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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.

Putrakāmeṣṭi

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Putrakāmeṣṭi literally means ‘a Vedic sacrifice to be performed by one desiring for a son’.

The desire for a worthy son is a natural phenomenon in all the societies of the world, especially in ancient society. Understanding this, the ṛṣis of yore had prescribed a particular Vedic sacrifice called ‘Putrakāmeṣṭi’ or ‘Putreṣṭi’ for the fulfillment of this desire. King Daśaratha is said to have performed it on the advice of the sage Rṣyaśṛṅga.[1]

The king performed the Aśvamedha-yāga first, to purify himself and then only the Putrakāmeṣṭi. The Rāmāyana says that the mantras were taken from the Atharvaśiras.[2] The Āśvalāyana Śrautasutras also describes it. However, it is very difficult to get the details of it.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakānda 15
  2. ↑ Bālakānda 15.2 and 3
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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