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.

Shiva Bhujanga Prayatha Stotram

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

Prayer to Lord Shiva in Bhujanga meter
By Adi Shankara Bhagawat Pada
Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Galadhana gandam, milath brunga shandam,
Chalacharu shundam jagath thrana soundam,
Lasad danthakandam vipad banga chandam,
Shiva prema pindam, bhaje vakrathundam., 1

I pray the one tusked God who is the darling of Lord Shiva,
Whose cheeks are drenched by water of exuberance,
Who is surrounded by the flying crowd of bees,
Who has a trunk which is waved with slowness,
Who is capable of protecting the entire world,
Who has thick, long,shining tusks,
And who is capable of saving us from danger.

Anadyanthamadhyam, param thathwamartham,
Chidakaramekam, thurreyam thwameyam,
Haribrahma mrugyam, Parabrahma roopam,
Mano vagatheetham maha shaivameede., 2

I meditate on that great light called Shaiva,
Which has no beginning nor end,
Which is the real meaning of philosophy,
Which is the only one form of holy knowledge,
Which is thureeya, the blissful fourth state,
Which is the unknown which was,
Searched by Lord Brahma and Vishnu,
And which is the form of ultimate truth.

Swashakthyadhi shakthyantha simhasanastham,
Mano hari sarvanga rathnabhi bhoosham,
Jataheendugangastha sasyarka moulim,
Param shakthi mithram nama pancha vakthram., 3

I salute that God with five faces,
Who sits on the throne of Adhishakthi,
Using his own strength,
Who wears mind stealing ornaments,
Made of jewels all over his body,
Who wears mated locks, snake,
Moon and the river Ganga on his head,
Who has moon and sun as his eyes,
Who is the eternal god,
And who has always with him Shakthi as consort.

Shivesana that purusha ghora vamadhi,
Bhirbrahmabhirhrunmukhai shadbirangai,
Anoupamyashatthrimsakam thathwavidhya,
Mathetham paranthwam kadham vethi ko vaa., 4

How any one can know you by any means,
Who is with Brahmas like Shiva, Ishana,
Thathpurusha, Aghora and Vama,
Who has parts like the Hrudaya[1],
And who is beyond the unequal,
Thirty six principles that stand out.

Pravala pravaha prabha sonamardham,
Maruthanmni sreemaha syamamardham,
Gunasyuthamekam vapusaivamantha,
Smarami smarapathi sampathi hethum., 5

I meditate on that Shiva who is,
The reason for pleasures and pain,
Who has half his body red as coral,
And the other half as blue as Topaz[2],
Who is the mixture of properties,
And who is the reason for the rise,
And fall of the God of love.

Swa seva samayatha deva surendra,
Naman mouli mandara malabhishiktham,
Namasyami shambho padambhoruham they,
Bhavambhodhipotha, bhavani vibhavyam., 6

I salute your lotus like feet,
Which is being decorated by,
Garlands of flowers by the,
Devas and Indra who come to salute it,
Which is the boat which makes us,
Cross the ocean of life,
And which is but proper to be fondled by Parvathi.

Jagannatha mannadha Gowreesa nadha,
Prapannukampin vipannarthi harin,
Mahasthoma murthe samasthaika bandho,
Namasthe namasthe, punasthe namasthe., 7

Hey, lord of Universe, Hey my lord,
Hey, lord of the Goddess Gauri,
Hey, lord who has mercy towards to his devotees,
Hey, lord who destroys sorrows,
Hey, lord who has a body which is group of lights,
Hey, lord who is the relative of all,
Salutation, salutations and again salutations.

Mahadeva devesa devadhi deva,
Smarare purare yamare harethi,
Broovana smarishyami bhakthya bhavantham,
Thatho may dayasheela deva praseedha., 8

Hey great God, Hey, lord of gods, Hey God of gods,
I always remember you with great devotion,
As the one who is beyond thought, and as the one who destroyed cities,
As the one who killed Yama and as the one who is the destroyer,
So Hey, great God of mercy, be pleased with me.

Viroopaksha viswesa vidhyadhi kesa,
Thrayi moola shambho shiva trayambaka thwam,
Praseedha smara thrahi pasyavapushya,
Kshamaswapnuheethi kshapahi ksipama., 9

Hey,God with a different eye,
Hey,God who is the lord of universe,
Hey, God who is the God of knowledge,
Hey,God who is the cause of three Vedas,
Hey, lord Shiva, Hey, lord Thrayambaka,
I have few requests to you,
Be pleased with me, remember me, and take care of me,
See me with your three eyes, Save me, look after me,
Pardon all my mistakes, and come before me.

Thwadanya saranya prapannasya nethi,
Praseedha smaran neva hanyasthu dainyam,
Na chethe bhaved bhaktha vathsalya hani,
Sthatho may dayalo dayam sandhidehi., 10

There is none who is more kind to your devotees than you,
And so be kind to me,who has sought your blessings,
Otherwise it may be thought that you do not love your devotees,
And so oh, god of mercy, show kindness to me without any doubt.

Ayam Danakalasthwaham danapathram,
Bhvannadha datha thwadanyam nay yache,
Bhavath bhakthimeva sthiram dehi mahyam,
Krupaseela shambho kruthorthosmi thasmad., 11

This is the proper time for giving
And I am the vessel for receiving,
And so god become the giver
And I do not ask you anything else,
But give me devotion towards you which is stable,
And God who is merciful by nature,
Show me your kindness to me.

Pasum vethsi chethmaam thwadevadhirooda,
Kalangeethi vaa moordhni dathse thwameva,
Dwijihwa punassopi may kanda bhoosha,
Thwadangeekrutha ssarva sarvepi dhanya., 12

Suppose you consider me as a bull, climb on me,
Suppose you consider me as blemished,
Wear me on your head as moon,
Suppose you consider me as a two tounged liar,
Wear me on your neck as the two tounged serpent,
And in whatever way you give me recognition,
I would be satisfied always and by all means.

Na saknomi karthum para droha lesam,
Kadham preeyase thwam na janey gireesa,
Thadhahi prasannosi kasyapi kantha,
Sutha drohino vaa pithru drohino vaa., 13

Oh Lord I do not know how to trouble others,
Hey, lord of the mountain, I do not,
Know how to please you,
Otherwise how did you, the lord of Kasi,
Become pleased with, the one who
Troubled his wife and son,
And another who troubled his father.

Sthuthim dhyanamarcham yadavad dwidathum,
Bajannapya janan mahesavalambhe,
Thrasantham sutham thrathumagre mrukanda,
Arya prana nirvapanam thwad padambujam., 14

Without knowing how to sing your praise,
Nor knowing how to meditate on you,
Nor knowing the procedures of your worship,
I salute with intense devotion your lotus like feet,
Which killed the God of death for,
Protecting Markandeya who was terribly scared.

Akande kalangadannge bhujanga,
Dapanou kapaladhaphale analakshad,
Amoulou sasanga davamay kalathra,
Daham devamanyam na manye na manye., 15

I wont and wont pray, any other god,
Who does not have discoloured neck,
Who does not wear a serpent as ornament,
Who does not have a skull in his hand,
Who does not have an eye on his forehead,
And who does not have his wife on his left side.

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