Dāsa and Dāsī
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Dāsa and Dāsī literally means ‘a servant or servant-maid’.
Dāsa as per Ṛgveda[edit]
The word ‘dāsa’ occurs in the Ṛgveda[1] many times. It refers to the enemies of the Vedic people.
Dāsa as a Slave[edit]
In many cases, these dāsas were reduced to slavery. The term has been used in the sense of a ‘slave’ also.
Dāsa in Modern Literature[edit]
In later literature, the word refers to a paid servant. While naming a person, this word was used as a suffix for persons belonging to the śudra caste.
Dāsa in Devotional Literature[edit]
In the devotional literature, this expression has been widely used to indicate a devotee as a servant of God or as a servant of the devotees of God. For instance:
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore