathetic towards the patient.
  4. Rogi - the patient: The rogi should obey the commands of the physician and cooperate strictly with the paricāraka.

If these conditions are fulfilled, Cikitsā (treatment) will be effective.


References[edit]

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