Kshatriya (Hindi: क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit kṣatra, "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warriorhood. The Sanskrit term kṣatriyaḥ is used in the context of Vedic society wherein members were organised into four classes: brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra.
Origins
Early Rigvedic tribal monarchy
The administrative machinery in the Vedic India was headed by a tribal king called Rajan whose position was not hereditary. The king was elected in a tribal assembly (called Samiti) which included women. The Rajan protected the tribe and cattle; was assisted by a priest; and did not maintain a standing army, though in the later period the rulership appears to have risen as a class. The concept of the fourfold varna system is not yet recorded.
Later Vedic period
The hymn Purusha Sukta to the Rigveda describes the symbolic creation of the four varna-s through cosmic sacrifice (yajña). Some scholars consider the Purusha Sukta to be a late interpolation into the Rigveda based on the neological character of the composition, as compared to the more archaic style of the Vedic literature.[citation needed] Since not all Indians were fully regulated under the varna in the Vedic society, the Purusha Sukta was supposedly composed in order to secure Vedic sanction for the heredity caste scheme.[citation needed] An alternate explanation is that the word 'Shudra' does not occur anywhere else in the Rig-veda except the Purusha Sukta, leading some scholars to believe the Purusha Sukta was a composition of the later Rig-vedic period itself to denote, legitimize and sanctify an oppressive and exploitative class structure that had already come into existence.
The term kshatriya comes from kshatra and implies temporal authority and power which was based less on being a successful leader in battle and more on the tangible power of laying claim to sovereignty over a territory, and symbolising ownership over clan lands. This later gave rise to the idea of kingship. The Srimad Bhagavata Gita has the following quoted lines by Sri Krishna:
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युध्दे चाप्यपलायनम् । दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥१८-४३ ॥
Kshatriya never flees from the war, he shows bravery, skill, chivalry and patience in the face of war. Donation to the society and protecting citizens (Kshatra duty) are the norms of a Kshatriya.
Symbols
In rituals, the nyagrodha (Ficus indica or India fig or banyan tree) danda, or staff, is assigned to the kshatriya class, along with a mantra, intended to impart physical vitality or 'ojas'.
Lineage
The Vedas do not mention kshatriya (or varna) of any vansha (lineage). The lineages of the Itihasa-Purana tradition are: the Solar dynasty (Suryavanshi); and the Lunar dynasty (Chandravansi/ Somavanshi).
There are other lineages, such as Agnivanshi ("fire lineage"), in which an eponymous ancestor rises out of Agni (fire), and Nagavanshi (snake-born), claiming descent from the Nāgas. The Nagavanshi, not attested in the Itihasa-Purana tradition, were Naga tribes whose origin can be found in scriptures.
Origins
Early Rigvedic tribal monarchy
The administrative machinery in the Vedic India was headed by a tribal king called Rajan whose position was not hereditary. The king was elected in a tribal assembly (called Samiti) which included women. The Rajan protected the tribe and cattle; was assisted by a priest; and did not maintain a standing army, though in the later period the rulership appears to have risen as a class. The concept of the fourfold varna system is not yet recorded.
Later Vedic period
The hymn Purusha Sukta to the Rigveda describes the symbolic creation of the four varna-s through cosmic sacrifice (yajña). Some scholars consider the Purusha Sukta to be a late interpolation into the Rigveda based on the neological character of the composition, as compared to the more archaic style of the Vedic literature.[citation needed] Since not all Indians were fully regulated under the varna in the Vedic society, the Purusha Sukta was supposedly composed in order to secure Vedic sanction for the heredity caste scheme.[citation needed] An alternate explanation is that the word 'Shudra' does not occur anywhere else in the Rig-veda except the Purusha Sukta, leading some scholars to believe the Purusha Sukta was a composition of the later Rig-vedic period itself to denote, legitimize and sanctify an oppressive and exploitative class structure that had already come into existence.
The term kshatriya comes from kshatra and implies temporal authority and power which was based less on being a successful leader in battle and more on the tangible power of laying claim to sovereignty over a territory, and symbolising ownership over clan lands. This later gave rise to the idea of kingship. The Srimad Bhagavata Gita has the following quoted lines by Sri Krishna:
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युध्दे चाप्यपलायनम् । दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥१८-४३ ॥
Kshatriya never flees from the war, he shows bravery, skill, chivalry and patience in the face of war. Donation to the society and protecting citizens (Kshatra duty) are the norms of a Kshatriya.
Symbols
In rituals, the nyagrodha (Ficus indica or India fig or banyan tree) danda, or staff, is assigned to the kshatriya class, along with a mantra, intended to impart physical vitality or 'ojas'.
Lineage
The Vedas do not mention kshatriya (or varna) of any vansha (lineage). The lineages of the Itihasa-Purana tradition are: the Solar dynasty (Suryavanshi); and the Lunar dynasty (Chandravansi/ Somavanshi).
There are other lineages, such as Agnivanshi ("fire lineage"), in which an eponymous ancestor rises out of Agni (fire), and Nagavanshi (snake-born), claiming descent from the Nāgas. The Nagavanshi, not attested in the Itihasa-Purana tradition, were Naga tribes whose origin can be found in scriptures.
