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.

Devi Bhujanga Stotram

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Devi Bhujangam

By

Aadhi Shankara Bhagawat Pada

(This a Bhujanga stotram (written in a meter which resembles crawling of the snake) by Adhi Shankara. This prayer is addressed to the Goddess of Sri Chakra. And naturally several terms from Yoga Sasthra occurs here. The Sanskrit text of the stotra is available in
http://www.sringeri.net/2010/01/26/stotra/devi/devi-bhujanga-stotram.htm)

1.Virinchyadhibhi panchabhir loka palai,
Samoode mahananda peete nishannam,
Dhanur bana pasangusa protha hastham,
Mahasthraipuraa Shankaradvaitha mavyath.

Let us be protected by her who is one with Lord Shankara,
Who sits on the stage of very great joy , carried by,
Lord Brahma and five other great protectors,
And who is armed with bow, arrow, rope and goad,
And who is the great goddess Tripura..

2.Yadannathibhi panchabhi kosa jaalai,
Sire paksha puchathmakai rantharantha,
Nigoode maha yoga peede nishannam,
Purare radhanthapuram noumi nithyam.

I daily worship that Goddess who sits ,
On The great seat of Yoga hidden by,
The five kosas* like that of Annamaya,
In the form head, wings, body, tail** ,
Who is the consort of Lord Shiva

*The five kosas are annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnana mayaand Anandamaya
**The form is imagined as a bird whose parts are mentioned here.

3.Virinchadhi roopai prapanche vihruthya,
Swathanthra yadhaa swathma visranthiresha,
THadhaa mana mathru prameyathiriktham,
Paranandha meede Bhavani thwadheeyam.

Oh Bhavani , being independent you take the forms,
Of Brahma and others and play in this universe,
And later when you take rest within yourself,
Then you are steeped in divine and ultimate joy,
Being devoid of the three temporary forms of the knower,
His method and what he tries to know and I pray you.

4. Vinodhaya chaithanyamekam vibhajya,
Dwidhaa Devi jeeva sivaschedhi naamnaa,
Shivasyapi jeevathwa mapaadayanthi,
Punarjeevamenam shivam vaa karoshi.

Playfully you divide the single divine entity,
In to two aspects named as the soul and the god,
And ascribe the concept of living to the God,
And later you make the soul as,
Either the soul or the God.

5.Samakunchya moolam hrudhi nyasya vayu,
Mano bhroobilam prapayithwa nivruthaa,
Thatha sachidananda roope pade they,
Bhavathyamba jeeva shivathwena kechith.

Mother , some people after bending the Mooladhara,
Keep the air in their heart and make their mind,
Attain a place in the middle of the eye brows
And get engaged in yogic practices and then they,
Take the form of Paramasiva in side ,
Your ever joyous and divine form.


6.Sareerethi kashte ripou puthra varge,
Sada bheethi moole kalathre dhane vaa,
Na kaschid wirajyathya ho devi chithram,
Kadham thwath kadaksham vinaa Thathwa bodha.

Oh Goddess ,In spite of the suffering and fear ,
Created by the attachment to enemy, sons,
Wife and wealth, no body develops detachment to them,
Wonder of wonders, how can the real knowledge of the soul,
Ever come without a glance from the corner of your eye.

7.Sareere dhane apathya varge kalathre,
Virakthasya saddhesikadhi ishta budhe,
Yadakasmikam jyithir Ananda roopam,
Samadhou bhaveth thath thwamasyamba sathyam.

He who has developed detachment towards,
Ills that affect the body or wealth and his wife,
And has a wisdom liked by his great teacher,
Sees a glowing light form during his Samadhi,
And mother , it is the truth , that it is you.

8.Mrushanyo amrushanya paro misramenam,
Para prakrutham chaparo budhi mathram,
Prapancham meemithe muninaam ganoyam,
Thade thath thwaamevethi na thwaam jaheema.

This world is thought of as lie by one sage,
Truth by another, while another thinks it is,
A mixture of truth and lies and another,
Says that it came by the illusion created by nature,
And yet another thinks it is only knowledge,
But since this world which is thought of in various ways,
Is you , yourself , we would not forget you.

9.Nivruthi prathishtaa cha vidhyaa cha shanthi,
THadhaa santhyatheethethipanchi kruthabhi,
Kalabhi pare Pancha vimsathmikabhi,
Thwmekaiva sevyaa shiva binna roopa.


