Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 18 - Shloka (Verse) 43

शौर्यम् -- मनमें अपने धर्मका पालन करनेकी तत्परता हो? धर्ममय युद्ध (टिप्पणी प0 928) प्राप्त होनेपर युद्धमें चोट लगने? अङ्ग कट जाने? मर जाने आदिका किञ्चिन्मात्र भी भय न हो? घाव होनेपर भी मनमें प्रसन्नता और उत्साह रहे तथा सिर कटनेपर भी पहलेजैसे ही अस्त्रशस्त्र चलाता रहे? इसका नाम शौर्य है।तेजः -- जिस प्रभाव या शक्तिके सामने पापीदुराचारी मनुष्य भी पाप? दुराचार करनेमें हिचकते हैं? जिसके सामने लोगोंकी मर्यादाविरुद्ध चलनेकी हिम्मत नहीं होती अर्थात् लोग स्वाभाविक ही मर्यादामें चलते हैं? उसका नाम तेज है।धृतिः -- विपरीतसेविपरीत अवस्थामें भी अपने धर्मसे विचलित न होने और शत्रुओंके द्वारा धर्म तथा नीतिसे विरुद्ध अनुचित व्यवहारसे सताये जानेपर भी धर्म तथा नीतिविरुद्ध कार्य न करके धैर्यपूर्वक उसी मर्यादामें चलनेका नाम धृति है।दाक्ष्यम् -- प्रजापर शासन करनेकी? प्रजाको यथायोग्य व्यवस्थित रखनेकी और उसका संचालन करनेकी विशेष योग्यता? चतुराईका नाम दाक्ष्य है।युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् -- युद्धमें कभी पीठ न दिखाना? मनमें कभी हार स्वीकार न करना? युद्ध छोड़कर कभी,न भागना -- यह युद्धमें अपलायन है।दानम् -- क्षत्रियलोग दान करते हैं तो देनेमें कमी नहीं रखते? बड़ी उदारतापूर्वक देते हैं। वर्तमानमें दानपुण्य करनेका स्वभाव वैश्योंमें देखनेमें आता है परन्तु वैश्य लोग देनेमें कसाकसी करते हैं अर्थात् इतनेसे ही काम चल जाय तो अधिक क्यों दिया जाय -- ऐसा द्रव्यका लोभ उनमें रहता है। द्रव्यका लोभ रहनेसे धर्मका पालन करनेमें बाधा आ जाती है? कमी आ जाती है? जिससे सात्त्विक दान (गीता 17। 20) देनेमें कठिनता पड़ती है। परन्तु क्षत्रियोंमें दानवीरता होती है। इसलिये यहाँ दान शब्द क्षत्रियोंके स्वभावमें आया है।ईश्वरभावश्च -- क्षत्रियोंमें स्वाभाविक ही शासन करनेकी प्रवृत्ति होती है। लोगोंके नीति? धर्म और मर्यादाविरुद्ध आचरण देखनेपर उनके मनमें स्वाभाविक ही ऐसी बात आती है कि ये लोग ऐसा क्यों कर रहें हैं और उनको नीति? धर्मके अनुसार चलानेकी इच्छा होती है। अपने शासनद्वारा सबको अपनीअपनी मर्यादाके अनुसार चलानेका भाव रहता है। इस ईश्वरभावमें अभिमान नहीं होता क्योंकि क्षत्रियजातिमें नम्रता? सरलता आदि गुण देखनेमें आते हैं। क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् -- जो मात्र प्रजाकी दुःखोंसे रक्षा करे? उसका नाम क्षत्रिय है -- क्षतात् त्रायत इति क्षत्रियः। उस क्षत्रियके जो स्वाभाविक कर्म हैं? वे क्षात्रकर्म कहलाते हैं। सम्बन्ध -- अब वैश्य और शूद्रके स्वाभाविक कर्म बताते हैं।

शौर्यशूरवीरता? तेज दूसरोंसे न दबनेका स्वभाव? धृति -- धारणाशक्ति? जिस शक्तिसे उत्साहित हुए मनुष्यका सभी अवस्थाओंमें अनवसाद ( नाश या शोकका अभाव ) होता है? दक्षता -- सहसा प्राप्त हुए बहुतसे कार्योंमें बिना घबड़ाहटके प्रवृत्त होनेका स्वभाव तथा युद्धमें न भागनाशत्रुको पीठ न दिखानेका भाव। दान -- देनेयोग्य पदार्थोंको खुले हाथ देनेका स्वभाव और ईश्वरभाव यानी जिनका शासन करना है? उनके प्रति प्रभुत्व प्रकट करना। ये सब क्षत्रियोंके कर्म अर्थात् क्षत्रियजातिके लिये विहित उनके स्वाभाविक कर्म हैं।

The nature of a hero is 'Śauryam' — valor — tendency to strike even the stronger?

