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.

Thirupalliyezhuchi(Tamil)

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Saint Manikkavasagar

Translated By P.R.Ramachander


This is a part of Thiruvachagam, one of the great Tamil devotional works composed by Saint Manikkavasagar. The Tamil people say that “One who is not moved by Thiruvachagam will not be moved by anything in this world.” This work is a Suprabatham for the God of Thiruperum thurai (The present day Avudayar Koil near Pudu kottai). Suprabatham are completely absent in ancient Sanskrit literature. This Thirupalliyezuchi was followed by several in Tamil by great Vaishnavite saints and in the last centaury the first Sanskrit work, Venkatesa Suprabatham.

Potthi yen vaazh mudal aagiya porule,
Pularndathu poongazharkku inai thunai malar kondu,
Yetthi nin thirumugathu yemakkarul malarum,
Ezhil nagai kondu nin thiruvadi thozhuthom,
Chethidazh kamalangal malarum than vayal choozh,
Thiruperumthurai urai Shiva perumaane,
Yethuyar kodiyudayai , yenai udayay,
Yem perman palli ezhundarulaaye., 1

Salutations to you, who is the first meaning of my life,
The new day has broken and please grant me your smile,
As a sign of your grace, when I salute and offer flowers at your holy feet,
Oh God presiding over Thiruperumthurai,
Which is surrounded ponds, full of open lotus flowers,
And where your flag of the bulls flies very high,
For my sake Oh God be pleased to wake up.

Arunan Indiran disai anuginan, irul poy,
Agandrathu udayam nin malar thirumugathin,
Karunayin sooriyan yezha yezha nayana-,
Kkadimalar malaramattha yennalam kannaam,
Thiral nirai arupadam muralvana ivayor,
Thiruperumthurai urai Shiva perumane,
Arul nidhi thara varum Aananda malaye,
Alai kadale palli ezhundarulvaye., 2

When the driver of Sun reached the east, darkness vanished,
And when the Sun goes up and above, we are able to see,
The mercy drenched in your lotus like face,
And let that eyes open like a lotus opens seeing the Sun light,
And let our prayers sound as if the bees are singing,
And oh God presiding over Thiruperumthurai,
Who is the mountain of joy, coming to give us the treasure of blessings,
And oh ocean full of waves, be pleased to wake up.

Koovina poonkuil, Koovina Kozhi,
Kurukugal iyambina, iyambina Sangam,
Oovina tharakai oli oli udayathu,
Oruppadukirathu viruppodu namakku,
Deva nar cheri kazhal thalinai kaattai,
Thiruperumthurai urai Shiva perumane,
Yaavarum arivariyay yemakkeliyay,
Yem peruman palli ezhundarulvaye., 3

The nightingale sang, the cocks crowed,
The birds sang, the conches made sound,
The stars became dim when the light came,
The sun shows its rays to all of us,
And Oh god, please show us your feet,
Oh God presiding over Thiruperumthurai,
You are not seen by many but for us you are easy to see,
And Oh our Lord be pleased to wake up.

Innisai veenayar yazhinar oru paal,
Irukkodu thothiram iyambinar oru paal,
Thunniya pinai malar kayinar oru paal,
THozhugayar azhugayar thuvalgayar oru paal,
Chenniyil anjali koopinar oru paal,
Thiruperumthurai urai Shiva perumane,
Yennayaum aandu kondu innarul puriyum,
Yem peruman palli ezhundarulvaye., 4

On one side are musicians playing the Veena,
On another side are people chanting prayers from Vedas,
On one side are people with garland of flowers in their hand,
On another are those who salute, who cry and who dance,
And on another side are those saluting with hands above their heads,
Oh God presiding over Thiruperumthurai,
For the sake of ruling me and giving me all sweetness,
Oh our Lord, be pleased to wake up.

Bhoothangal thorum ninrayenin allal,
Pokkilan varavilan yena ninaipulavor,
Geethangal paduthal aaduthal allal,
Kettarivom unai kandarivaarai,
Cheetham kol vayal Thiruperumthurai manna,
Chindanaikkum ariyay, yengal mun vandu,
Yedangal aruthu yemmai aandu arul puriyum,
Yem peruman palli ezhundarulvaye., 5

The learned ones say that you are in all beings,
Also that you do not go and you do not come,
And though we sing your praise and dance,
We have not seen those who have seen you,
Oh king of Thiruperumthurai blessed with very rich fields,
You who are beyond our thought, please come before us,
Cut off all our sorrows and shower your grace,
Oh our Lord, be pleased to wake up.

Pappara veetirum thunarum nin adiyar,
Pandanaivandu aruthaar avar palarum,
Mai puru kanniyar manudathiyalbin,
Vanangukirar anangin manavala,
Cheppuru kamalangal malarum than vayal choozh,
THiruperumthurai urai Shiva perumane,
Yi pirappu aruthu yemai aandarul puriyum,
Yem peruman palli ezhundarulvaye., 6

Your devotees who have controlled their mind,
And have left all desires get salvation from you,
And they stand with tears in their eyes like ladies,
Without ever leaving you, Oh Lord of the Goddess,
Oh Lord Shiva of Thiruperum thurai,
Please cut of this birth and shower your grace,
Oh our Lord be pleased to wake up.

Athu pazhachuvai yena amudhena aritharkku,
Arithena yelithena amararum ariyar,
Ithu avan thiru uru, ivan avan yenave,
Yennai aandu kondu ingu ezhundarulum,
Madhu valar pozhil thiru uthara kosa,
Mangayullai, Thiruperumthurai manna,
Yethu yemai pani kolum aarathu ketpom,
Yem peruman palli ezhundarulvaye., 7

Even the gods do not know that it is,
As tasty as a fruit, it is like nectar,
It is rare and it is extremely easy to know,
And that this is his form and this one is that,
Oh king of Thiruperumthurai which is in the fields,
Where the singing bees wander all round the flowers,
And is in the division of Uthara kosa mangai,
Please accept me and tell us how to serve you,
Oh our Lord, be pleased to wake up.

Mundiya mudal nadu iruthiyum aanaai,
Moovarum arigilar, yaavar mathu arivar,
Pandanai viraliyum neeyum nin adiyar,
Pazham kudil thorun ezhundaruliya parane,
Chendazhal purai thiru meniyum katti,
Andanan aavathum katti vandu aanday,
AAramudhe palli ezhundarulvaye., 8

You became the first of firsts and the central and the end,
And when the holy trinity do not know you,
How can anybody else know you at all,
But you and The goddess with her hand holding the ball,
Are in the hearts and hearth of all your devotees,
And showed them the fire like form of yours,
As well as the great temple of Thiruperumthurai,
And also showed how one can become a learned one,
Oh the deathless nectar, be pleased to wake up.

Vinnaka thevarum nannavu maatta,
Vizhu porule una thozhuppadiyongal,
Mannagathe vandu vaazha cheydhaane,
Van Thiruperumthuraiyay vazhi adiyom,
Kannagathe nindru kali tharu thene,
Kadalamudhe, karumbe virumbadiyar,
Ennagathay ulagukku uyir aanaay,
Yem peruma palli ezhundarulvaye., 9

Oh God who is not even accessible to the Gods,
You made us, who are slaves of your feet,
Live in this earth, Oh Lord of the rich Thiruperumthurai,
Oh God who is in our eyes and make it sweet like honey,
Oh nectar got from sea. Oh sugarcane,
You were in the thoughts of devotees and became soul of this earth,
Oh our Lord, be pleased to wake up.

Bhuvaniyir ppoy piravamayin naal naam,
Pokkuginrom avame indabhoomi,
Sivan uyya kolkindra varendru nokki,
Thiruperum thurai uraivay thirumaalaam,
Avan viruppeythavum malaravan aasai,
Padavum nin alarnda mey karunayum neeyum,
Avaniyir pugundu yemmaiu aat kola vallay,
Aaramudhe palli ezhundarulvaye., 10

“The days when we are not able to be born in earth,
Are all being wasted, for the people of earth,
Are all under the great grace of Lord Shiva,”
Oh Lord of Thiruperumthurai, wished the great Lord Vishnu,
And all his wishes were also that of Lord Brahma,
For you have completely occupied this earth,
And made us your slaves with your grace,
Oh the deathless nectar, be pleased to wake up.

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