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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.

Aghamarṣaṇasukta

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Aghamarṣaṇasukta literally means ‘the hymn that destroys sins’.

It is natural for human beings to commit sins, either knowingly or unknowingly. Very often they realize their mistakes and repent for it. As the ṛṣis (sages) knew this human psychology, they have prescribed certain rituals that help in the eradication of these sins.

The Aghamarsanasukta is one such Vedic hymn (of prayer) prescribed for this purpose. It forms an integral part of the Mahānārāyana Upanisad.[1]

Water is a great purifying agent and should therefore be considered as an aspect of the Divine. Varuṇa is the presiding deity of water. This sukta has to be chanted before taking bath in a river or lake or tank. The gist of the whole sukta can be stated as follows:

I take refuge in Varuṇa. Pardon me for having accepted gifts from unworthy persons. May Indra. Varuna, Brhaspati and Savitā destroy the sins committed by me. My salutations to them. Through the power of this mantra, let all the impurities in this water (where I am to bathe now) be destroyed. May Varuṇa purify me. I invite the seven sacred rivers— Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Godāvarī, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaverī to be present here in this water. May Varuṇa, capable of effacing all sins, purify all the beings dwelling on the earth, in the atmospheric region and in heaven. Similarly may the Vasus also purify us. I am the Supreme Light which projected itself as the universe. I am the same light that shines as the inmost essence of all that exists. Varuṇa, the regent of waters and effacer of sins, absolves the sinners of all types. Though I am the ground of sins and am made to weep, wise men can favor me by destroying my sins. The Supreme Lord is infinite like the limitless ocean. He dwells in the hearts of devotees. He delights the individual souls by guiding them and offering the fruits of their action.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Mahānārāyana Upanisad Anuvāka 1, mantras 55-70
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

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