Oh Goddess who does not have form different from Shiva,
Oh Goddess Para, You are the only suitable one to be served.
By the soul called twenty fifth which has five crescents ,
Viz Nivruthi, Prathishta, Vidhyaa, Shanthi and SAnthyatheethaa,

Note.Every individual has five crescents viz Nivruthi between feet and knee, Prathishta between knee and belly , Vidhyaa from belly to neck, Shanthi from neck to forehead and SAnthyatheetha above forehead,. There are 5 Jnana indriyas , 5 Karmendriyas , Five Pranas and one mind and the twenty fifth is soul.

10.Agadhethra samsara pange nimagnam,
Kalathrathi bharena khinnam nithantham,
Maha moha pasou gha badham chiraanmaam,
Samudhathumamba thwamekaiva shakthaa.

Oh mother, I have drowned in the very deep mire of domestic life,
For a very long time, I am tired because of carrying the burden,
Of wife , son and wealth and also I am tied by the rope of ignorance,
And I consider that you are only capable of getting me out of this ocean.

11.Samarabhya moolam gatho brahma chakram,
Bhavaddivya chakreswari dhama bhaja,
Maha sidhi sangatha kalp dhrumaabhaan,
Avapyaambha nadhanupasthe cha yogi.

Strating from Mooladhara the Yogi goes to Brahma chakra,
And having reached the divine chakras of yours,
He worships the sounds* in those six chakras ,
Which are like the wish giving tree and attains the eight occult powers.

* The nine sounds are Nadha, Bindu , kala, jyeshtama , roudhri, vaama , vishanki , dhoodri, sarvananda , nadhaadhaya


12.Ganesai grahair amba nakshatra pankhthya,
Thadha yogi neerasi peedai rabhinnam,
Maha kalamath mana mamrusya lokam,
Vidhatse kruthim vaa sthithim vaa mahesi.

Oh mother with ganesas, planets as well as stars,
As well as Yoginis , rasis and gods of peetas,
You clearly bring out your form of the soul,
And also your form of the great “passage of time”,
And do the creation of this world and also,
Look after the worlds occupying the minds of all beings.

Note: There are 51 Ganeasas, nine planets, 27 stars , 7 yoginis, 12 rasis and 51 gods of Peetas(altogether 157). These are the subsidiary Gods of the Goddess. When you pray you have to assume that all these subsidiary Gods are in different parts of your body.

13,Lasathara hara mathi swacha chelaam,
Vahanthim kare pusthakam chaksha maalamm,
Sarad chandra prabha bhaasuraam thwam,
Sakrud bhavayan bharathee vallabha syath.

He who meditates on you as wearing greatly lusterous garland,
Wearing very clkean cloths , holding in her hand boks,
Rosary and shines like billions of autumn moons,
Would become a greatly learned man by grace of Saraswathi.

14.Samudhyath sahasrarka bhimbhaba vakthraam,
Swabasaiva sindhooritha janda kotim,
Dhanur bana pasa angusan dharayanthim,
Smarantha smaram vaapi samoha yeyu,

With a face equal in shine to thousand rising suns,
By her own nature having a saffron flag of all universes,
And who holds arrow, bow , rope and the goad,
She would make all those who meditate on her,
Be capable of bewitching even the God of love.

15.Manisyutha thadanga sonaasya bhimbhaam,
Harith patta vasthram thwgullasi bhoosham,
Hrudhaa bhavayam sthaptha hema prabhaam thwaam,
Sriyo nasayathyamba chanjalya bhavam.

He who meditates you as the one who has red light,
On her face due to the reflection of red ear studs she wears,
As one who wears green silks , as one who wears shining ornaments,
And as one who has the shine of molten gold, Destroys the instable nature of Goddess Lakshmi*.

*Lakshmi stays with him permanently

16.Thwad unmesha leelanu bhandhadhi kaaran,
Virinchyadhi kanthwad gunambodhi bindhoon,
Bajanthas thitheershanthi samsara sindhum,
Shive thavakeenaa susambhava neyam.

Mother , the world moves because you shut and close your eyes,
And due to that Lord Brahma and others get their power.
Those who salute other Gods who are only small waves,
Of your sea like grace want to cross the sea of domestic life.
But does this not fall within your control and power.

17.Kadha vaa bhavad padha pathena thoornaa,
Bhavambhodhi mutheeya poornantha ragam,
Nimajjantha menam durasaa vushabdhou,
Samalokya lokam kadham baryudhase.

