Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.100

c8.100

There are reasons to think that there was difference of colour between the Āryans and their enemies. It appears that the Āryans, who are called human (mānusi prajā), worshipping Agni Vaiśvānara, on occasions set fire to the settlements of the dark-hued people (asiknivisah), who deserted their possessions without fighting.⁵ The Āryan deity Soma is described as killing people of black skin, who apparently were Dasyus.⁶ Further, Indra had to contend against the Rākṣasas of black skin (tvaca-masiknim),⁷ and at one place he is credited with the slaughter of fifty thousand ‘blacks’ (kṛṣṇas) whom Sāyaṇa regards as Rākṣasas of black colour.⁸ The god is also described as tearing off the black skin of the Asura.⁹ An important exploit of Indra, which may have some historical basis, refers to his fight against a hero known as Kṛṣṇa. It is stated that, when Kṛṣṇa encamped on the Amśumatī or Yamunā with ten thousand soldiers, Indra mobilised the Maruts (the Āryan *viś*) and fought against the *adeviḥ viśaḥ* with the help of the priest-god Bṛhaspati.¹ *Adeviḥ viśaḥ* are explained by Sāyaṇa as Asuras of black colour (*kṛṣṇarūpāḥ asurasenāḥ*). It is suggested that Kṛṣṇa was the non-Āryan dark hero of the Yādava tribe.² This seems likely because later traditions speak of hostility between Indra and Kṛṣṇa. There is also reference to the killing of the *kṛṣṇagarbhā*, doubtfully interpreted by Sāyaṇa as pregnant wives of an Asura named Kṛṣṇa.³ Similarly mention is made of the overthrow of the *kṛṣṇayoniḥ dāsiḥ* by Indra.⁴ Sāyaṇa fancifully takes them as the lowest demon-like troops (*nikṛṣṭajātiḥ...āsuriḥ senāḥ*), but Wilson takes *kṛṣṇa* in the sense of black. If the latter meaning be correct, it would appear that the Dāsas were black in colour. But the description ‘black’ may have been applied indiscriminately to them as it was to the Dasyus and other enemies of the Āryans. The above-mentioned references however, leave little doubt that the Āryan followers of Indra, Agni and Soma had to fight against the black people of India. In one reference, the Ṛg Vedic hero Trasadasyu, son of Purukutsa, is described as the leader of the ‘dark-complexioned’ men.⁵ This may indicate that he had established his hold over them.