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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.

Dharma sastra-Ānhika trapanam

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Jammalamadaka Suryanarayana

Sometimes transliterated as: tarpaṇaṃ, tarpan


Sauhityaṃ tarpaṇaṃ tṛptiḥ[1]

According to the etymology, Tarpaṇaṃ is the offering of oblations of water as prescribed by the Dharma Śāstram to please our ancestors, gods and sages. This offering is done using the right hand. Generally, water is the base element in this ritual. But in some special occasions, cow milk is also used. In the nitya karmānuṣṭhānaṃ[2] section, sandhyāvandanaṃ[3] and brahmayajṅaṃ are the two rituals which have tarpaṇaṃ as a part of it.

Kaniṣṭa dēśinyaṃguṣṭa mūlānyagraṃ karasya tu| prajāpati pitṛ brahma dēva tīrthānyanukramāt||[4]

Tarpanam new.png

In almost all the traditional rituals, usage of water is essential. Water is also called as tīrthaṃ. It is further classified according to it's position.

  • Ṛṣi tīrthaṃ - The place situated at the bottom of the little finger is related to Ṛṣiḥ/Sage and the water at that place is called Ṛṣi tīrthaṃ.
  • Ṛṣi tarpaṇaṃ - It is the offering of oblations of water using Ṛṣi tīrthaṃ to respect Ṛṣiḥ/Sage.
  • Pitṛ tīrthaṃ - The place situated at the bottom of the index finger is related to Pitā/Ancestors and the water at that place is called Pitṛ tīrthaṃ.
  • Pitṛ tarpaṇaṃ - It is the offering of oblations of water is used for Pitṛ tīrthaṃ to respect Pitā/Ancestors.
  • Brahma tīrthaṃ - The place situated at the bottom of the thumb finger is related to Brahmā/The creator and the water at that place is called Brahma tīrthaṃ.
  • Brahma tarpaṇaṃ - It is the offering of oblations of water using Brahma tīrthaṃ to respect Brahmā/The creator.
  • Dēva tīrthaṃ - All the tips of the fingers are related to Dēvaḥ/The Gods and the water at that place is called Dēva tīrthaṃ.
  • Dēva tarpaṇaṃ - It is the offering of oblations of water using Dēva tīrthaṃ to respect Dēvaḥ/ The Gods.
  • Agni tīrthaṃ - The place situated in the middle of the palm is related to Agniḥ/ The fire god, and the water at that place is called Agni tīrthaṃ.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Amarakōśaḥ 2-56
  2. ↑ The rituals performed daily till the body is healthy.
  3. ↑ This is a ritual performed thrice daily at a specific time according to the movement of sun.
  4. ↑ Nityakarmaashtakam

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti, Jammalamadaka Suryanarayana, JAMMALAMADAKA SRINIVAS

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