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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.


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Vārāhi

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Vārāhi literally means ‘boar-faced goddess’.

Significance of Vārāhi[edit]

Durgāsaptaśati, the well-known work of the śakti-sect, describes Saptamātṛkas,[1] the seven aspects of the Divine Mother, which are the Śaktis[2] of the seven deities like Śiva, Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Indra Vārāhī is counted among them as the fifth. She is the Śakti of Varāhāvatāra[3] of Viṣṇu.

Description of Vārāhi[edit]

She is boar-faced, is dark in complexion and has four or six arms. On the right side she exhibits the varadamudrā,[4] and holds daṇḍa[5] and asi[6] also. On the left she shows the abhayamudrā[7] and carries carma[8] and pātra.[9] Her vāhana or mount may be either an elephant or a buffalo. Sometimes, several varieties of Vārāhī such as Mahāvārāhi, Svapnavārāhī, Dhumravārāhī and so on are mentioned in tāntrik works. They are usually invoked in black magical rites.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Saptamātṛkas 8.13-21
  2. ↑ Śaktis means female forms.
  3. ↑ Varāhāvatāra means Boar-incarnation.
  4. ↑ Varadamudrā means bestowal of boons.
  5. ↑ Daṇḍa means club.
  6. ↑ Asi means sword.
  7. ↑ Abhayamudrā means gesture of protection.
  8. ↑ Carma means shield.
  9. ↑ Pātra means bowl.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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Deval Sancheti

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