'Teja' — boldness, not being overpowered by others.

Dhriti is the mental modification sustaining body and senses even in great calamity, thus he explains — 'Sarvāvasthāsu' (In all states).

He analyzes the nature of Daksha (skillful) — 'Sahasā' (Suddenly).

'Svabhāva' is as before.

Having illustrated the action of Brahmana, He states that of Kshatriya. 'Śaurya' — nature of a hero, valor, tendency to strike even the stronger. 'Teja' — boldness, being unassailable by others.

'Dhṛti' — holding, by which mental modification of the nature of fortitude there is non-depression of the aggregate of body and senses in all states.

The nature of 'Dakṣa' is 'Dākṣyam' — skill in understanding without confusion in tasks presented suddenly.

'Yuddhe cāpyapalāyanaṃ' — not turning away from enemies, by 'ca' not killing one who has turned away. 'Dāna' — open-handedness in giveable objects. And 'Īśvarabhāva' — nature of a lord, manifestation of ruling power towards subjects. 'Ca' is for inclusion of unsaid.

'Kṣātra' — prescribed action of Kshatriya caste is 'svabhāvajam' — divided by Rajo Guna with Sattva subordinate born of nature, this is the meaning.

Shaurya is valour. Tejas is boldness. Dhriti is fortitude.

Dakshya is skill in war or enthusiasm.

Dana is generosity. Ishvarabhava is the power to control those who go astray.

This is the action born of the Kshatriya's nature.

Shaurya is the capability to enter battle fearlessly. Tejas is invincibility against others. Dhriti is the capability to complete a commenced work even when obstacles arise. Dakshya is the capability to complete all actions.

Not fleeing in battle means not turning back even when one's own death in battle is certain.

Dana is the relinquishment of one's own property until it becomes the property of another. Ishvarabhava is the capability to rule over all people other than oneself.

This is the action born of the nature of a Kshatriya.

He states the natural actions of a Kshatriya -- Shaurya.

Shaurya is valour. Tejas is boldness. Dhriti is fortitude. Dakshya is skill.

Not fleeing in battle means not turning one's face away. Dana is generosity.

Ishvarabhava is the power to rule. This is the action born of the Kshatriya's nature.

With the intention that the word 'Shura' is the counter-correlative of 'coward'—as in 'brave, coward, wise, dull'—he says: 'capability to enter fearlessly.'

This is a combination of mental and physical factors. Since entering might be a defect if the one entering is humiliated by enemies, to avoid that, 'Tejas' is mentioned here—explaining it as 'invincibility against others.'

The distinction of Dakshya from Dhriti is shown by 'even when obstacles arise.' Indeed, not abandoning what has been started through the capability of action is distinct.

Regarding 'also in battle' (yuddhe chapi), explaining the intense cause for fleeing indicated by the word 'also' (api), he says: 'even when one's own death is certain.'

Here, by the word 'Ishvarabhava', the power to punish the wicked and grace the good is intended; with this view, he says: 'other than oneself,' etc.

'All people' refers to the domain defined by one's own kingdom, etc.

