Dasyus
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Dasyus literally means ‘those who destroy others’.
Origin of the Word Dasyus[edit]
The words ‘Ārya’ and ‘Dasyu’ are found in the Ṛgveda.[1] The word ‘Dasyu’ has been used there in several senses such as:
- Super-human enemies
- Human foes
- Aborigines
- Etc.
Meaning of Dasyus[edit]
Some of the words used to describe them give us the impression that they were flat-nosed, ugly and unclean persons who did not perform the sacrificial rites of the Aryans and hated the Deva-s. They were addicted to the strange practices. Names of some of the well known names of the dasyus mentioned in the Vedas are:
- Cumuri
- Sambara
- Śuṣṇa
Beliefs Regarding Dasyus[edit]
- In later literature the word refers to criminals committing atrocities on peace-loving people.
- Indra, the lord of the gods, is sometimes referred to as ‘dasyuhatya’. It means a person who destroys the Dasyus.
- The Iranian terms ‘daṅhu’ and ‘daqyn’ are similar to the word ‘Dasyu’ and indicate a country inhabited by hostile people.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore