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.

Indrayavaḥ

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By M. A. Alwar


Indrayava is the bitter, pungent seed of the Wrightia antidysenterica, which is widely used in curing many disorders of the digestive system. It is effective in treatment of fever, dysentery, colic, bloody bile, piles, etc and derives its name from the parent tree Indravrkṣa. It is also called yava, because it resembles yava (barley corns) in shape.

Gender[edit]

Indrayavaḥ is a masculine form.

Origin[edit]

The word is derived from "indrasya indravṛkṣasya yavaḥ" which means 'The yava of the Indra tree'. It is named such because the seeds resemble to barley-corns. It is a bitter seed famous as indrayava – the seed of Wrightia antidysenterica.

Synonyms[edit]

The synonyms are:

  1. Kaliṅgam
  2. Bhadrayavam
  3. Śakrāṅkaḥ
  4. Śakrabījam
  5. Vatsakaḥ
  6. Vatsakabījam
  7. Bhadrajaḥ
  8. Kuṭaja
  9. Kuṭajabījam
  10. Kaliṅgabījam
  11. Kuḍacira vici[1]

Qualities[edit]

As per Rājanirghaṇṭa[edit]

Rājanirghaṇṭa lists the qualities of this seed as:

  1. Pungent
  2. Bitter
  3. Cool
  4. Reduces phlegm
  5. Gas
  6. Blood and bile
  7. Cures burning sensation and dysentery
  8. Destroys fever and Colic

As per Amara[edit]

Amara uses this word in neuter form. As per him Kutajabija is also known as:

  1. Yava
  2. Indrayava
  3. Kalinga
  4. Kaalinga
  5. Bhadrayava

As per Dhanvantari[edit]

Dhanvantari says that sometimes it is known by the name of Indra. It’s fruits are known as Indrayava and Bhadrayava. The yava of Indra removes the disorders of the three humors:

  1. It is astringent/constipating.
  2. It is pungent.
  3. It is cool.

As per Bhavaprakash[edit]

Indrayavaḥ is digestive and conquers piles, bloody gout, bloody phlegm and colic.

As per Vaidyakadravyaguna[edit]

According to Vaidyakadravyaguna, its seed cures fever. It is bitter and cures bile-blood and dysentery.

References[edit]

  1. Hindi Name
  • Shabdakalpadrumah by Raja Radhakantdev, Varadaprasada Vasu, Haricarana Vasu