Dāsa
group · 5 works · 25 mentions · 28 anchored passages
Dāsas · slave · the Dāsa · Dasyus · Dāsa women · Dāsa-peoples · Slave · female slave · servant · slaves of fifteen kinds
spoken of as
2 expressionsSlave“Dāsa”4 mentions
Kātyāyana Smṛti (Sanskrit) · Nāradasmṛti (Sanskrit) · Ancient Law (English)
But a Śūdra he may make a slave, whether bought or not.
Dāsas3 mentions
Rigveda (Sanskrit) · Atharvaveda (Paippalāda) (Sanskrit)
Indra and Agni shook down ninety strongholds ruled by Dāsas — together with a single deed.
in the texts
Rigveda
Hostile group/rule under which the waters were held bound before Indra's release.
The waters stood still, guarded by the Dāsa's rule, guarded by the serpent — dammed up like cows held by a Paṇi.
the Dāsa slaves did not shake the tightly bound one loose.
he made the earth a couch for the Dāsa.
Atharvaveda (Paippalāda)
The Dāsa people/colour, cast down and concealed by Indra.
who cast the Dāsa colour downward into concealment;
Cut away, as of old, like the tangled growth of a creeper;
Shake off the assailants as Indra shakes off the Dasyus;
Kātyāyana Smṛti
Persons held in bondage, whose menial duties, vulnerability to sexual exploitation, and paths to freedom are legislated.
But a Śūdra he may make a slave, whether bought or not.
Whatever wealth a slave may have, his master is remembered as its lord.
A slave who has abandoned his ascetic vows should not be freed by anyone.
Ancient Law
A person held in a status of bondage, cited as an example of a status superseded by contract.
Thus the status of the Slave has disappeared—it has been superseded by the contractual relation of the servant to his master.
Nāradasmṛti
A person in bondage, classified into fifteen kinds by origin, with specific rules for release from slavery.
he is never released from slavery.
A debtor is released from slavery by paying the debt with interest.
In the sacred texts, slaves are remembered as being of fifteen kinds.