Colonial Discourse and the Suffering of Indian American Children is now freely available.
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.

Sādhāraṇadharma

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Sādhāraṇadharma literally means ‘dharma that is common to all’.

Classification of Dharma[edit]

The word ‘dharma’ has been used in the scriptures in several senses out of which the meaning ‘duties and good conduct’ is the most common. Dharma is usually classified into two categories:

  1. Sādhāraṇa or sāmānya dharma
  2. Viśeṣa-dharma

Peculiarities of Sādhāraṇa Dharma[edit]

It is common to all walks of life. It pertains to all persons without exception. It is generally described as comprising the following ten qualities:[1]

  1. Ahimsā - not harming others
  2. Satya - truth
  3. Asteya - non-stealing
  4. Dāna - giving gifts
  5. Kṣānti - forbearance
  6. Dama - self-control
  7. Śama - keeping the mind at peace
  8. Akārpaṇya - not demeaning oneself
  9. Śauca - cleanliness and purity
  10. Tapas - austere life

Virtues of Aspirant of Sādhāraṇa Dharma[edit]

Other virtues included in such lists given by other sources are:[2]

  1. Nābhimānitā - absence of arrogance and pride
  2. Anāyāsa - avoiding too much of exertion
  3. Priya-vāditā - gentle speech
  4. Maitrī - friendly feeling
  5. Aspṛhā - absence of greed
  6. Anasuyā - absence of jealousy
  7. Guruśuśrusā - serving the elders
  8. Tirthānusaraṇa - going on a pilgrimage
  9. Devabrāhmaṇapujana - worship of God and brāhmaṇas


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Vāmanapurāṇa 14.1 and 2
  2. ↑ Viṣṇu-dharmasutrās 2.16, 17
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti

Explore Other Articles

Retrieved from "https://hindupedia.com/index.php?title=Sādhāraṇadharma&oldid=135950"