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.

Sri Ram Chalisa

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Ganapati charan saroj gahi, Charanodak dhari bhal,
Likhau vimal Ramavali, sumiri Anjanilal.

I would hold he lotus feet of Ganeshaha,anoint it and sprinkle that water on my head,
And then start writing the story of Rama, meditating on son of Anjana

Ram charit varnan Karaun, Ramahin hridai manai,
Madan kadan ral rakhishir, man kahan tap mitai

I would describe the story of Rams, with my mind full of Rama,
And I would bow before destroyer of Manmatha and wash away impurities of my mind.

Ram Ramapati Raghupati jai jai,
Maha-Lokpati Jagpati jai jai.
Rajit Janak dulari jai jai,
Mahinandan Prabhu-pyari jai jai.

Hail, hail Rama,the consort of Lakshmi who is the lord of clan of Raghus,
Hail hail the lord of great earth and the lord of universe,
Hail, hail, the darling daughter of king Janaka,
Hail hail the darling of the mother earth

Ratihun divas Ram dhun jahi
Magan rahat man, tan dukh nahin.
Ram saneh jasu ur hoi
Maha bhagyashali nar soi.

Whether day or night when Rama is praised,
The mind would be without worries and body without pain,
And those people who develop love towards Rama,
Are indeed very lucky people

Rakshas dal sanhari jai jai
Maha patit tanu tari jai jai.
Ram nam jo nishdin gavat
Man vachhit phal nishchai pavat.

Hail hail who killed the crowd of Rakshasas,
Hail, hail the lord who uplifts the greatly down trodden,
And all those who daily sing the name of Rama,
Would definitely get fulfilled the desires of their mind

Ramayudhsar jehin kar sajat
Man manoj lakhi kotihun lajat.
Rakhahu laj hamari jai jai
Mahima agam tumhari jai jai.

When Rama appears armed with his weapons,
He appears more pretty than Lakhs of Manmathas,
Hail hail, lord who protects my honour,
Hail, hail, Lord whose greatness cannot be counted.

Rajiv nayan munin man mohin
Mukut manohar shir par sohai.
Rajit mridal gat shuchi anan
Makarakrit kundal duhun kanan.

Oh Lotus eyed one who even bewitches the saints,
Your head is decorated bt a very pretty crown,
And oh lord who has a very pretty tender body,
You also wear to crocodile ear studs on your ears.

Ramchandra sarvottam jai jai
Maryada Purshottum jai jai
Ram nam gun agam ananta
Manan karat sharad shruti santa.

Hail, hail Ramachandra who is the greatest,
Hail hail, the best Purusha who is the model of propriety,
The God qualities of the name of Rama is endless,
And these are meditated upon by sages and Goddess Saraswathi

Rati divas dhyavahu man Rama

Man ranjan bhanjan bhav dama.
Raj bhavan, sang men nahin jaihain

Man ke hi man men rahi jaihain

Oh Rama make my mind which keeps on wandering day and night,
To become pleased and also destroy the effects of Karma,
Because the palace where I stay will not come with me,
You please be within my mind and burn evil thoughts.

Ramhi nam ant sukh daihain
Man gadhant gap kam na aihain.
Ram kahani Ramahin sunihain
Mahima Ram tabai man gunhain.

Oh Ram for your name to ultimately bring comfort,
During the time of my last journey when passion is still there in the mind,
Your story should be heard and yiour name should be chanted,
And then only greatness of Rama would be realized by the mind.

Ramhi mahan jo nit chit rakhihain
Madhukar saris madhur ras chakhihain.
Rag rang kahun kirtan thanihain
Mamta tyagi ek ras janihain.

He who daily keeps Lord Rama in his mind,
Would get the sweet taste of honey collected from flowers by the bees,
And when he chants prettier and prettier,
He would be getting rid of essence of his ego.

Ram kripa tinhin par hvai hain
Man vanchhit phal abhimal paihain.
Rakshas daman kiyo jo chhan men
Maha banhu bani vicharyo vana men.

All those who adopt the path of Rama,
Without any doubt would realize their mind’s desire.
For The Rakshasas were destroyed by Rama by a blink of his ye,
Just like big trees in huge forest are turned to ashes by forest fire.

