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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.

Surya

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

These are the most important Surya temples for pilgrimages in India.

Surya literally means ‘Sun-god’.

Surya or the sun, often identified with Aditya, Savitr and Pusan, is an important Vedic deity. He is extremely brilliant and rides in an exquisitely beautiful chariot drawn by seven horses. He is compared to a bird that flies in the sky and is described as the jewel of the sky. He gives light, produces day and night, gives power and strength to the living beings, makes them active and destroys their laziness and disease.

Different aspects of Surya[edit]

Savitṛ is the aspect of the sun before sunrise golden in color which establishes people in their respective places. He gives life and energy and guides people in the right path. The famous Gāyatrīmantra is dedicated to this Savitṛ. The nourishing and life-supporting aspect of the sun is personified and praised as Puṣan. He is exceedingly beautiful. He destroys the evil ones with the discus he wears. He looks upon all with an equal eye. He is extremely generous and ever ready to protect.

Surya

Story of Surya[edit]

The story of Surya appears in many purāṇas and also the two epics. He was the son of Kaśyapa and Aditi. Sanjñādevī, the daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, was his wife. Yama and Manu were his sons whereas Yamunā was his daughter. Sāvarṇa and Sanaiścara were his sons born to Chāyādevī.[1] The Aśvins were also his sons born to Sanjñā when she had assumed the form of a mare.

Surya 2

Significant Contributions of Surya in History[edit]

By his blessings, Kuntī[2] gave birth to Karṇa. Aruṇa was his charioteer. When the Pāṇḍavas had been banished to the forest, Yudhiṣthira appeased Surya by an earnest prayer and received the akṣayapātra[3] from him. He bestowed the Śukla Yajurveda on the sage Yājñavalkya at his earnest prayer. Surya is also included in the list of Navagrahas or Nine Planets. He is the images of the Navagrahas in their vicinity with Surya in the center.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Chāyādevī was a replica of Sanjñādevī.
  2. ↑ Kuntī was the mother of the Pāṇdavas.
  3. ↑ Akṣayapātra means a vessel that was always filled with delicious food.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Himanshu Bhatt, Deval Sancheti

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