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.

Shri Sai Prathna

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

साईं कृपा से व्रत कथा लिखवाई, भक्तों के हाथों में पहुंची|
साईं गुरुवार व्रत करे जो कोई, उसका कल्याण तो हरदम होई|

Sai krupaa se vruth kadhaa likvai, bhakthon ke haathon may pahunchi,
Sai guruvar vruth kare jo koi, uskaa kalyan tho hardham hoi

Sai due to his mercy got written the story of the penance to him and this reached hands of his devotees,
Oh Sai he who does penance on Thursday, His welfare would definitely take place

घर बार सुख शांति होवे, साईं ध्यान करे जो सोवे|
भोग लगावे निसदिन बाबा को जोई उसके घर में कमी न होई|

Ghar baar sukha saanthi hove, sai dhyan kare jo sove
Bhogh lagaave nis dhin Baba ko joi uske ghar mein kam na hoyee

The house of him who keeps on thinking about Sai would be filled with pleasure and peace,
To the one who makes offering to Baba, in his home there would never be shortages

बाबा की प्रार्थना करिए, साईं मेरे दुःख को हरिए|
शिरडी में बाबा की मूर्ति है प्यारी, भक्तों को लगे है न्यारी|

Baba ki prarthanaa kareeye, sai mere dukh ko hariyee
Shirdi mein baba jki murthi hai, Bhakthom ko lage hai nyaari

Please pray to God, “Oh Sai please remove all my sorrows,
The statue of Baba is in shirdi and it has become very dear to his devotees

मेरे साईं मेरे बाबा, मेरा मन्दिर मेरा काबा|
राम भी तुम शाम भी तुम हो, शिवजी का अवतार भी तुम हो, |

Mere sai, mere Baba, meraa mandhir, meraa kaabaa,
Raam bhi thum, Shyam bhi thum ho, Shivjee ka avathaar bhi thum ho

My Sai, My Baba, My temple, My Samadhi,
You are also Ram, you are also shyam, you are also incarnation of Shiva

हनुमान तुम ही हो साईं, तुम्ही ने थी लंका जलाई|
कलियुग में तुम आए थे साईं, भक्तों का कल्याण हो जाई|

Hanuman thum hi ho SAi, THumhi nay thee lanka jalaayee,
Kaliyug may thum aaye they sai, BHakthom ka kalyaan ho jai

You are also Hanuman, Oh Sai, It is you who burnt Lanka,
In Kali age you came, Oh Sai, so that good would happen to devotees

भक्तिभाव से पड़े कथा जो, उसकी इच्छा पूरी हो जाती|
बाबा मेरे आओ साईं हमको दर्शन दिखलाओ साईं|

Bhakthi bhav se pade Kadha jo, uski ichaa poori ho jaathi,
Baba mere aavo sai, humko darsan dhiklao sai.

If he reads his story with devotion, then all his wishes would get completely fulfilled,
My Baba Sai please come, Oh Sai, show yourself to us

तुम बिन दिल नहीं लगता, आंसू का दरिया है निकलता|
जब-जब देखें तेरी मूरत, तब-तब भीग जाए मेरी मूरत|

Thum bin dhil nahin lagthaa, aason kaa dariyaa hai niklaathaa,
Jab jab deken their moorath, thab thab beeg jayee meri moorath

Without you my mind is not stable, the stream of tears starts flowing,
And whenever I see form, at all those times, my form gets drenched

अंधन को आंखे देते, दीन दुखी के दुख हर लेते|
तुम सा नहीं है कोई सहाई, जपते रहें हम साईं साईं|

Andhan ko AAnkh dethe, Dheen dukhi ko dukh har lethe,
Thum saa nahin hai koi sahayee, japthe rahen hum sai, sai

You give eye to the blind, you destroy the sorrows of those sad with poverty,
There is no helper like you and we keep on chanting SAi, Sai

नाम तुम्हारा मंगलकारी, भवसागर से भक्तों को तारी|
बाबा मेरे अवगुण माफ कर देना, भक्ति मेरी को ही लेना|

Naam thumhara mangalkaari, bhava saagar se bhakthon ko thaari,
Baba mere avagun maaph kar dhenaa, bhkthi meri ko hi lenaa

Your name creates auspiciousness, It is a boat which helps devotees cross the ocean of SAmsara.
Oh Baba, please pardon my bad qualities and take only my devotion.

बाबा हम पर दया करना, अपने चरणों में ही रखना|
चरणों में तुम्हारे शीतल छाया, बचे रहेंगे नहीं पड़ेगी मंद छाया|,

Baba hum par dhayaa karnaa, apne charanon may hi rakhnaa,
Charanom may thumhaare seethal chaayaa, bache rahenge nahi padengi mandh cchaayya

Oh Baba, please be kind to us and keep us always at your feet,
For the cool shade in your feet only will remain and bad shadow will never fall there

हमारी बुद्धि निर्मल करना, जग की भलाई हमसे करना|
हमको साधन बना लो बाबा, दया कृपा क्षमा दो बाबा|

Hamaari budhi nirmal karnaa, jag kee bhalaayee humse karnaa,
Humko saadhan bhanaa lo baba, dhayaa, krupaa, kshamaa dho baba.

Please make our brain clear, Make the welfare of world through us.
Please make use of us Baba, please give us mercy, kindness and psatience.

अज्ञानी हम बालक मंदबुद्धि, तेरी दया से हो मन की शुद्धि|
पाप ना कोई हमसे होने पाए, दुःख कोई जीव ना पाए|
हरपल भला हम करते आए, गुणगान हरपल तेरे गांए|

Ajnani hum baalak, mandha budhi, their dhayaa se ho man ki shudhi,
Paap naa koi humse hone paaye, dukh koi jeev naa paaye,
Harpal bhalaa hum karthe aaye, guna gaan harpal there gaauyen

I am an ignorant one a boy who is dull, by your kindness let my mind become clean,
Let I never be responsible to do sins, let no one get sorrow from us,
I have been doing good every second and singing your praise every second

|दोहा||
साईं हम पर कृपा करो, बालक हैं अनजान|
मंदबुद्धि हम जीव हैं, हमको लो आन संभाल||१||

Sai hum par krupaa karo, Balak hai anjaan,
Mandha budhi hum jeev hain, humko lo aan sambhaal 1

Oh Sai please show kindness to us,,I am an innocent boy,
I am dull headed being, please take us and manage my honour

व्रत आपका कर रहे, दो आशीष यह आन|
विध्न पड़े न इसमें कोई, कृपा करो दीनदयाल||२||

Vruth aapkaa kar rahe, dho aasesh yah aan,
Vighna pade na yis may koi, Krupaa karo dheen dhayaal

I am doing your penance, please grant me your blessing,
Oh Lord who is kind to the suffering, let not any stoppages occur in that.

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