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.

Maheśvara

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Maheśvara literally means ‘the Great Lord’.

Maheśvara, an Apect of Śiva[edit]

‘Maheśvara’ is one of the names and aspects of Śiva. Iconographical works describe him as:

  • Wearing a jaṭāmukuṭa, crown of matted hair
  • Fair in complexion
  • Adorned with the crescent moon on the head and having four arms
  • Holding paraśu (axe) or taṅka (hammer) and mṛga (deer)
  • Other two arms assuming the gestures of abhaya (protection) and varada (bestowal of boons)
  • may be shown as having triśula (trident) ḍamaru (hand-drum), kapāla (skull-cup) and nāga (a serpent)
  • has three eyes
  • may also be shown as riding his bull along with his spouse Pārvatī and the two sons Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya

Maheśvara, an Author[edit]

Maheśvara is also the name of a Dharmaśāstra writer who lived around CE 1550. He is the author of a commentary on the dāyabhāga system of dividing property.

References[edit]

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