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.

Gayathri Chalisa

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Hreem Sreem kleem medhaa, prabhaa, jeevan, Jyothi Prachanda, 
Santhi kanthi jagruth pragathi rachanaa Shakthi akhand.

Hreem, Sreem, Kleem, Oh formidable one in wisdom, splendor, life, and light,
Oh, all-pervading peace, light, alert, progress, and power.

Jagat Janani, mangal karini, Gayathri, sukhadham,
Pranava om savithri swadhaa, swahaa, puran, kaam.

Oh, mother of the universe, Oh does of the auspicious and the storehouse of pleasures,
You are “Om,” the Pranava, Savitri, Swadha the food of manes, Swahaa,
The vehicle of food for devas and so fulfills my work.

Bhoor bhuva suva om yutha Janani,
Gayatri Nitha kalimala Dahani 

Oh, Goddess, who is the mother, accompanies the three worlds, Bhoo, bhuva, and Suva,
Oh, Gayathri, who is the destroyer of the ills of Kali age.

Akshara chovees parama punithaa,
Inme bhase sashtra Sruthi Geetha.

Oh, Goddess who is made of very holy forty letters,
Within which lives all shastras, Vedas and Gita.

Saswatha satho guni satharoopa,
Sathya Sanathana Shudha anoopa

She is forever, has a hundred qualities and a hundred forms,
She is truth, without beginning pure, and is riding on water

Hamsarooda sithambhar Dhari,
Swarnba kanthi suchi gagana Bihari

She rides on a swan, has the color of gold,
She has the shine of gold, is pure and travels in the sky
. .

Pusthaka pushpa kamandalu Malaa,
Shubra varna thanu, nayana vishaala.

She holds a book, flower, water pot, and a rosary,
Her body is white in color and eyes are broad.

Dhyana dharath pulakitha hoi,
Sukha upajatha dukh durmathi ko.

He who meditates on her is drowned in joy,
And gets a lot of pleasure, but she gives sorrow to bad people.

Kamadhenu thum sura tharu chaya,
Niraakaar ki Adbutha mayaa

You are the wish-giving cow, the shade of the wish-giving tree,
You are the incredible illusion of the shapeless God.

Thumhari saran gahai jo koi,
Tharai sakal sankat so sdi.

He who surrenders and comes to you,
Would cross all sorrows and happily sleep.

Saraswathi.Lakshmi thum, Kali,
Dhipai thumhari Jyothi nirali

You are Saraswathi, Lakshmi, and Kali,
The shine that you have is extraordinary.

Thumhari mahimaa paar na pavai,
Jo sharada, shatha mukha guna gavai.

No one can describe your greatness,
Oh Saraswathi, even if he has hundred mouths.

Char veda ki mathu punitha,
Thumhi Brahmani Gauri Sita

You are the holy mother of four Vedas,
You are Brahmani, Gauri as well as Sita.

Maha manthra jithne jag maahin,
Kou Gayatri sama nahi

Though the world has many great chants,
None of them is equal to Gayathri.

Sumeerath hiya mein jaan prakasai,
Aalas pap avidhya nasai

Once when you are remembered the soul shines,
And laziness, sin, and ignorance would be destroyed.

Srushti bheeja jag Janani Bhavani,
Kaala Rathri Varada kalyani

Oh, Bhavani, who is the seed of the creation of the world,
You are the dark night of deluge, one who blesses, and one who gives auspiciousness.

Brahma Vishnu, Rudra sura jethe,
Thum so pave surathaa thethe

Brahma, Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and all devas,
God, their divinity because you gave it to them.

Thum bhakthan ki bhakth thumharo,
Janinihi puthra pran se pyare.

You are the of all devotees.
And your mother loves your sons more than your life.

Mahima a parampaar thumhari,
Jay jay jay tripadhaa, bhaya haari

Your greatness is without any limits,
Victory, victory, victory to you made of three letters, Oh destroyer of fear.

Pooritha Sakala jnan vijnaan,
Thum sama adhika jag mein aaanaa

You are the wisdom and science entirely,
There are few in this world like you

Thumahi hi Jaani kuch rahai na sesha,
Thumahi paaya kuch rahai na klesa.

Once I know you, there is nothing more to be known,
Once I get you there are no more sufferings.

Jaantha thumahi, thumahi vyahai jayee,
Paaras parsi kudhathu suhai.

I know that you are born from yourself,
And an ordinary stone becomes great by touching you.

Thumahari Shakthi dhipai sab ttai,
Maatha thum sab tair samai

Your strength shines like a light everywhere,
Oh, mother, you are present everywhere.

Gruha Nakshtra Brahmanda ghanere,
Sab gathivaan thumhare prer

All the Planets, stars, universes,
Are moving only due to your advice.

Sakala Srishti ki prana vidatha,
Paalak, poshak naashak thraathaa.

You are the one who is the giver of the soul to all beings,
You are the one who protects, nourishes, destroys, and saves.

Matheswari dhayaa vratha dhaari,
Thum san there paathki baari

Oh Goddess mother who has taken mercy as penance
Because of your grace even a sinner is excused.

Japar krupaa Thumari hoi,
Thaapar Kripa kare sab koi.

Wherever your mercy is there,
There the mercy of all God s is there

Mandha budhi they budhi bala pavai,
Rogi roga rahitha ho jave.

By your grace, the dim witted one would become intelligent,
And the diseased one will get rid of his sickness.

Daridra mitai katai sab peera,
Nasai dukh harai bhava bheera.