When I will become free of worries and be with fulfilled mind,
After crossing swiftly the sea of domestic life in the boat of your feet?
And how are you keeping quite without bothering yourself,
When the people of this world drown in the poisonous sea of bad desires.

18.Kadhaa vaa hrusheekani samyam bhajeyu,
Kadhaa vaa shathrur na mithram Bhavani,
Kadhaa vaa durasaa vishtacheevilopa,
Kadhaa vaa mano may samoolam vinasyeth.

When my sense organs attain equanimity,
When will I become neither enemy nor friend,
When will my sickness of bad desire be cured,
And when will my mind be destroyed completely.

19.Namovaka masaasmahe Devi yushmath,
Padambhoja yugmaya thigmaya gouri,
Virinchyadhi bhaswath kireeda pratholi,
Pradheepaaya mana prabha bhaswaraya.

I would like to salute your two shining lotus like feet,
Which appears like a lamp amidst the shining crowns,
On the heads of Brahma and other devas saluting you,

20.Kache chandra rekham kuche tharaharam,
Kare swadhu chapam, sare shad padhougham,
Smarami smararerabhi praya mekam,
Madhaa ghoorna nethram madheeyam nidhaanam.

I meditate on her who wears the crescent on her head,
Who wears the garland of stars over her chest,
Who holds the tasty sugarcane bow in her hands,
Whose arrows of flower are surrounded by bees,
Who is the only aim of the love of Lord Shiva,
And who has eyes rotating due to her exuberance

21,Sareshvebva nasa dhaushveva jihwa,
Japa patle lochane they swaroope
Thwgesh bhava chandra gande sravo may,
Gune they mano vruthir amba thwayee staath.

Mother my nose should be with your flower arrows,
My toungue should be with your sugar cane bow,
My two eyes should be in your form which is like red hibiscus,
My skin should be in your pure camphor,
My ears should be engaged in hearing about you.
And activities of mind should be with you.

22.Jagaath karma dheeram vache dhootha keraan,
Kuchanyustha haraan krupa Sindhu pooraan,
Bhavambodhi paaran, maha papa dhooraan,
Bhaje veda ssaraan Shiva prema dhaaraan.

I sing about the summary of the Vedas,
Who is capable of creating the entire universe,
Whose voice is sweeter than parrots,
Who wears necklaces over her breast,
Who is completely filled ocean of mercy,
Who helps one to cross the sea of domestic life,
Who is far , far away from all great sins,
And who is the sweet heart of Lord Shiva.

23.Sudha Sindhu sare, Chidananda neere,
Samuth phulla neepe, surathnantha ripee.
Mani vyooha sale sthithe haima sale,
Manojari vaame , nishannam mano may.

My mind is getting attached to her who is on the left side of the Lord,
In the golden throne which is in the gem studded island,
Which is in the arena made out of various gems,
Which is in the middle of a forest of well grown Kadamba trees,
Situated in the sea of nectar which is full of divine joy.

24.Drganthe vilolasugandheeshta mala,
Prapanchendra jaala vipad Sindhu koola,
Muni swantha saala, namalloka pala,
Hrudhi prema lola, amrutha swadhu leela.

Let my mind be full of love of the goddess,
Who has a very shifting side long glances,
Who wears garlands made of scented flowers,
Who makes the world look like a spell of magic,
Who is in the other shore of the dangerous sea,
Who has made the minds of great sages as her house,
And who is worshipped by the eight divine guardians.

25.Jagad jala medath thwayai Amba srushtam,
Thwame vaadhya yaseendriyai artha jalam,
Thwam ekaiva karthree, thwam ekaiva bokthri,
Na may punya pape na may bhanda mokshou.

Mother you created this universe as if it is a trick,
You yourself are managing this universe , living in the senses,
You are the only doer , you are the only consumer,
And so I do not have sins or blessed deeds,
And also I do not have attachment or salvation.

26. Ithi prema bharena kinchith mayoktham,
Na budhyaiva thtwam madheeyam thwadheeyam,
Vinodhaya balasyamourkhyam hi matha,
Thadethathprala sthuthim may Grahana.

Due to the excess of love , I have been able to narrate,
The philosophy that I do not understand ,
Which is possibly neither yours nor mine
And this has been done playfully by this child
And though this is done due to ignorance, please accept it.