Division of Varṇa (b): The Kṣatriyas

The Kṣatriyas occupied the next position to the Brāhmaṇas in the society. The Kṣatriyas are considered as the ruling class from the Vedic period.^[1] The meaning of the word kṣatriya, stated in the Veda is one who saves others from kṣata i.e. injury.^[2] The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also explains this term in the same way as kṣatriyaḥ kṣatarakṣaṇāt^[3] i.e. a Kṣatriya is so named, because he guards one from injury. Kṣatriyas pick up the weapons in order to eliminate fear and cry of distress from the citizens of the society. In the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa the term rājanya is also used for Kṣatriyas^[4] which is found also in the Ṛgveda.^[5] In the later Vedic period it becomes a regular use for a man of the royal family^[6] and the other term to denote Kṣṭriya is Kṣatra^[7] which also occurs in the Ṛgveda.^[8] The term kṣatriya^[9] is also used frequently, in this Veda, as an epithet of Gods.^[10] According to some mantras of the Ṛgveda, Kṣatriya denotes a king or a noble man.^[11] Kālidāsa gives the meaning of Kṣatriya as “one who saves some other from distress”.^[12] The Kṣatriyas were the leader of the land and other varṇas were under the leadership of the Kṣatriyas.^[13] According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa^[14], the Kṣatriyas are portrayed as a ruling class. It has also been told that Kṣatriyas were the symbol of God.^[15]

The Manusmṛti also mentions that a king is made of the essential elements i.e. powers of the eight Gods, viz.

1. Indra,
2. Anila i.e. Vāyu,
3. Yama,
4. Sūrya,
5. Agni,
6. Varuṇa,
7. Candra and
8. Kuvera.^[16]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa describes the traits of Kṣatriyas also.

The three kinds of duty (dharma) assigned to the Kṣatriyas are:

1. donations (dāna),
2. studying (adhyayana) and
3. sacrifice (yajña).

He must protect the earth and use weapons to earn a living.^[17] A kṣatriya, who is energetic in alms giving, studying and sacrificing and who ensures his subsistence through taxes or bearing arms, is always to be avoided.^[18]

The Dharmśāstra also advocates the protection of subjects, money-lending, agriculture and trade to be the highest duty of a Kṣatriya.^[19] In this context the duty of a Kṣatriya king has been mentioned in this Purāṇa. A king must first subdue himself and his ministers, then his dependents and afterwards his citizens. Then he has to fight against his enemies.^[20] In the work of government, a king must follow the five Gods, viz. Indra (Śakra), Sūrya (arka), Soma (the moon) and the Vāyu (wind).^[21] The king is compared with Indra as the Lord of the earth must nurture the world through his generosity as Indra sustains the earth through his showers for four months. He also may be compared with Sūrya because as Sūrya draws up the water through his rays for eight months, the king must collect taxes from the subjects through subtle means.^[22] Same idea is also expressed in the Raghuvaṃśam [Raghuvaṃśa] of Kālidāsa.^[23] Again, like Yama, who acts against both friend and foe, when it is the right time, the king must be impartial in his treatment of the virtuous and the wicked. Just as the sight of the full moon makes a man delightful, the king has followed auspicious conduct when all the subjects are satisfied. Moreover, like the circulating of wind among all beings the king must use his spies amidst citizens, advisers, enemies and relatives.^[24] A king, who protects the people of the four castes, goes to heaven.^[25] Bravery, smartness, heroism, skill, leadership and courage in battle are the qualities of a Kṣatriya. They had some specific duties such as, wielding arms and protecting the earth by helping the good and chastising the wicked.^[26]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ṛgveda, 4.12.3; 5.69.1; 7.64.2; 8.25.8; Vājasaneyisaṃitā, 4.19; 10.4

[2]:

Aitareyabrāhmaṇa, 8

[3]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 111.36

[4]:

Ibid., 93.21

[5]:

brāhmaṇo’sya mukhamāsīd bāhū rājanyaḥ kṛtah /
urū tadasya yadvaiśyaḥ padbhyāṃ śūdro’jāyata // Ṛgveda, 10.90.12

[6]:

P.V. Kane, The History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol.II, p.30,216

[7]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 107.2

[8]:

In the Ṛgveda, it generally connotes, ‘volour’, ‘dominion’, ‘strength’, in some Vedic texts e.g. Taittirīyabrahmaṇa, 2.7.18; Bṛhadāraṇyakopaṇsad, 1.4.11 etc.

[9]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 10.22

[10]:

Ṛgveda, 7.64.2, 8.25.8; 8.67.1

[11]:

mama dvitā rāṣṭraṃ kṣṭriyasya viśvāyoviśve amṛtā yathā naḥ / Ibid., 4.42.1a;
na dūtāya prahye tastha eṣā tathā rāṣṭraṃ gupitaṃ kṣṭriyaśya // Ibid., 10.109.3 b

[12]:

kṣatāt kila trāyata ityudagraḥ kṣatrasya śabdo bhuvaneṣu ruḍhaḥ/ Raghuvaṃsa., 2.53 a

[13]:

“The Kṣatriya was the owner of the land and the Brāhmaṇa, Vaiśya and Śūdra were tenants. Lord belonged to the state. For this reason, as stated in A.B,7.20 the priestly class, the nobility and the Vaiśya had to beg land of the king for performing sacrifices where as the king himself had to beg the some from the sun-god who is the divine Kṣatra for the said purpose”. J. Basu, India of the Age of the Brahmanas, p.16-17

[14]:

Brahmapurāṇa, 2.1.37; 2.5.37; 11.17.13

[15]:

sarva vedamayo vipraḥ sarva devamayo nṛpaḥ / Ibid., 7.2.20 b

[16]:

Manusmṛti, 7.4-5

[17]:

dānamadhyayanaṃ yajñāḥ kṣatriyasyāpyayaṃ tridhā /
dharmaḥ proktaḥ kṣite rakṣāśastrājīvaśca jīvikā // Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 25.5

[18]:

Ibid., 47.75

[19]:

M.N. Dutta, The Dharma Sastra, Vol. I, p.21

[20]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 24.11

[21]:

Ibid., 24.23

[22]:

Ibid., 24.24-25

[23]:

prajānāmeva bhūtyarthaṃ sa tābhyo balimagrahīt /
sahasraguṇamutsraṣṭumādatte hi rasaṃ raviḥ // Raghuvaṃsam, 1.18

[24]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 26.28

[25]:

Ibid., 24.29

[26]:

Brahmapurāṇa, 222.6-10; Viṣṇupurāṇa, 3.8.26-29; Agnipurāṇa, 151.8; Bhagavatgīta, 18.44