|
There is evidence of Slavery in India in ancient times, a practice that escalated with invasions of India in 8th century, and particularly after the 12th century.〔〔 The study of its history in India is complicated by contested definitions, ideological and religious perceptions, difficulties in interpreting written sources, and perceptions of political impact of interpretations of written sources.〔Scott C. Levi (2002), (Hindus Beyond the Hindu Kush: Indians in the Central Asian Slave Trade ), Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Series 3, 12, 3, pages 277-288〕 The term ''dāsa'' and ''dāsyu'' in Vedic and other ancient Indian literature has been translated as "slave", but other scholars have translated it as "servant", "religious devotee" and an abstract concept depending on context.〔〔 Kautilya's ''Arthasastra'' dedicated a chapter to ''dasa'', in which their legal rights are acknowledged, and in which abuse, hurt and rape against ''dasa''s are explicitly criminalized and condemned.〔〔 Passages of the ''Arthasastra'', ''Smritis'' and the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'' suggest that the social institution of slavery existed in India by the 1st millennium CE, likely by the lifetime of the Buddha.〔 Historical consensus points to the escalation of slavery in India with the military campaign of Muslim armies in India.〔 There was extensive slavery in India's Islamic period from the 8th century through to the 18th century.〔 *Burjor Avari (2013), Islamic Civilization in South Asia, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415580618, pages 41-68; *Abraham Eraly (2014), The Age of Wrath: A History of the Delhi Sultanate, Part VIII, Chapter 2, Penguin, ISBN 978-0670087181; *Vincent A. Smith, The early history of India, 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press, Reprinted in 1999 by Atlantic Publishers, Books IV and V - Muhammadan Period; *K. S. Lal, ''Muslim Slave System in Medieval India'' (New Delhi, 1994); *Salim Kidwai, "Sultans, Eunuchs and Domestics: New Forms of Bondage in Medieval India", in Utsa Patnaik and Manjari Dingwaney (eds), Chains of Servitude: bondage and slavery in India (Madras, 1985). *Utsa Patnaik and Manjari Dingwaney (eds), Chains of Servitude: bondage and slavery in India (Madras, 1985)〕 Slaves were also seized in India and exported to Islamic societies outside the subcontinent.〔James Walvin (2007), A Short History of Slavery, Penguin Books, ISBN 978-0141027982, Chapter 3〕 Scott Levi states that, "the institution of slavery continued (in India), in various manifestations, well after the decentralization of the Mughal Empire in the early 18th century".〔 ==Slavery in ancient India== Scholars differ as to whether or not slaves and the institution of slavery existed in ancient India. These English words have no direct, universally accepted equivalent in Sanskrit or other Indian languages, but some scholars translate the word ''dasa'' as slaves.〔A Sharma (September 2005), Journal American Acad Religion, vol 73, issue 3, pages 843-870〕 Ancient historians who visited India offer the closest linguistic equivalence in Indian society and slavery in other ancient civilizations. For example, the Greek historian Arrian, who chronicled India about the time of Alexander the Great, wrote in his ''Indika'',〔 Upinder Singh interprets the word ''dasa'' (Sanskrit: दास) in the ''Rig Veda'' as "slave". Kangle,〔R.P. Kangle (1960), The Kautiliya Arthasastra - a critical edition, Vol. 2 and 3, University of Bombay Studies, ISBN 978-8120800427〕 and others,〔B. Breloer (1934), Kautiliya Studien, Bd. III, Leipzig, pages 10-16, 30-71〕 offer a different interpretation, and suggest that the word ''dasa'' in Sanskrit is better translated as "enemy", "servant" or "religious devotee" depending on the context. More recent scholarly interpretations of the Sanskrit words ''dasa'' or ''dasyu'' suggest that these words used throughout the Vedas represents "disorder, chaos and dark side of human nature", and the verses that use the word ''dasa'' mostly contrast it with the concepts of "order, purity, goodness and light."〔 In some contexts, the word ''dasa'' refers to enemies and in other contexts, those who had not adopted Vedic beliefs.〔Barbara West (2008), Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania, ISBN 978-0816071098, page 182〕 ''Dasa'' also appears in ancient Buddhist literature in various contexts. For example, "king's dasa", where it refers to "a personal servant"; and "Buddha-dasa", where it refers to "one in service of Buddha".〔Gregory Schopen (2004), Buddhist Monks and Business Matters, University of Hawaii Press, ISBN 978-0824827748, page 201〕 Buddhist manuscripts also mention ''kapyari'', which scholars have translated as a legally bonded servant (slave).〔Gregory Schopen (2004), Buddhist Monks and Business Matters, University of Hawaii Press, ISBN 978-0824827748, page 202-206〕 Kautilya's Arthasastra dedicates the thirteenth chapter on ''dasas'', in his third book on law. This Sanskrit document from the Maurya Empire period (4th century BCE) has been translated by several authors, each in a different manner. Shamasastry's translation of 1915 maps ''dasa'' as slave, while Kangle leaves the words as ''dasa'' and ''karmakara''. Kangle suggests that the context and rights granted to ''dasa'' by Kautilya implies that the word had a different meaning than the modern word slave, as well as the meaning of the word slave in Greek or other ancient and medieval civilizations.〔R.P. Kangle (1960), The Kautiliya Arthasastra - a critical edition, Part 3, University of Bombay Studies, ISBN 978-8120800427, page 186〕 According to Arthasastra, anyone who had been found guilty of ''nishpatitah'' (Sanskrit: निष्पातित, ruined, bankrupt, a minor crime)〔(निष्पातित ) Sanskrit English dictionary〕 may mortgage oneself to become ''dasa'' for someone willing to pay his or her bail and employ the ''dasa'' for money and privileges.〔〔 Shamasastry's 1915 foundational translation of the Arthasastra describes the rights of the ''dasa'', confirming Kangle's contention that they were quite different than slaves in other ancient and medieval civilizations. For example, it was illegal to force a ''dasa'' (slave) to do certain types of work, to hurt or abuse him, or to commit rape against a female ''dasa''.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Slavery in India」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|