Dash (Odia surname)

Dash (Odia ଦାଶ, Devnagari-दाश) is an Odia Brahmin surname who belongs to Utkala Brahmins. Some of them write Dash-Sharma (Sanskrit-दाशशर्मा). (It is to be noted that Bengali Vaidya-Brahmins also have this Dash/Dash-Sharma surname, which suggests that they probably share a common origin.) They are settled throughout Orissa and follow mainly the Shrauta tradition of Hinduism and any form of Vishnu as Kuladevata. A minority of Odia Brahmins sometimes use the shorter form 'Das'. The shorter surname Das is more commonly a Kayastha surname in Orissa and West Bengal. So all family surnames ending as Dash indicate Brahmin ancestry in Orissa, while Das could be of Brahmin ancestry.

History

In India, the surname has been noted since 9th and 10th century CE. In a book by famous Indian writer Panniker, highlights the war by the Royal Brahmin Priests in Kashi joining with the Sufi Leaders to wage a war against the notorious Mughal ruler - Aurangzeb, noted as the destroyer of many temples. In the 10th century, the king of Orissa invited Brahmins of Kashi area to come and settle in present Puri, Cuttack & Ganjam districts as advisers to the King. The king offered them the temple management and ministerships. In Puri district 48 such Brahmin villages called 'Sasanas', 'Karabads' and 'Bisa' were established. These brahmins later migrated to various other parts of Orissa. Many Utkala Brahmins also migrated to the area corresponding to present day south Bengal in 11th and 12th century CE.

Gotra,Pravara,& shakha

Generally bramhins of 'Dash' surname belong to Kaushika gotra, but Dash families having Vatsa, Bharadwaja, Kaundinya , Kashyapa,and Harita Gotra are also found. All 'Dash' families follow the Vajasaneyi Kanva(वाजसनेयी काण्व) Shakha of Shukla Yajurveda& Katyayana kalpa sutra. Gotra &Pravaras can be found from respective sutras(pravaradhyaya). They do change their Yajnopaveetam or (paita) on Shraavana purnima (called gamha purnima), which is also known as Veda Upakarma. Many (Dash)bramhins altar have Bhagavata Purana in Odia (translated by Atibadi Jagannatha Dash,of kaushikasya gotra, in the early 16th century) and Gita Govinda of Jayadeva. In this regard it is also worth noting that Bengali Vaidya-brahmin Dash-Sharmas also follow the Kanva shakha, and they are of Vatsya,Bharadwaja, Kaushika and Moudgalya gotra.

Generally these people are Shrauta by their faith,having Jagannath as Istadevata.Some of them worship Vishnu in the form of Durga-Madhava. They believe in the eightfold principle, i.e., non-violence; sense-control; universal compassion; infinite patience; wisdom; austerity; meditation.

The MamooDasah Brahmins of Kulada Sasan

In Kulada Sasan the Brahmins were Royal Advisers to the most learned and benevolent King Shri Dhananjaya Bhanja (grandson of Kabisamrat Upendra Bhanja - a world-renowned grammarian and writer), thereby giving the name of Dhananjaypur to this new village of Mamoodasah Brahmins. (Multiple copper-plates with landed gifts and rights ordained to these priests by the Bhanja dynasty prove this fact). This family came to Orissa in 1840 A.D. The origins are from Kashi Viswanath Temple, being noted as a sub-grouping of Shaivite Brahmins. It is widely accepted that the Mumudasah name comes from Lord Shiva, the ruling deity of Kashi. Pandit Biswanath Dash was amongst the famous Brahmins of the region. He fought with Netaji Subhash Bose leader of the Indian National Army in Burma and India and the Indische Freiwilligen-Legion Regiment 950 in Germany for which he was awarded the Sher-e-Hind (Lion of India) award at Rangoon (then part of un-divided India). Many more Brahmins from the clan have been both noted Freedom Fighters and Vedic Masters.

Meaning of the term "Dash"

The families of all 'Dash' surname once expertised 10 granthas (books) assigned to Vedas especially Shukla Yajurveda, so the surname given. These 10 granthas are Kaanva Samhita, Kanva Shatapatha Brahmanam, Bruhadaaranyakam, Ishavasya Upanishad, and 6 Vedangas(Chhandas, Kalpa, Nirukta, Vyakarana, Shiksha, Jyotisha total six) which is combinely ten in number.

So दशः ग्रन्थाध्ययिन् दाशः

or ଦଶଃ ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥାଧ୍ୟାୟିନ୍ ଦାଶଃ

"DashaH granthadhyayin DaashaH".means who studies ten books of Veda.

It implies a magnanimous person (Daani Vyakti in Sanskrit). The breakup of the word is as follows - Dash = Da(an)+ I(sh)= DaanIsh. "Daan", in Sanskrit, implies something that is given away in lieu of nothing and "Ish" is the short form of "Ishwar" or Lord, in Sanskrit. In the context of give and take where no quid pro quo exists, the giver is definitely given the credit of Lord of the states of affair. This compels some to believe that these group of Brahmins were engaged in acts of charity. This throws light on the wealthy financial conditions of this group in a period when the larger section of brahmins were not so well-off, they being under the constant patronage and the mercy of myriad royal overlords.These group of Shukla Yajurveda brahmins always organised Yajna and got a lot of Dakshina from the kings,which made these people much wealthier.While the use of the word "Ish" as a short form of "Ishwar" is not uncommon, the use of the word "Da" as a short form of "Daan" is also not uncommon. Cattle, in ancient Buddhist texts, has been described as "Annada", "Vannada" and "Sukhada" meaning as a bestower of food, beauty and happiness, respectively. Even, the mighty ancient universuty in Bihar was known as Nalanda because of its purpose. "Nalan" means lotus in the ancient "Prakrit" language. Lotus is the symbol of knowledge and as the mighty university imparted knowledge, it was known as "Nalanda".

According to Rig Veda, sukta1 Dash means one who always does worships(agnihotra)to fire. see

यदङ्ग दाशुषे त्वमग्ने भद्रं करिष्यसि तवे तत् सत्यमन्गिरः(Rig1mandala-1st sukta-6th Mantra)

meaning- Whatever blessing, Agni, thou wilt grant unto thy worshipper, That, Angiras, is indeed thy truth.(dashu she-of worshippers,plural of dash)

In Samaveda sukta 4th we can also find dashushe

see

आ दाशुषे जातवेदो वह त्वमद्य देवग्म् उषर्बुधः (sama-1 kanda-4th sukta-6th mantra)

meaning- Immortal Jatavedas, thou bright-hued refulgent gift of Dawn, Agni, this day to him WHO PAYS OBLATIONS(dashu-she) bring the Gods who waken with the morn!

References

1. Torch Bearers of Vedic Traditions : Brahmin Sasan Villages in Orissa by Nityananda Patnaik. Vedam Books, New Delhi, Classical, 2002, ix, 227 p. ISBN 81-7054-346-0

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