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.

Ākāśīdhāraṇā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Ākāśīdhāraṇā literally means ‘fixing the mind on the ether principle’.

Ākāśīdhāraṇā is one of five ‘pañcadhāraṇās’ in the works on Hathayoga. Such dhāraṇās help in the conquest of the mind. This again can when properly guided lead to the realization of the Self. Incidentally, certain supernatural powers are also attained in the process.

Ākāśīdhāraṇā is fixing the mind on the principle of ākāśa or ether. The color of ākāśa is like that of ocean water. Sadāśiva is its presiding deity. Its bija (seed) is ‘ha.’ Fixing the mind along with the prāṇa on it for five ghaṭikās (one ghaṭikā = 24 minutes) will help the yogi to gain liberation. Neither death nor pralaya (dissolution of the world) can affect him then.


References[edit]

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