Dasas (singular dasa) are servants that guard a fakir's burial place and serve him until the time is right for him to return. When the fakir would sense distrubances and the peril of mankind, he would then would come up from his burial place and tell the dasa, who would help apply the knowlege to mankind. Their descendants would continue to due the same until the fakir has awoken.
As was shown by the dasa Miss Shoebottom, because she knew the identity of the true fakir she was severely guarded by those who wished to oppose her and could not escape. Though the job is for life, it can stretch many generations and life is often confined to the area of the fakir's burial. For this reason, Miss Shoebottmom was happy when she was finally free from Bumby.