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.

Bhavani Bhujangam

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Adi Sankara Bhagavat Pada
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Shadathara pangeruham, anthar virajath,
Sushumnantharalethi thejollasanthim,
Sudha mandalam dravayanthim pibanthim,
Sudha moorthy meede chidananda roopam., 1

I bow before that personification of nectar,
Who is the ever lasting immortal bliss,
Who is the luster in the Sushumna,
Which is in the six chakras of the body,
And who melts the moon and drinks its light.

Jwalath kodi balarka bhasarunangim,
Sulavanya srungara lokabhiramam,
Mahapadma kinjalka madhye virajat,
Trikone nishannam bhaje sri Bhavanim., 2

I sing about that Bhavani,
Who sits in the triangle,
Which shines in the stamen of the great lotus,
Who has the luster of crores of rising suns,
Who is immensely pretty,
And who attracts the entire world by her charm.

Kwanath Kinkini nuporoth bhasi rathna,
Prabhaleeda lakshardhra padaabhja yugmam,
Ajesachyuthadyai surai sevyamanam,
Maha devi manmurdhy thee bhavayami., 3

Oh, great goddess please keep your feet,
Which have jingling bells made of gems tied to it,
Which shine in the luster of your wet lac painted feet,
And which are worshipped by Vishnu, Brahma and others
On my head and bless.

Susonamambara baddha ne virajan
Maha rathna kanchi kalapam nithambham,
Sphurat dakshinavartha nabhim cha thisro,
Vallerambha thee romarajim bajeham., 4

I worship the streak of hair on your belly,
Thine shining navel circling to the left,
Thine hips dressed in red garments,
And your waist adorned with golden tinkling belt,
Studded with greatest of jewels.

Lasad Vrutha muthunga manikya kumbho,
Pamasri stanadwandha mbabujakshim,
Bhaje dugadha punarabhiramam thavedam,
Maha hara deeptham sada prasruthasyam., 5

I worship thine twin radiant raised breasts full of milk,
Which are round and like the gem studded pot,
And which are ever shining with milk,
Hey mother who has lotus like eyes.

Sirisha prasoonoolasaasad bahu dandair,
Jwaladwanakodanda pasangusaischa,
Chaladkankanodhara keyura bhoosho,
Jwaladd bharlasanthim Bhaje Sri Bhavanim., 6

I worship that Bhavani
Who glitters with her arms,
Which are as delicate as Sirisa flowers,
And which carry arrow, bow, noose and goad,
And which shines with bangles and bracelets.

Sarad poorna Chandra prabha purna bimba,
Darasmera vakthra aravindam susantham,
Su ratnavali hara tataka shobham,
Maha suprasannam Bhaje Bhavanim., 7

I worship that Bhavani,
Who is extremely pleasant,
Who shines like the full moon Of autumn,
Whose lotus like face is adorned with peace,
And who shines with gem studded necklace and ear studs.

Sunasaputam Sundara bru lalatam,
Thavo ashtai sriyam dana daksham kadaksham,
Lalate lasadh randa kasthuri bhoosham,
Sphurachri mukambhoja meedeha mamba., 8

I praise thee Amba,
Who adorns your lotus like face,
With musk on the forehead and cheeks,
Who has very pretty nostrils,
Who has a pretty forehead,
Who has well formed beautiful lips.
And who is capable of blessing with a side long glance.

Chalath kunthalanthar brahmad bhrunga vrundam,
Ghana snighdha dhammila bushojwalam te,
Sphuran mauli manikhya bandendu rekha,
Vilassollasad deepya moordhana mede., 9

I praise thine head,
Which is playfully radiant,
Which is adorned by the crescent moon,
Which is decorated by the line of gems,
In whose dense hair the swarm of bees,
Enter swirl and play,
And which is decorated,
By densely woven white jasmine flowers.

Ithi sri Bhavani swaroopam thavedam,
Prapanchat param chahi sookshma prasannam,
Sphuratvambha dimbhasya mey hrth saroje,
Sada Vang mayam sarva thejo mayam cha., 10

This form of yours, Oh Bhavani,
Which is much above the universe,
In its micro form,
May please shine in the lotus heart mine,
And bless me in your lustrous form,
So that I rule over the wealth of words.

Ganeshabhi mukkhyakhilai sakthi brundai,
Vrytham vai sphurajchakra rajollasanthim,
Param Raja rajeswari tripuri thwam,
Shivanngouparistha shivaam bhavayami., 11

I meditate on you, the wife of Shiva,
Who is sitting pleasantly on his lap,
Surrounded by Shakthis led by lord Ganesha,
Who is sitting highly radiant on the chakra raja,
And who is Tripura and Rajarajeswari.

Thwam arka sthwam indu sthwam agni sthwam aapa,
Sthwam aakasa Bhoo, Vayavasthwam mahatwam,
Thwadanyo na kaschid prapanchosthi sarva,
Thwam ananda samvit swaroopam bhajeham., 12

I sing about you as a form of blissful knowledge,
As one to whom, there is none superior,
As you are the sun, moon, fire,water,
Ether, earth, fire and the great essence.

Sruthi namagamye suvedagamagne,
Mahimno na janathi param thavamba,
Sthuthim karthumichami they thwam Bhavani,
Sramasweda mathra pramugdha kilaham., 13

Though I know not thine greatness,
Wish I to praise you,Oh, Bhavani,
Who is the knower of Vedas and Agamas,
And who is unreachable through scriptures.
So please pardon me for doing this.

Gurusthwm Shivasthwam cha Shakthisthwam meva,
Thwamevasi matha, pitha cha thwameva,
Thwammevasi vidhya, thwamevasi bhandhu,
Gathir meymathir devi sarvam thwameva., 14

You are my teacher, you are my lord Shiva,
You are the Goddess Shakthi,
You are my mother, you are my father,
You are the knowledge, you are my relations,
And so you are my only refuge, my only thought,
And everything that I can think of.

Saranye, varanye, sukarunya murthe,
Hiranyodharadyai raganye, supunye,
Bhavaranya bheethescha maam pahi bhadre,
Namasthe, Namasthe, Namasthe, Bhavani., 15

Salutations, salutations and salutations, Oh Bhavani,
You are my refuge, my boon and form of all mercy,
You are greatest among all devas, oh holy one,
And so, please protect me from this forest snare of life.

Ithi maam mahachchri Bhavani bujangam,
Sthuthim yah pated bhakthi yukthascha thasmai,
Swakeeyam padam saswatham veda saram,
Sriyam chashtasidhim Bhavani dadathi., 16

Who ever correctly reads with devotion,
This great hymn praising Bhavani from head to toe,
Would attain a permanent place of salvation,
Which is the essence of Vedas,
And also get wealth and the eight occult powers.

Bhavani, Bhavani, Bhavani, Trivaram,
Mudaram mudha sarvadha ye japanthe,
Na soko, na moho na papam, na bheethi,
Kadachi, kadanchit kuthashrijananam., 17

Three times repeat the holy name of Bhavani,
With devotion and repeatedly for ever,
And get rid of sorrow, passion, sin and fear,
For all time and for all ways.

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