Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.67

c8.67

There are more references to the destruction or subjugation of the Dasyus by Indra than of the Dāsas. It is stated that having killed the Dasyus he protected the Āryan varṇa.⁶ Prayer is made to him to fight against the Dasyus in order to increase the strength of the Āryans.⁷ It is significant that there are at least twelve references to the slaughter of the Dasyus, mostly by Indra.⁸ On the contrary, although there are references to the killing of individual Dāsas, the word dāsahatya does not occur anywhere. This indicates that the two were not identical and may suggest that the Āryans followed a policy of ruthless extermination towards the Dasyus, which, in the case of the Dāsas, was tempered with moderation.