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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.


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Sabhāpati, Sabhāpati

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Sabhāpati literally means ‘president of a meeting’.

Sabhāpati, an Officer[edit]

In the olden days, the word sabhā was used to indicate a big hall reserved for gambling. The sabhāpati was an officer appointed by the king to see that gambling was done as per the rules and collected fees or taxes from them.

Sabhāpati, President of the Assembly[edit]

If the word sabhā refers to an assembly of elders and wise persons,[1] then the sabhāpati was the one who presided over such an assembly.

Sabhāpati, an Epithet of Lord Śiva[edit]

Sabhāpati is also one of the epithets of Lord Śiva, a great master of all the 108 modes of dance. In fact, he is their creator. He is said to dance every evening in order to relieve the sufferings of creatures and entertain the gods who gather in Kailāśa[2] in full strength. Hence he is called Sabhāpati.[3]

Sabhāpati, as Naṭarāja[edit]

Iconographically speaking, the image of Sabhāpati is the same as that of Naṭarāja, except that he is balancing himself on the left-leg and the poses of the two lower arms are reversed.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ It means vidvatsabhā.
  2. ↑ Kailāśa is Śiva's abode.
  3. ↑ Sabhāpati means lord of the congregation.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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