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.

Pināka

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

The various deities of the pantheon have certain objects held in their hands, including some weapons, as distinguishing marks. Though Śiva has the triśula[1] as the distinguishing weapon, he also has a bow called ‘Pināka’ which he uses occasionally as in the destruction of Tripura or the three cities of the demons and the sons of Tārakāsura like Tārākṣa.

According to one version, Śiva’s trident once fell down and got bent into the shape of a bow. This came to be known as the Pināka. Pāśupata is the chief arrow that is discharged from this bow. The word is sometimes defined as ‘that which protects’[2] people from evil forces.


References[edit]

  1. Triśula means the trident.
  2. Pāti, rakṣati means the one who protects.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore