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.

Dasa hara Ganga sthothram

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Nama shivayai gangayai shivadhayai namo nama,
Namasthe Rudra roopinyai sankaryai they namo nama., 1

Salutations to that Ganga,
Who is dear to Lord Shiva,
And who does good things.
Salutations to you,
Who has the form of Rudra
And who is also known as Sankari.

Namosthu viswa roopinyai brahma moorthyai namo nama,
Sarva veda swaroopinyai namo bheshaja moorthaye., 2

Salutations to her who is the form of universe,
And who is the form of Lord Brahma.
Salutations to her who is the form of Vedas,
And who is the form of all medicines.

Sarvasya sarva vyadheenam bhishak sreshtyai namosthuthe,
Sthanu jangama sambhootha visha hanthryai namo nama., 3

Salutations to her who is the greatest doctor,
For every one and for all diseases,
Salutations to her who is an antidote,
Of all poisons from movable and immovable things.

Bhogopa bhoga dhayinyai Bhogavathyai namo nama,
Mandakinyai namosthesthu swargadhayai namo nama., 4

Salutations to her who gives all pleasures,
And to her who is the Patala Ganga,
Salutations to her who moves slowly,
And to her who gives us heaven.

Namasthrailokhya bhooshayai jagad dhathryai namo nama,
Namasthrishukla samsthayai thejovathyai namo nama., 5

Salutations to her who is the ornament
To the three worlds and who is the basis of the world.
Salutations to her who has three strengths,
And to her who is the source of power.

Nandayai linga dharinyai narayanyai namo nama,
Namasthe viswa mukhyai revathyai they namo nama., 6

Salutations to her who gives happiness,
And to her who wears the Shiva linga,
Salutations to her who is the most,
Important in this world and her who roars.

Bruhathyai they namosthesthu loka dhatrayai namo nama,
Namasthe viswa mithrayai nandinyai they namo nama., 7

Salutations to her who is very big,
And who is the mother of the world.
Salutations to her who is the friend of the world,
And to her who makes every body happy.

Pruthvyai Shivamruthayai cha suvrukshayai namo nama,
Santhayai cha varishtayai varadhayai namo nama., 8

Salutations to her who is the earth,
Who is the nectar of Shiva and to her,
Who gives rise to good trees.
Salutations to her who is very peaceful,
Who is best among everything,
And to her who grants blessings.

Usrayai sukhadhogdhaithrayai cha sanjeevanyai namo nama,
Bramishtayai brahmadhayai duruthaghainyai namo nama., 9

Salutations to her who is of the form of a cow,
And to her who gives benefits effortlessly,
Salutations to her who is the drug that cures death,
To her who is the follower of Lord Brahma,
To her who originated from Lord Brahma,
And to her who is cure for all ills.

Pranatharthi prabanjinyai jaganmathre namosthuthe,
Sarvapath prathi pakshayai mangalayai namo nama., 10

Salutations to her who removes sorrows.
Of those who salute her with devotion,
And the mother of the entire universe,
Salutations to her who destroys all dangers,
And to her who only gives good.

Saranagatha dheenartha parithrana parayane,
Sarvasyarthihare devi, Narayani namosthuthe., 11

Salutations to her who follows the rule,
To save sinners, tormented and sufferers,
Who seek her protection,
Salutations to that Narayani,
Who destroys sorrows of all beings.

Nirlepayai dukha hanthryai dakshayai they namo nama,
Parath para thare thubhyam namasthe mokshadhe sada., 12

Salutations to her who is not attached,
To her who destroys all sorrows,
And to her who is supremely able.
Salutations to her who is higher than the highest,
And to her who is the giver of salvation.

Gange mamagratho bhooya, gange may devi prushtadha,
Gange may parswayorehi, thwayi gangesthu may sthithi., 13

Hey river Ganga, appear in my front as well as back,
Hey river Ganga, appear on my both sides,
Hey Ganga, let me be a part of you.

Adhou thwamanthe madhye cha sarvam thwam gaam gathe shive,
Thwameva moola prakruthisthwa hi Narayana para., 14

Oh goddess who came with the earth,
You have been the beginning, middle and end of this earth,
You are the primeval root cause of everything,
And you are the Lord Narayana who is the witness of nature.

Gange thwam paramathma cha shivasthubhyam, nama shive,
Ya idham padathi stotram bhakthya nithyam naropi ya,
Srunath sradhaya yuktha kaya vak chitha sambhavai,
Dasadha samsthidhair doshai sarvaireva pramuchyathe., 15

Hey Ganga you are the great God Shiva, salutations to you.
He who reads or hears this prayer with devotion,
Would be free of the sins committed in ten ways,
By the mind, words and the body.