Kshatriya
क्षत्रियः - क्षत्रिय वर संस्कृत निबंध - क्षत्रिय पर संस्कृत निबंध - Sanskrit Essay on Kshatriya
क्षत्रिय: क्षतात्त्रायते इति क्षत्रिय:। प्राचीनायाम्भारतीयसमाजव्यवस्थायाम्महत्त्वपूर्ण: अयं वर्ण: वर्णसोपाने द्वितीय: वर्तते ।
क्षत्रियस्य कर्तव्यानि
रक्षणं सर्वभूतानामिह क्षात्रं परं मतम् इति महाभारतकथनानुगुणं क्षत्रियवर्णः सर्वभूतानां परित्राणधर्मपालोभवति । क्षत्रियवर्णः ब्रह्मणोर्भुजाभ्यामुत्पन्न इति मन्यते । क्षत्रियः एव राष्ट्ररक्षणं कर्तुमधिकृतः आसीत् । वर्णाश्रमधर्मरक्षणमेव क्षत्रियस्य प्रमुखं कर्म । रजोगुणसम्पन्नः कामभोगप्रियः, पराक्रमवान् प्रजारक्षकः, वेदाध्ययनशीलः, दाता, दीनजनोद्धारकः धीरः, वीरः, त्यागी, ब्राह्मणपूजकश्च क्षत्रिय इति कीर्तितः । क्षत्रियवर्णस्य प्रमुखेषु कर्त्तव्येषु अध्ययनं-यजनं-दानं चेति त्रयो धर्माः ब्राह्मणवत्समाना एव ।
परं विशिष्टं कर्मास्ति 'प्रजापालनम्’ । सर्वाण्यपि शास्त्राणि सर्वापि स्मृतयो मुक्तकण्ठेनेदमेवावोचन्-क्षत्रियस्य परमो धर्मः प्रजानां पालनम् इति । तथा हि—
क्षत्रिय: क्षतात्त्रायते इति क्षत्रिय:। प्राचीनायाम्भारतीयसमाजव्यवस्थायाम्महत्त्वपूर्ण: अयं वर्ण: वर्णसोपाने द्वितीय: वर्तते ।
क्षत्रियस्य कर्तव्यानि
क्षत्रियस्य कर्तव्यानि मनुः एवं वर्णयति-
प्रजानां रक्षणं दानमिज्याध्ययनमेव च ।
विषयेष्वप्रसक्तिश्च क्षत्रियस्य समासतः ॥१-८९ ॥
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतायां श्रीकृष्णः आह –
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युध्दे चाप्यपलायनम् ।
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥१८-४३ ॥
अत्रापि कानिचित् कर्तव्यानि केचन च आचरणीयाः गुणाः क्षत्रियम् उद्दिश्य निर्दिष्टाः ।
रक्षणं सर्वभूतानामिह क्षात्रं परं मतम् इति महाभारतकथनानुगुणं क्षत्रियवर्णः सर्वभूतानां परित्राणधर्मपालोभवति । क्षत्रियवर्णः ब्रह्मणोर्भुजाभ्यामुत्पन्न इति मन्यते । क्षत्रियः एव राष्ट्ररक्षणं कर्तुमधिकृतः आसीत् । वर्णाश्रमधर्मरक्षणमेव क्षत्रियस्य प्रमुखं कर्म । रजोगुणसम्पन्नः कामभोगप्रियः, पराक्रमवान् प्रजारक्षकः, वेदाध्ययनशीलः, दाता, दीनजनोद्धारकः धीरः, वीरः, त्यागी, ब्राह्मणपूजकश्च क्षत्रिय इति कीर्तितः । क्षत्रियवर्णस्य प्रमुखेषु कर्त्तव्येषु अध्ययनं-यजनं-दानं चेति त्रयो धर्माः ब्राह्मणवत्समाना एव ।
परं विशिष्टं कर्मास्ति 'प्रजापालनम्’ । सर्वाण्यपि शास्त्राणि सर्वापि स्मृतयो मुक्तकण्ठेनेदमेवावोचन्-क्षत्रियस्य परमो धर्मः प्रजानां पालनम् इति । तथा हि—
प्रजानां पालने युक्ता धर्ममुत्तममास्थिताः
गोब्राह्मणार्थे युध्यन्तः प्राप्ता गतिमनुत्तमाम् ॥ इति [महाभारतम्-शान्तिपर्व २१/१९]
क्षतान्नस्त्रायते सर्वानित्येवं क्षत्रियोऽभवत्
क्षतत्राता क्षताज्जीवन् क्षन्ता स्त्रीष्वपि साधुषु ।
क्षत्रियः क्षितिमाप्नोति क्षिप्रं धर्मं यशःश्रियः ॥ ६९/२ [महाश्रेणपर्व-१९७/४]
इति महाभारतश्लोकवाक्यानां, सर्वशास्त्राणां च सारोऽस्ति भूतसंरक्षणमेव क्षत्रियाणां महान्धर्म इति । क्षत्रियाभावे जगदिदमरक्षितं सद रसातलं गतं स्यादिति च तन्महत्त्वं
महाभारते वर्णितम् । तथा हि—
यदि न क्षत्रियो लोके जगत् स्यादधरोत्तमम् ।
रक्षणात् क्षत्रियैरेव जगद् भवति शाश्वतम् ॥ [महाभारते अनुशासनपर्व १४१/४८] इति ॥
चतुर्णामपि वर्णानां कर्तव्यनिर्वाहस्य भारो राज्ञःभवति स्म । राजा क्षत्रियोऽत्मनोधर्मरक्षणंम्-इतरवर्णानां धर्मरक्षणं च कर्तुं 'वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थां’ नियन्त्रयति स्म । तद्व्यवस्थोल्लङ्घनपरान् दण्डयते स्म । एवं क्षत्रियः धर्मज्ञः, प्रजारक्षकः, वर्णाश्रमाणां गुरुश्चेति जनैः कीर्त्यते स्म ।
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