Verse 18.43

Verse 18.43: “Bravery, high spirit, tenacity, mindfulness and also in a fight never-fleeing away; charity and princely disposition: (these) constitute the activity of a Kshatriya, born of his innate nature. (856)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

The Sun never looks to others for help in displaying his own splendour, or the lion never feels the need of a neighbour; in that way, possession of innate strength coupled with one’s own valour independently of the help of any one else is bravery (śaurya) and is the principal quality (in actions). The Sun through his own splendour makes crores of stars undiscernible, yet all stars combined with the Moon are not able to make the Sun undiscernible. In that way, to storm the world with surprise by one’s grandeur and still to retain a perfect equipoise under all (difficult) circumstances-such a unique power is “high spirit” (teja) and is the second quality found (in a Kshatriya). And now there is the third quality called tenacity (dhairya).

Even with the crashing down of the sky, the mind (the eyes of the intellect) does not get closed and this is real tenacity here. However extensive the floodwater, the lotuses cover it up and spread themselves over it, or however high a thing be, the sky (always) rises higher above it; in that way, however diverse and serious situations might arise, one is able, through one’s own intellect to overcome them and chalk out a path leading to a fruitful end; this is what is called ‘mindfulness’ (dakṣatā) and is the fourth quality (in the Kshatriya), while dexterity in fighting (jhuñja) is the fifth quality in him. Standing face to face before the enemy in the way the sun-flower ever faces the Sun, and never fleeing from the battlefield turning one’s back to the enemy, in the way a pregnant lady avoids, in whatever way she can, her husband’s bed, is the fifth and the principal quality of the Kshatriya, just as devotion (to God) is the head of the four principal objects of a man’s life.

Trees freely drop down flowers and fruit (when ripe), or the lotus plants freely spread out their fragrance or anyone can enjoy the Moonlight to his heart’s content. In all these ways to give away charities according to the wishes of the recipients is what is called unbounded ‘charity’ (dāna) and is the sixth quality-gem. So also to secure obedience to one’s command in the world, or to protect the subjects and to enjoy (the sovereignty of) the world on the strength of their contentment in the way one should nourish and make one’s organs robust enough to be useful for rendering service (to one’s self), is ‘princely disposition’ (īśvarabhāva) and is the reservoir of all powers as also the prince among the qualities and it is the seventh quality. The actions that are rendered holy and variegated with all the seven qualities such as bravery etc., in the way the sky is adorned by the (stars named) the ‘seven sages’ (‘saptaṛṣī [saptarṣī?]’ the Great Bear), are the natural qualities of Kshatriyas, know ye.

Such a Kshatriya is not (only) a human being (hero) but (also) is the Meru Mountain of gold in the form of righteousness supporting the heavens formed of the seven qualities; or this is not an activism surrounded by the seven qualities, but (should be considered as) the Earth, surrounded by the seven seas, the Kshatriya being the hero enjoying it (its sovereignty); or the activism should be considered as the holy Ganges formed of seven flows in the form of seven qualities, sporting on (the person of) the great ocean in the form of the Kshatriya (functions). Enough, however, of this; the only purport being that activism formed of bravery and other qualities constitutes the natural quality of the Kshatriyas. Now I explain to you the duties proper of the Vaishya caste, and you, the highly talented one, hear of them.