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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.


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Dravyayajña

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Dravyayajña literally means ‘sacrifice with wealth’.

Yajña or performing sacrifices is an ancient institution. According to the scriptures like the Bhagavadgītā[1] it was created by Prajāpati (father of creation) in the beginning of creation as a link between the gods and the human beings. It is an age-old belief that humans should satiate the gods like Indra through yajña to bestow rain and other things needed by him.

Though Śrī Kṛṣṇa has accepted this basic system, he has expanded its scope considerably in the Bhagavadgitā.[2] In this connection he has used the word ‘dravyayajña’.[3] It is interpreted as giving money or things to the worthy and deserving persons at the appropriate time, place, and manner.

The most important act in a yajña is sacrificing the individual good for social or universal good. Any action conducted to achieve such spirit is elevated to the level of a yajña.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Bhagavadgītā 3.10
  2. ↑ Bhagavadgitā 4.25- 33
  3. ↑ Bhagavadgitā 4.28
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

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