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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.

Talk:Saḍadharapratisthā

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

saḍadharapratisthā (‘establishing [the image in a temple] over six bases’)

The most important part in the building of a Hindu temple is the construction of the garbhagṛha (the sanctum). Raising the floor of this part up to the image consists of several steps. Since this process comprises the establishment of six major components, it is called ‘ṣaḍ-ādhāra-pratiṣṭhā’ (ṣaḍ = six; ādhāra = base; pratiṣṭhā = establishing).

See HINDU TEMPLES for details.

Next comes śilānyāsa or foundation stone laying ceremony. It is the laying of the first stone (square in shape) or brick signifying the start of construction. It is laid in the north-western corner of the building plan, drawn on the ground after excavating the foundation to the required depth. After this, the construction of the foundation is taken up.

The foundation is built and the ground filled up, up to the plinth level, except in the middle portion of the garbhagṛha which is filled up to three-fourths only. In the centre of this place, the ādhāraśilā (a base stone) is placed, over which are deposited the following articles in that order: a pot (called

nidhikumbha), a tortoise and a lotus, all made of stone; a tortoise and a lotus made of silver; a tortoise and a lotus made of gold. From there, a funnel shaped tube called yoganālā, made of copper leads upto the plinth. The whole thing is covered by another stone slab called brahmaśilā. Later on, the image of the deity is established over this. This is called ṣaḍādhārapratiṣthā.


References[edit]

  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

OLD CONTENT[edit]

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