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.

Vishnu Maya Sthuthi

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Vishnu Maya Sthuthi
(The prayer to Vishnu Maya)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(This great prayer of devas occurs in the fifth chapter of Devi Mahatmya. When two great asuras trouble them , the devas remembering the promise of the Goddess to save them whenever they are in trouble assemble in the Himayayas and pray the Goddess Vishnu Maya thus.)

1. Deva Ouchu:-
Namo devyai maha devyai shivayai sathatham nama,
Nama prakruthyair bhadrayair niyatha pranatha sma thaam.

Devas told:-
Salutations to the Goddess. Salutations to that great Goddess who is the consort of Shiva,Salutations to her who is nature and she who takes care of every thing. We are saluting her with veneration after controlling our mind.

2. Roudrayair namo nithyair gauryair dhathryair namo nama,
Jyothsnayair chendu roopinyair sukhayair sathatham nama.

Salutations to her who is angry like Rudra. Salutations to that Parvathy who is stable forever in looking after the worlds. Salutations to her who is the form of light, the form of moon and the form of stable happiness.

3. Kalyanyair pranatha vrudyair sidhyair koormayair namo nama,
Nairuthyair bhubhruthaam lakshmyair sarvanyair thee namo nama.

Salutations and salutations to her who does only good, who blesses all those salting her, who is greatly powerful and who is taking care of the world (Like Koorma who lifted the world). Salutations and salutations to her who is the Asura power, who is the power behind the kings and who is the wife of Shiva.

4. Durgayair durga parayai saraayai sarva karinyai,
Khaytyai thadaiva krushnayai dhoomayai sathatham nama.

Always salutations to her who can take over sorrow, who can take us to the other shore of sorrow, who is the cause behind everything, who is very famous, who is black in colour and who is of the colour of smoke.

5. Athi soumyathi roudrayair nathasthasyair namo nama,
Namo jagath prathishtayar devyair kruthyair namo nama.

We salute her who is beyond peace and anger and offer our salutations. Many salutations to her who is the basis of the entire universe, who is the power behind devas and who is action oriented.

6. Ya devi Sarva bhootheshu vishnu mayethi sabdhitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who is soul power in all beings.

7. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu chethanthyabhi dheeyathe,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who is root power in action of all beings.

8. Ya Devi sarva bhootheshu bhuddhi roopena samshthitha,
Naasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of intellect.

9. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu nidhra roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of sleep

10. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu kshudha roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of hunger.

11. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu chaya roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of shadow

12. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu shakthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of inner strength

13. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu thrishna roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of saving and storage

14. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu kshanthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of patience.

15. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu jathi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of oneness in many.

16. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu lajja roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of shame.

17. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu shanthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of peace

18. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu sradha roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of understanding

19. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu kanthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of light.

20. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu lakshmi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of wealth or god given assets.

21. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu vruthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of work

22. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu smruthi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of memory.

23. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu daya roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of mercy

24. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu thushti roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of happiness bore out of sufficiency.

25. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu mathruroopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of motherhood.

26. Ya devi sarva bhootheshu brandhi roopena samshthitha,
Namasthasyair namasthasyair namasthasyair namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations to that goddess who lives in all beings as power of delusion.

27. Indryanam adhishtathri bhoothanam akhileshu ya,
Bhotheshu sathatham tasyai vyapthai devyai namo nama.

Salutations and salutations to that Goddess who is the inner power and soul behind organs performing daily actions, organs performing intellectual pursuits and is the source power behind the five elements viz. earth, water, air, fire and ether.

28. Chithi roopena yaa kruthsnamedath vyapyai sthitha jagath,
Namasthasyai namasthasyai namasthasyai namo nama.

Salutations, salutations and salutations who as the form of micro power has spread all over the universe.

29. Sthutha surai poorva mabeeshta samsraya,
Thadha surendrena dineshu sevitha,
Karothu saa na shubha hethureeeswai,
Shubhani bhadrani abhihanthu Chaa pada.

30. Yaa saampradham chodhadha daithyathapithair,
Rasmabhireesa cha surair namasyathe,
Ya cha smrutha thath kshanameva hanthi na,
Sarvapadho bhakthi vinamra murthibhi.

Let that goddess who brings good to us Who was praised in the olden times by gods like Brahma, Who is daily being served by Devendra for getting his works done, Who is being praised by us devas who are being troubled by Asuras, who is praised and remembered by us because devotion to her solves all our problems even when we are thinking about her and who is the reason for all good things in the world. Let destroy all our problems.


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