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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.


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.

Aadhyaa Stotram

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Aadhya Stotram
(The prayer to the primeval power)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

( Shaktheyas believe that that there was a primeval power which is pervading in all earth. They believe that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva got their power of creation, upkeep and destruction from this power. She has a famous temple dedicated to her in Dakshinewar, West Bengal. She is the Vaishanvite Goddess of Thanthric practices. Here is a prayer addressed to that primeval power in Sanskrit. This prayer is very popular in Bengal and so most of the write up of the stotra in Devanagari script reads more like Bengali . So I have taken the sanskrit version given in www.sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/AdyA.pdf for my translation. An english translation is already available in http://www.adyapeath.org/AdyaComb.pdf PDF
A story of the origin of her worship is given in
http://www.om-guru.com/html/saints/annada.html)

Om Namo Aadhyai

1. Srunu vathsa pravakshyami AAdhyaa stotram Maha phalam,
Ya padeth sathatham bhakthyaa sa eva Vishnu Vallabhaa.

Hear son , I will tell you the prayer to Aadhyaa which gives great results,
Which If read with devotion always ,would make one dear to Lord Vishnu..

2.Mruthyu vyadhi bhayam thasya nasthi kinchid Kalou yuge,
Aputhra labhathe puthram , tripaksham sravano yadi.

This prayer removes fear of death and diseases in this Kali age,
And a lady without sons would get sons , if it is read for three fortnights.

3.Dwaou masaou bandhana mukthi vipara vakthrath srutham yadi,
Mrutha vathsaa , jeeva vathsaa shan masam sravanam yadhi.

For two months if this is heard from a Brahmin’s face,
One who is in prison would be set free ,
For six months if it is heard even dead sons would come alive.

4.Naukayaam sankate yudhe padanath jaya mapnuyath,
Likhithwa sthapayed gehe na agni chora bhayam kwachith.

In a boat over water or in difficulties or in war ,
If this is read one would make victory as his own,
If this is written and placed in one’s home,
Then that house will not have fear of thief or fire at any time.

5.Rajasthane jayi nithyam prasanna sarva devatha,
Om Hreem Brahmani Brahma loke cha vaikunte sarva mangala.

It brings victory in the palace and keeps all gods pleased,
Om Hreem is auspicious Brahmani in the land of Brahma,
And the Always auspicious one in Vaikunta the land of Vishnu.

6.Indrani amaravathyamambika varunalaye,
Yamalaye kala roopa Khubera bhavane Shubha.

She is Indrani in the capital of Indra,
Ambika in the land of Varuna,
God of death in the land of Yama,
And Shubha in the home of Khubera.

7.Mahananda agni kone cha , Vayavya mruga vahini,
Nairyuthyam Raktha dandha cha eesanyaam soola dharini.

In the south east she is Mahananda, the great daughter,
In the north west she is the one who rides on a deer,
In the south west she is the one whose teeth are drenched in blood,
And in north east she is the one holding a trident.

8.Patale Vaishnavi roopaa, Simhale deva Mohini,
Surasaa cha Mani dhweepe Lankaayaam Bhadra Kalika.

She is goddess Vaishnavi in the nether world,
The most pretty one of devas in the country of lions,
The one who is great nectar in the land of gems,
And The kali who takes care in Sri Lanka.

9.Rameswari sethu bhandhe , Vimalaa purushothame,
Virajaa Oudra dese , Kamakshyaa Neela Parvathe.

She is Ramaeswari on the bridge to Lanka,
She is the pure one in Puri of Kalinga,
She is one without stain in the land of orissa,
And she is Kamkhya devi in blue mountains.

10.Kalika Banga dese cha , Ayodhyayam Maheswari
Varanasyam annapurni , Gaya kshethre gayesawri,

She is Kalika devi in Bengal,
She is the great goddess in Ayodhya,
She is Goddess Annapurni in city of Benares,
And she is Goddess Gayeswari in city of Gaya,

11. Kurukshethre Bhadra Kali , Vruja Kathyayani paraa.
Dwarakaayaam Maha maya, Madhurayam Maheswari,

She is Bhadra Kali in Kurukshethra ,
She is daughter of Kathyayana in the land of Vruja.
She is the great enchantress in Dwaraka,
And she is the greatest Goddess in Mathura,

12. Kshudha thwam sarva bhoothaanaam , vela sagarasya cha.
Navami Shukla pakshasya, Krishnai Ekadasi paraa

She is hunger in all living beings,
She is shore in case of the ocean,
She in ninth crescent in fortnight of waxing moon,
And she is eleventh crescent in the fortnight of waning moon.

13.Dakshasaa duhithaa devi, Daksha yagna vinasini,
Ramasya Janaki thwam hi, Ravana dwamsa karini.

She is the daughter of Daksha who destroyed Daksha’s fire sacrifice,
And she is Janaki of Rama who was the cause of destruction of Ravana.

14.Chanda Munda Vadhe devi , Raktha Bheeja vinasini,
Nishumbha Shumbha madhani , Madhu kaidabha gathini.

She is the Goddess who killed Chanda and Munda,
She is the one who completely destroyed Raktha Bheeja,
She is the killer of Shumbha and Nishumbha,
And she is also the killer of Madhu and Kaidabha.

15.Vishnu Bhakthi pradhaa Durgaa, Sukhadhaa, mokshadhaa sada,
Aadhya sthavam imam punyam ya padeth sathatham nara

16.Sarva jwara bhayam na syaath , Sarva vyadhi vinasanam,
Koti theertha phalam thasya , labhathe nathra samsaya.

She is a Durga who creates devotion to Lord Vishnu,
And she is the one who gives pleasure as well as salvation,
If a man always reads this blessed prayer to Aadhyaa,
He would get rid of all his diseases including fevers,
And without any doubt man will get,
The effect of bathing in billions of sacred waters.

17.Jayaa may chagratha pathu, vijaya pathu prushradha,
Narayani seersha dese , sarvange Simha vahini

Let Jaya protect my front and Vijaya protect my back,
Let Narayani protect the area near my head and let,
She who rides on the lion protect all my limbs.

18.Shiva dhoothi, ugra chandaa prathyange Parameshwari,
Visalakshi Maha Maya Koumari Sanginee Shivaa

She who sent Shiva as emissary , The very ferocious killer of Chanda,
She who is consort of Parameshwara all over, She who has broad eyes,
She who is great enchantress, she who is a lass ,
She who is a partner , and consort of Shiva.

19.Chakrini, jaya Dhathri, cha Rana matha, Rana priyaa,
Durga , jayanthi , kali cha Bhadra kali Mahodhari,

She who is the power of Indra, She who gives victory,
She who is mother of war , She who likes war,
She who helps us to cross difficulties, She who is victorious,
She who is black , She who as Kali ensures safety and is the one with a big belly.

20.Narasimhi cha Varahi, Sidha dhatri , Sikha pradha,
Bhayankari, Maha Roudhri , Maha Bhaya vinasini,

She who is the power of Narasimha, She who is the power of Varaha,
She who blesses with occult powers , She who teaches,
She who is fearsome , She who is very angry and she who destroys great fear.

Ithi Brahma Yamale Brahma Narada Samvadhe AAdhyaa stotram samaptham

Thus ends The prayer to Aadhya which occurs in the discussion between Brahma and Narada found in Brahma Yamala.