Thread by @vedatells

✨Slavery in Vedas✨

There are random articles on the internet which interprets the term दास, दासी as Slaves or "female Slaves". They try to prove this similar to the western slavery. Lets have a look at their claims:-,

Yesterday,Someone DMed this to me. I wasn't able to find the original source.

I looked at all the similar claims and I found out that all the articles have imagined "slavery" and injustice just by the word Dasā and provided nothing to substantiate their claims.

Be it the references from the rigveda samhita or the brahman of the samhita( ऐतरेय) They just mention the term दास or दासी. They do not mention what is done to them,what are their Works.
It can't be called slavery. It is "servitude"

दास्यते भृतिरस्मै दासति ददात्यङ्गं स्वामिने उपचाराय वा दास:।(वाचस्पत्यम्)
Vachaspatyam says that one who is given Salary, and who dedicates his part (Body) for the treatment (Seva) of the Master (in exchange for Salary), is called Dasa.

The household works are the work of Dasas.

यश्चैषां स्वामिनं कश्चिन्मोचयेत् प्राणसंशयात्।
दासत्वात् स विमुच्येत पुत्रभागं लभेत चेति॥(N.S 5.30)

If a Dasa saves the life of his Swami,he becomes equivalent to the son. Not only this ,He gets property rights too.
Compare this with Slavery of west(right)

This is from Anushasana parva 23.
One who eats food without giving it to "Dasa" "kids" &"elders". He goes to narka.

Manusmriti 3.116 along with the smriti of Yajnavālkya(1.105) and Vishnu(67.41) describes the same thing.

Apastamba Dhārma Sutra 2.4.9 Describes it more clearly "If he wish he may keep his wife and children hungry but not the Dāsā

This is from the Brahmvaivarta purana. Dasa are called as Son. You can't expect this in Slavery. See right

In Mahabharata "not being angry at Servants is also told as a medium to get away from Dukhas.

In Brahma purana 216.59 "One who fosters his Servants he gets the Heaven along with the Vimanas"(similar thing is said in Valmiki Ramayana)

No one works as Servant forcefully. It is condemned. The duties of King is decided that he must make Dasa and Dasis free.
Narad smriti/chapter5

This occurs in Agni Purana 258.72 and Yajnavalkya smriti. Anyone who cause trouble to Dasis is Punished.

The women Servants were filled with riches along with males. See the examples from Itihasa++

All the Dasis were gifted Jewelries, Good clothes. See their description in ramayana and Mahabharata. Can you expect such behaviour in #Slavery where workers weren't even paid?

There may exist some harsh words also( they do exist for each one women,Men,Brahmins,Shudras)+ There may exist some methods which out of devotion some Dasa used to follow.
Keep all of the above verses in mind while interpretating those.

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