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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.

Pratyabhivāda

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Pratyabhivāda literally means ‘returning the salutation’.

If abhivādana or bowing down to elders and superiors is obligatory for the youngsters and inferiors, it is equally obligatory for the latter to respond to it appropriately. This response is called pratyabhivāda.

This generally takes the form of a blessing like ‘āyuṣmān bhava’[1] and ‘saubhāgyavati bhava’[2] to a woman. The name of the person is also added at the end and the last vowel is lengthened to pluta.[3] For instance:

‘āyuṣmān bhava devadattā.’

It is interesting to note that social hierarchies are meticulously kept up in this act, the way of response being dependent upon the social status of the respondent vis-a-vis the person who bows down first.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Āyuṣmān bhava means ‘May you live long!'.
  2. ↑ Saubhāgyavati bhava means ‘May you remain dear to your husband!’.
  3. ↑ Pluta means three mātras.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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