Closer examination suggests an alternative interpretation of the terms ‘black’ or ‘dark’ as referring to the dark world of the dasas/dasyus in contra… - Hans Henrich Hock

“Indo-Europeanists must exercise caution, lest they unwittingly support ideologically motivated agendas”!

The fact that racial interpretations arose in the 19th century is not surprising , given the prevalence at the time of quasi-scientific attempts to provide a justification for racially based European imperialism , and the well known scramble of the European powers to divide up the non-European world. Moreover, the British take-over of India seemed to provide a perfect parallel to the assumed take-over of prehistoric India by the invading ‘Aryans’.

First, wherever there is sufficient context for interpretation (which excludes , , and ), either the same line or verse or a closely neighboring one contains a reference to the ‘sun’ , , and , to ‘broad light’ , or to ‘red’ or ‘fiery’ beings .23 These references are marked in roman.