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.

Jaya Madhrashtakam

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Semmangudi Muthuswami

Translated By P.R.Ramachander

The octet of victory to the sweet mother.

Sri Madura Kali Amman Temple is situated in Siruvachur Village off Trichy-Chennai Higway. The temple is open only on Mondays and Fridays. Other days it is believed that amman is guarding the village from near by hills along with her guards- Sri.Selliamman, Sri Karuppanna swamy. The amman is worshipped as Sri. Madhurambhika by devotees.

The author of this prayer is Sri Muthuswami, who was the first priest of this temple and lived pre-1920. He was generally called Semmangudi Swamiyar (Sage of Semmangudi).

Eka vasthre shiki jwala shike shubhe,
Vama roope kapala dahane, sarvaabharana bhooshithe., 1

She who wears one cloth, who has a hair similar to crest of peacock,
Who does good. Who has left sided form, who burns skulls,
Who decorates herself with all different ornaments,

Kroora damshtre, raktha malye, ashta dasa bhuja kare,
Mangale, kaarane, maathe, mathar bale, rakshake,., 2

She who has cruel teeth, she who wears red garlands,
She who has eighteen hands, she who does good,
She who is the cause, she who is the mother,
She who is the power of mother, She who protects,

Kunkuma priye guna vaasine, kula vrudhi kaarane, sriye,
Soola damarukam chaiva kapala pasa dharine.., 3

She who likes kumkum*, She who lives in good qualities,
She who helps the clan to increase, She who is goddess Lakshmi,
She who carries trident, drum, skull and a rope.
 *Saffron

Omkara roopine, sakthi vara roope varaaye,
Sukhasane Chamunde, sundari yogadheeswari.., 4

She who is of the form of Om, She who is the form of blessed Shakthi,
She who gives boons, she who sits pleasantly, She who killed Chanda,
She who is very pretty, She who is the goddess of Yoga

Simha vahana priye, devi, Shyama varne cha sambhavi,
Madhura kali, masana vase, mathruka, maha mangali,., 5

She who likes to ride on a lion, She who is the goddess,
She who is black in colour, she who makes things happen,
Sweet kali, she who lives in cremation ground,
She who is the ideal, She who is great goodness,

Seer vachoor vasa priye, seegra vara mandithe,
Poorva punya darsane devi, maha mangala darsini,., 6

She who likes to live in seer vachoor, she who gives boons speedily,
She who can be seen only with accumulated punya, Goddess,
She who sees that greatly good things will happen.

Jyothir maye, jaya kalike, dukha nasana priye, Shive,
Janma labha vare, kanthe, madhure, jyothi roopine,., 7

She who is full of light, She who is the victorious Kali,
She who likes to destroy sorrow, She who is the consort of Shiva,
She who gives the boon of profit, she who is the consort,
She who is sweet, She who is of the form of light,

Sarva klesa nasine, mathe, savithri, Abheeshtanugrahe,
Shodasanugrahe, devi,bhakthanugraha archithe,., 8

She who destroys all sufferings, mother, Savithri,
She who blesses fulfillment of desires,
She who gives sixteen type of blessings,
Goddess, She who blesses devotees who worship her.

Yeka masam shukra vare soubhagyam kali darshanam,
Shukra soma dhanam japithwa sarva mangala nidhi bhagyatham.., 9

If chanted on all Fridays for a month, you would get all luck and see Kali,
If chanted on all Fridays and Mondays all the good and treasure will be received.

Ashta poornam japeth nithyam Ashta sidhi prapthitham shubham,
Ithi sri mauthuswami jihwa dwara jaya madhurashtakam sampoornam.., 10

If daily it is chanted eight times all the eight occult powers would be received.
Thus ends the octet called Jaya Madhura, written by Sri Muthuswami