By your grace, all poverty is removed,
All sorrows and fears come to an end.

Griha klesa chitha chinthaa bhaari,
Naasai Gayathri bhaya haari.

The Gayathri who destroys all fears would destroy,
All worries at home and anxieties of the mind.

Santathi heena susanthathi paaven,
Sukha sampathi yutha modh maanave.

One without children is blessed with good children,
And he would be blessed with wealth, pleasures and live happily.

Bhootha pisascha sabai bhaya kaaven,
Yamakai dhootha nikata nahi aaven.

Devils and Ghosts would be stuck with fear,
And the emissaries of God of death will not come near.

Jo sadhavaa Sumire chitha lai,
Akshaya suhaga sadhaa suck daai.

A married woman, if she remembers her in the morning,
Would live forever with her husband and live happily.

Ghar var Sukha Pradha lahai kumaari,
Vidhavaa rahe Sathya Vrutha dhaari

The unmarried girl would get a husband and live happily,
And the widows would indeed observe the penance.

Jayathi Jayathi Jagadhambhaa Bhavani,
Thum sama aur Dayalu na dhaani.

Victory, Victory to Bhavani who is the mother of the world,
No one is as merciful and a giver of bounties like you.

Jo sadguru se Shiksha pave,
So Sadana ko Saphala banaven.

He who gets instructed by a good preceptor,
Would be able to make the prayer to her as success.

Sumiranaa karai Suruchi bada bhagi,
Lahai manoradha grahee viraagi.

The lucky good hearted one who meditates on her,
Would get all his wishes fulfilled without attachment.

Ashta sidhi, nava nidhi ke dathaa,
Saba Samartha Gayathri maatha.

Mother Gayathri is competent.
Of granting eight occult powers and nine types of treasures,

Rishi muni, yathi thapaswi,yogi,
Aarath arthi chinthitha bhogi.
Jo jo Sharana thumhari aaven,
So so mana vanchitha phala paaven.

Whether it is a sage, Rishi, Yathi, one doing penance,
One who is searching for wealth, one who is worried, one who enjoys,
Whosoever are coming in submission to you,
Would realize all the desires of their heart.

Bala budhi vidhyaa Sheela swabhavu,
Dhana vaibhava yasa theja uchavu.

Strength, wisdom, education, good character,
Wealth and great fame will all increase further.

Sakala bhaden upajay such nana,
Jo yah paat karai dharee dhyana.

All problems and various worries,
Would vanish once this is read with care.

Yah Chalisa bhakthi yuth path kare jo koi,
Taa par kripaa prashanthaa gayatri ki hoi.

On him who reads these forty verses with devotion,
Gayatri would shower her grace and would become happy.

Nain heen ko raah Dikhaa Prabhu-A Hindi Bhajan
Nain heen ko raah Dikhaa Prabhu

To the one without eyes, show the way, Oh lord

Nain heen ko Raah dikhaa Prabhu,
Nain heen ko raah dikhaa Prabhu,
Pagh pagh tokar Kavoon mein,
Nain heen ko

Oh Lord, show the way to this one without eyes,
Oh Lord, lead the way to this one without eyes,
With every step I am suffering a knock,
To this one without eyes.

Thumhari nagariyaa ki katin dagariyaa,
Thumhari nagariyaa ki katin dagariyaa
Chalthe chalthe gir javoon mein Prabhu

In the problematic paths of your town,
In the problematic paths of your town,
Walking, walking, I will fall down

Nain heen hko raah dikhaa Prabhu,
Pagh pagh tokar Kavoon mein,
Nain heen ko

Oh Lord, show the way to this one without eyes,
Oh Lord, show the way to this one without eyes,
With every step I am suffering a knock,

Chahoon aur mere ghor Andheraa,
Bhool na javun dwar thera,
Chahoon aur mere ghoer andheraa,
Bhool na javun dwar thera,
Yek bhar prabhu Haath pakad lo,
Yek bhar prabhu Haath pakad lo,
Yek bhar prabhu Haath pakad lo,
Yek bhar prabhu Haath pakad lo,

Though I wish to in this harsh pitch darkness,
I should not forget your gates,
Though I wish to in this harsh pitch darkness,
I should not forget your gates,
Once please catch hold of my hands,
Once please catch hold of my hands,
Once please catch hold of my hands,
Once please catch hold of my hands,

Nain heen hko raah dikhaa Prabhu,
Pagh pagh tokar Kavoon mein,
Nain heen ko

Oh Lord, show the way to this one without eyes,
With every step I am suffering a knock,
To this one without eyes.

नैनहीन को राह दिखा प्रभु
नैनहीन को राह दिखा प्रभु
पग पग ठोकर खाऊँ मैं
नैनहीन को

तुमरी नगरिया की कठिन डगरिया
तुमरी नगरिया की कठिन डगरिया
चलत चलत गिर जाऊं मैं प्रभु

नैनहीन को राह दिखा प्रभु
पग पग ठोकर खाऊँ मैं
नैनहीन को राह दिखा प्रभु

चहुँ ओर मेरे घोर अँधेरा
भूल न जाऊं द्वार तेरा
चहुँ ओर मेरे घोर अँधेरा
भूल न जाऊं द्वार तेरा
एक बार प्रभु हाथ पकड़ लो
एक बार प्रभु हाथ पकड़ लो
एक बार प्रभु हाथ पकड़ लो
मन का दीप जलाऊँ मैं प्रभु

नैनहीन को राह दिखा प्रभु
पग पग ठोकर खाऊँ मैं
नैनहीन को

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