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.

Sadāśiva

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Sadāśiva literally means ‘the Ever Auspicious One’.

As per General Description[edit]

Sadāśiva is one of the aspects and names of god Śiva. He is described as having five heads and ten arms, and is seated in baddha-padmāsana.[1] The heads are adorned with matted hair. The ten hands hold:

  1. Śakti - spear with a triangular tip
  2. Triśula - trident
  3. Khaṭvāṅga - magic wand
  4. Abhayamudrā - gesture of protection
  5. Varadamudrā - gestures of boon-giving
  6. Serpent
  7. Snake
  8. Ḍamaru - hand-drum
  9. Nīlotpala - blue-lotus
  10. Bījāpura - pomegranate fruit

Alternately, he may be shown as having a single face with three eyes, with a crescent moon adorned on the head. His consort is Manonmaṇi.

As per Other Description[edit]

In another description he is pictured as saumya.[2] He has four arms, two carrying purṇāmṛta-kumbhas[3] and the other two carrying one more pot and a rosary.

As per Śaivasiddhānta[edit]

In Śaivasiddhānta, Sadāśiva is the Supreme God-head but absolutely formless. He is all-pervading, extremely subtle and incomprehensible.


References[edit]

  1. Baddha-padmāsana means bound lotus posture.
  2. Saumya means pleasant and peaceful.
  3. Purṇāmṛta-kumbhas means pots filled with nectar.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore