Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c8.83

c8.83

The Dasyu way of life further antagonised the Āryans. Apparently the tribal and semi-settled life of the Āryans based on cattle keeping was incompatible with the sedentary and urban life of the people of the indigenous culture.² The predominantly tribal life of the former expressed itself through several communal institutions such as the *gaṇa*, *sabhā*, *samiti* and the *vidatha* in which sacrifice played a very important part. But the Dasyus had nothing to do with sacrifice. This was true of the Dāsas as well, for Indra is described as coming to the sacrifice distinguishing between the Dāsa and the Ārya.³ A whole passage occurring in the seventh book of the *Rg Veda* consists of a string of adjectives such as *akratūn*, *aśraddhān* and *ayajñān* applied to the Dasyus emphasise their non-sacrificing character.⁴ Indra is asked to discriminate between the sacrificing Āryans and non-sacrificing Dasyus.⁵ They are also called *ayajvānaḥ*.⁶ The word *anindra* (without Indra) is used as several places,⁷ and presumably refers to the Dasyus, Dāsas and perhaps some Āryans dissenters. In the Āryan view the Dasyus practised black magic.⁸ Such a belief is especially found in the *Atharva Veda*, in which the Dasyus appear as evil spirits to be scared away from the sacrifice.⁹ It is said that an all-powerful amulet enabled the sage Aṅgiras to break through the Dasyus' fortresses.¹⁰ The evil character of the Dasyus in the *Atharva Veda* seems to have been based on their fighting record in the *Rg Veda* period. According to the *Atharva Veda* the god-blaspheming Dasyus are to be offered as victims.¹¹ It is believed that the Dasyus are treacherous, do not practise the Āryan observances, and are hardly human.¹²