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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.

Vāyu

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Significance of Vāyu[edit]

Vāyu or air is one of the pañcabhutas or five basic elements of the world. Vāyu is also the presiding deity over it and is said to be dikpālaka[1] ruling in the direction of north-west. Hanumān and Bhīma were born due to his grace. Vāyu as vital air acts inside the body as five major prāṇas and five subsidiary prāṇas.[2]

Vāyu

Iconographic Representation of Vāyu[edit]

Iconographical works describe him as white or ash-grey in complexion. He has two hands carrying a bow and an arrow. He rides on a deer. Some works describe him as having four arms holding a banner[3] with two and a water-pot in the third, the last hand showing varadamudrā.[4] Sometimes the four hands are shown as holding:

  1. Pāśa - noose
  2. Añkuśa - goad
  3. Kamala - lotus
  4. Daṇḍa - cudgel

Vāyu’s palace is called Gandhavatī.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Dikpālaka means the lord of the quarters.
  2. ↑ Prāṇas means upaprāṇas.
  3. ↑ Banner means dhvaja.
  4. ↑ Varadamudrā means gesture of giving boons.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti, Krishna Maheshwari

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