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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.

Mārkaṇḍeya

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Tale of Mārkaṇḍeya[edit]

Destined to die at an early age, the young Mārkaṇḍeya worshiped Lord Śiva with intense devotion to transcend death. Just as Yama, the god of death, approached him with his noose to take him away, Mārkaṇḍeya clung to the Śivaliṅga he was worshiping. Whence Śiva appeared with his trident and prevented him from doing so. He also gave Mārkaṇḍeya, a long life of 14 kalpas’ duration.[1] He is also classed along the cirañjīvis[2] along with Hanumān, Vyāsa and others.

Achievements of Mārkaṇḍeya[edit]

  • The Mārkandeyapurāṇa is attributed to him as the chief narrator.
  • He is said to be one of the smṛtikāras who edited and condensed the original Manusmṛti to 8000 ślokas and passed it on to Sumati Bhārgava.
  • Mārkaṇḍeya appears in the Mahābhārata and in some purāṇas like the Bhāgavata and the Matsya.
  • He is said to have visited the Pāṇḍavas in the Kāmyakavana and taught them dharma through many stories.
  • He also told Yudhiṣṭhira that Śrī Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Lord Himself.[3]
  • While discussing dharma with the sage Nārada, Mārkaṇḍeya gives his views on various topics connected with marriage and chastity.[4]
  • There is one Mārkaṇḍeya Āśrama near Bhāgeśvara at the confluence of the rivers Gomatī and Sarayu in Uttar Pradesh.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ One kalpa is one day of Brahmā.
  2. ↑ Cirañjīvis are those who live eternally.
  3. ↑ Vanaparva 189
  4. ↑ Mahābhārata, Anuśāsanaparva 50-62
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti

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