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.

Āmbhasi-dhāraṇā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Āmbhasi-dhāraṇā literally means ‘fixing the mind on the water principle’.

It is one of the five dhāraṇās technically known as ‘pañcadhāraṇās’ in the works on Haṭhayoga. Such dhāraṇās help in the conquest of the mind. When guided properly, this can lead to the realization of the Self. Incidentally, certain supernatural powers are also attained in the process.

Āmbhasī-dhāraṇa is dhāraṇā or fixing the mind on the principle of ambhas or water. The water principle is white like the kunda flower or conch or moon. It is circular in form with Viṣṇu as the presiding deity and ‘va’ as the bīja (seed- letter). Fixing the mind along with the prāṇa (through kumbhaka prāṇāyāma) for five ghaṭikās (one ghaṭikā = 24 minutes) will help the yogi to destroy all sorrows. The yogi who has perfected this will not die even in deepest water.

References[edit]

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