क्षत्रिय पुरुष में रजोगुण की प्रधानता होती है। यहाँ भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण? किसी क्षत्रिय कुल में जन्मे व्यक्ति को ही क्षत्रिय नहीं कहते हैं। एक सच्चे क्षत्रिय पुरुष में जो गुण होते हैं? उनकी ही यहाँ गणना की गयी है। गीता में वर्णों का विभाजन मनुष्य के आन्तरिक स्वभाव एवं बाह्य आचरण के आधार पर किया गया है।शौर्य तेज से सम्पन्न व्यक्ति ही प्रजा का पालन एवं शासन करने में समर्थ होता है।धृति अपने लक्ष्य को दृढ़ता से धारण करना धृति है। मार्ग में कितने ही विघ्नों के आने पर भी अपने पथ से विचलित न होने के लिए धैर्य की आवश्यकता होती है? जिसे ही धृति कहते हैं।दाक्ष्य अर्थात् दक्षता। सैनिक प्रशिक्षण की भाषा में इसे सावधान का आदेश कहा जाता है। दक्षता का अर्थ है प्राप्त परिस्थिति का तत्काल और यथार्थ मल्यांकन करने की क्षमता। इसमें निर्णय के अनुसार तत्काल उसे कार्यान्वित करने की क्षमता का भी समावेश है। एक सच्चे क्षत्रिय की दक्षता अन्य लोगों के लिए ईर्ष्या का विषय बन जाती है।युद्ध से अपलायन उपर्युक्त गुणों से सम्पन्न पुरुष जीवन संघर्षों में सहज ही अपनी पराजय स्वीकार नहीं कर लेता। यहाँ युद्ध शब्द का वाच्यार्थ ही नहीं लेना चाहिए। जीवन में जो भी कठिन परिस्थितियाँ उत्पन्न होती हैं? उन सबका साहस के साथ सामना करना यहाँ अभिप्रेत है। न्याय्य लक्ष्य के विरुद्ध खड़ी होने वाली परिस्थितियों से पलायन न करना क्षत्रिय का धर्म है।दान कोई भी शासन या राजा तभी लोकप्रिय बनता है? जब वह मुक्तहस्त से दान करता है। वर्तमान समय में भी सभी प्रजातान्त्रिक राज्यों की सरकारें अपने बजट में कुछ धन की मात्रा सुरक्षित रखती हैं? जिस पर किसी प्रकार का विवाद या मतदान नहीं होता। क्षत्रिय पुरुष के कृपण होने पर उसे अपने कार्य में सफलता नहीं मिल सकती? क्योंकि उसकी सफलता उसके मित्रों एवं समर्थकों की संख्या पर निर्भर करती है। एक न्यायप्रिय क्षत्रिय को दयापूर्वक असहाय लोगों की मुक्तहस्त से सहायता करनी चाहिए।ईश्वरभाव अपनी सार्मथ्य पर दृढ़विश्वास के बिना कोई भी पुरुष शासन नहीं कर सकता। प्रजा के नेता में इतना दृढ़ आत्मविश्वास होना चाहिए कि उसके विश्वास से अन्य दुर्बल हृदय के लोगों का भी आत्मविश्वास जागृत हो उठे। इस प्रकार का ईश्वर भाव एक क्षत्रिय के लिए आवश्यक गुण है। उसकी शक्तिशाली उपस्थिति से ही आसपास के वातावरण में विद्युत् शक्ति कासा संचार हो जाना चाहिए। मात्र मुकुट या राजवस्त्रों से ही कोई पुरुष राजा नहीं बन सकता। राजमुकुट? राजवस्त्र एवं राजसिंहासन को अपने योग्य शासन का चयन कर सकने की अद्भुत कला प्राप्त है। ईश्वरभाव क्षत्रिय का सबसे प्रमुख लक्षण है।उपर्युक्त आठ गुणों को क्षात्र कर्म कहा गया है। इसका अर्थ यह है कि एक क्षत्रिय पुरुष को इन गुणों को सम्पादित करके इन्हें धारण करना चाहिए। लौकिक सत्ता के धारक नेता अध्यात्म के पथ प्रदर्शक नहीं बन सकते। परन्तु एक सच्चे शासक में यह सूक्ष्म क्षमता होनी चाहिए कि वह आध्यात्मिक जीवन मूल्यों को अपनी शासन प्रणाली में सम्मिलित कर सके और राष्ट्र के विविध कार्यक्षेत्रों में उन्हें व्यवहारिक रूप प्रदान कर सके।अगले श्लोक में वैश्य और शूद्र के कर्म बताते हैं

Thus, up to this point, the three-fold nature of the six [qualities] and of fortitude (Dhriti), etc., has been individually expounded. Among them, one existing in the Sattvic group and having attained divine abundance is fit for knowledge here; and 'you are of such a kind'—thus Arjuna is encouraged.

But now this is stated: If you engage in action with this wisdom-intellect, then due to engagement in one's own duty and being purified by special knowledge, action will not bind you.

But if you do not accept this, then inevitably your engagement [in action] must happen, because existence is situated in the nature of the species. Because everyone is governed by their own nature. Even if one's nature is obscured by some defect for some time, upon the removal of that obscuration, one certainly attains one's manifest nature. Likewise, such is the nature of the varnas. Thus, when engagement is inevitable, participation in the fruit [of action] would occur.

That is stated [in the verses] beginning with 'Brahmana' up to 'helplessly [does] that.' The nature of the description of the division of duties of Brahmanas and others certainly does not transgress; thus, for you who are of Kshatriya nature, even if unwilling, Prakriti, known as Svabhava (nature), invariably assumes the role of the instigator. Only one instigated by it has a connection with merit and sin.

Therefore, keeping the special knowledge spoken by Me as the authority, perform actions. In doing so, bondage will cease. This is the purport of the preparation for this meaning of the Great Sentence.

The meaning of the intermediate sentences is clear.

'Briefly' (Verse 50) -- He states the steadfastness of the previously mentioned knowledge decisively, avoiding a web of words.

'With an intellect purified,' etc., all this has mostly been explained, so effort is not being made again.

He states the actions created by the qualities and nature of a Kshatriya -- Shaurya. Shaurya is valour, the tendency to strike even those who are stronger. Tejas is boldness, the state of being unassailable by others. Dhriti is the non-depression of the body and senses complex even in great calamity. Dakshya is skill, the engagement without confusion in tasks that arise suddenly. Not fleeing in battle means not turning one's face away.

Dana is the transfer of ownership to another by relinquishing one's own ownership over wealth without hesitation. Ishvarabhava is the manifestation of ruling power over subjects to be ruled for the sake of protecting the people. And Kshatra-karma is the prescribed duty of the Kshatriya caste; born of nature means born of a nature where Sattva is subordinate and Rajas is predominant.

He states the [action] of the Kshatriya -- Shaurya. Shaurya is valour. Tejas is boldness. Dhriti is fortitude. Dakshya is skill in all actions. Also not fleeing in battle means not turning away.

By the word 'api' (also), not fleeing [is implied] everywhere; by the letter 'cha' (and), [not fleeing] from gambling etc. as well.

Dana is generosity. And again, Ishvarabhava is the nature of sole rulership. This is Kshatra action, born of the Kshatriya's nature, meaning action born of his own nature.

Shaurya is the nature of a hero. Tejas is boldness.

Dhriti is steadfastness; upheld by which Dhriti, one does not succumb to depression in any condition.

Dakshya is the nature of the skilled; engagement without confusion in tasks that arise suddenly. Also not fleeing in battle means not turning the face away from enemies.

Dana is being open-handed regarding giveable wealth.

And Ishvarabhava is the nature of a ruler; the manifestation of ruling power towards those to be ruled.

Kshatra action is the prescribed action of the Kshatriya caste; Kshatra action is born of nature.

He states that [action] of the Kshatriya -- Shaurya.

Dhriti is fortitude, meaning lack of cowardice.

Dakshya is [skill] in battle.

Ishvarabhava is sovereignty.

शौर्यम् prowess? तेजः splendour? धृतः firmness? दाक्ष्यम् dexterity? युद्धे in battle? च and? अपि also? अपलायनम् not fleeing? दानम् generosity? ईश्वरभावः lordliness? च and? क्षात्रम् of Kshatriyas? कर्म action? स्वभावजम् born of nature.Commentary It is the first duty of Kshatriya (man of the warrior class or of royal blood) to be brave and chivalrous. Bravery is that sublime virtue through which one is naturally strong? vigorous and courageous. In the face of the most terrible calamity the mind will not be in the least perturbed. The Kshatriya is firm under any unfavourable or trying conditions or circumstances. He does not get the least depression of spirit even when he is in adverse circumstances. It is the skill by which the reason finds out its path amidst all untoward circumstances and eventually attains its goal. This is firmness? fortitude or courage.Dakshya Promptness He is able to decide rightly on the spot in matters that deman prompt attention doing without confusion? of duties which present themselves all of a sudden and demand prompt action.As the sunflower always turns its face towards the sun so does he always face his enemies. He will ever avoid turning his back to them on the field of battle. He is absolutely fearless. Just as a tree gives away its flowers and fruits freely to whoever desires them? as the jasmine sends out its sweet fragrace in every direction? so will a Kshatriya generously give to another whatever may be asked of him. His charity is boundless.Lordliness A Kshatriya king enjoys sovereignty over his subjects owing to the sure protection he grants them? exercises ruling power over his subjects who are to be ruled? and raises the rod of chastisement to punish the unrighteous or the wicked.

Svabhavajam, the natural; ksatra-karma, [A variant reading is ksatram karma.-Tr.] enjoined duties of the Ksatriyas, of the Ksatriya caste; are sauryam, heroism; tejah, boldness; dhrtih, fortitude, as is seen in the case of one who is not depressed under all circumstances, being sustained by doggedness; daksyam, capability engagement without confusion in duties which suddenly present them-selves; api ca, and also; apalayanam, not retreating; yuddhe, from battle, not fleeing from enemies; danam, generosity, being free in the distribution of gifts; isvarabhavah, lordliness, manifesting (exercising) rulership over those who have to be ruled.

'Valour' is the ability of plunging into a battle without fear. 'Invincibility' is the capacity to remain undefeated by others. 'Steadiness' is the capacity to complete a work that has been started despite obstacles. 'Adroitness' is the ability in executing all works. 'Apalayana' is not fleeing in a battle though one is convinced of one's death. 'Generosity' is parting with one's own possessions to others even to its entirety. 'Lordliness' is the capacity to govern all others. This is the duty of a Ksatriya born of his inherent nature.