Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.114

c8.114

The term *mṛdhravāk*, which occurs in its different forms at several places in the *Ṛg Veda*,⁸ gives some idea of difference in the manner of speech between the Āryans and their enemies. It qualifies Dasyus at two places.¹ Sāyaṇa explains it as ‘of hostile speech’, and Geldner renders it as ‘of wrong speech’.² Unless the term mṛdhravācaḥ is taken in the sense of ‘unintelligible speech’ it does not give any evidence of linguistic difference between the Āryans and the Dasyus, but only shows that the latter hurt the sentiments of the Āryans by their improper speech. Thus although the main issue in the war between the Āryans and their enemies was the possession of cattle, chariots and other forms of wealth, differences in race, religion and mode of speech also served to exacerbate relations.