Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.281

c5.281

DASYU. The ancient dwellers of North India. What we see in Ṛgveda is mostly a history of the Āryans from the period of their exodus from the plateau Kumbha till they reached the banks of the Yamunā. The plateau of Kumbha is Kabul. The Dasyus were the first people the Āryans had to confront with after passing the Indus. Ṛgveda bears testimony to the fact that the civilization of the Dasyus was far advanced than that of the Āryans. Śambara, King of the Dasyus, was the ruler of hundred cities. All the cities were fortified with strong walls and fortresses, which are described as ‘aśvamayī’, ‘āyasī’, ‘śatabhujī’ etc. The greatest enemies of the Āryans were the ‘Paṇis’ of these cities. They were a particular class of people of these cities. In the ‘Nirukta of Yāska’ it is mentioned that paṇis were traders. Names of many of the Kings of the Dasyus occur in the Ṛgveda. Dhuni, Cumuri, Pipru, Varcas, Śambara and such others are the most valiant and mighty among them. The most important of the several tribes of the Dasyus were the Śimyus, the Kikaṭas, Śigrus and the Yakṣus. They are mentioned as the Anāsas in the Ṛgveda. (Anāsas—without nose). Perhaps their nose was flat; more over they are stated as having dark complexion. So it may be assumed that the Dasyus were Dravidians. They talked a primitive language, and they despised sacrificial religion. They did not worship Gods like Indra and others. They possibly worshipped the Phallus, Śiva, Devi and the like.