Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 473 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
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453 66
had to wage many
unpleasant battle. D膩sas
originally consisted of these dasyu captives in war, and
later on,
their progeny also came to be known as d膩sas.
The information given by the Manusmrti with regard to
seven different classes of slaves may be taken as
representing the true position of the Vedic and post-Vedic
period, though the Manusmrti evidently belongs to a
much later period. The different kinds enumerated by
Manu included those who are captured in the field
during war (dhvaj膩h峁泃a), those who serve in return for
maintenance (bhaktad膩sa), those that are born in the
house (grhaja), those that are bought (krita), those that
are received as gifts (d膩trima), those that are inherited
from the father (paitrika) and those that are made slaves
by way of punishment (dan岣峚d膩sa)". D膩sas are
mentioned in the Mahabharata also; in addition to the
prisoners of war, those that staked their freedom in the
game of dice were treated as d膩sas if they lost the game.
Coming to the period of the J膩takas, we find the
existence of the institution of d膩sas and d膩sis (male and
female slaves or servants). Slavery was the consequence
of capture, debt, commutation of death sentence,
voluntary self-degradation or judicial punishment. Slaves
could be free by the will of their master or by the payment
of ransom. They could not be admitted into the religious
community (samgha ) while continuing as d膩sas. A
slave girl could be bought for a hundred pieces and a
Br膩hma峁嘺 begs seven hundred kah膩panas which he
considers sufficient for buying a female or a male slave.
Owing to the complete absence of legal status of slaves,
the nature of their work depended on the individual
temperament of the master. Some received fair and
humane treatment while others were harshly treated.
Their duties varied from crushing and winnowing rice,
washing the feet of their master, cooking food and making
arrangements of dishes, serving dinner and standing
behind with a brush helping the master to dress and
undress etc., to serving as a store-keeper, treasurer or
private secretary, according to the social position of the
master and the intellectual capacity of the slaves
themselves.*
307.
1 Manu, VII. 415; Translations as given in Social Organization, pp. 306-
2 Fick, Social Organization, pp. 308-310.