Ravanadi hati gati, dai dinhyo
Mahi Ravanahin Siya vadh kinhyo.
Ram ban sut sursari dhara
Maha patkihun gati dai dara.

Rama killed Ravana and his army and sent them to heaven,
And he also killed Mahi Ravana who was the king of lower domains,
For the arrows of Rama are like the waters of river ganges,
Which purifies very bad people and grants them salvation,

Ram ramit jag amit ananta
Mahima kahi na sakahin shruti santa.
Ram nam joi det bhulai.
Maha nisa soi leta bulai

Rama pervades through the limitless world,
And even sages would not be able to tell its greatness,
And all those who forget the name of Rama,
Are inviting darkness in their lifenot lit by his greatness.

Ram bina ur hota andhera
man sohi dukh sahat ghanera.
Ramahi adi anadi kahavat
Mahavrti Shankar-gun gavat.

Without Rama our heart would be full of darkness,
And would lead to suffering of lots of sorrows,
Rama is the primeval and beginning less Words,
And his praise is being sung by Lord Shiva and Devas.

Ram nam lahi Brahma apara
Mahikar bhar shesh shir dhara.
Rakhi Ramhiya Shambhu sujana
Maha ghor vish kinhyo pana.

It is the name of Rama that made Brahma very great,
And using it only Adhi Sesha could carry the world,
It was due to the face that the name of Rama is in the heart of Lord Shiva
That he was able to swallow the poison and save the asuras and devas

Ramahi mahi-lakhi lekh Maheshu
Maha pujya kari diyo Ganeshahu.
Ram ramit ras gatit bhakti ghat
Man ke bhajatahin khulat prem pat.

Seeing that the name of Rama was written on earth,
Lord Shiva Made Lord Ganeshaha highly venerable to receive worship,
Those whose heart is filled with devotion to Rama,
Get the gates of devotional love opened in their heart,

Rajit Ram jinahin ur antar
Mahavir sam bhakta nirantar.
Ramahi linha ek sahara
Maha sindhu Kapi kinha para.

If Some person’s heart is ruled by Rama,
He would be always be as devoted like Lord Hanuman,
Rama was his only protection and refuge,
That he was able to cross the great ocean,

Ram nam rasna ras shobha
Mardan kam krodh mad lobha.
Ram charit bhaji bhayo sugyata
Mahadeva mukti ke data.

Oh Rama the person who sweetens his toungue with your name,
Would become lustrous, would be devoid of anger, arrogance and greed,
And it is only by chanting his name That Lord Shiva,
Became the one who is capable of granting salvation

Ramahi japat mitat bhav shula
Ram mantra yah mangal mula.
Ram nam japi jo na sudhara
Man pishach so nipat ganvara.

All the distress of the world goes away by praising Rama,
The Rama manthra is the root of all auspiciousness,
And those who do not chant his name will never become good,
For their mind would be ignorant and in control of devil.

Ram ki mahima kahan lag gaun
mati malin man par na paun.
Ramavali as likhi chalisa
Mati anusar dhyan Gaurisa.

To what extent shall I sing about greatness of Rama,
Because I am dull witted and cannot understand everything about him,
But In spite of that I have written the forty verse praise of Rama,
Keeping my mind concentrated on Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri

Ramahi sundar rachi ras paga
Math Durvasa nikat Prayaga.
Ram bhakt yahin jo nit dhyavahin
Man vanchhit phal nischai pavahin.

I, sundara dasa living in Durvasa near Prauagam
Has composed this great chalisa prayer,
Feeling that the devotees of Rama who sing it,
Would definitely get all that their mind wants.

Ram nam nit bhajahu man, ratihun din chitlai.
Mamta matsar malinata, manastap miti jai.

I would daily sing the name of Rama with a stable mind,
So that ego, competition dirt and misunderstanding of my mind disappears

Ram ka tithi budh Rohini, Ramavali kiyabhas.
Man sahastra bhuj drug samat, magsar Sundardas.

Sundardas completed this chalisa on Wednesday,
Margasira moth of Vikrama SAkha in the star Rohini.

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