स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि | धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते || 31 || |
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“Do not hesitate to fulfill your duty. For a warrior, there is no higher good than a war fought for the sake of righteousness.”
Commentary
The ancient sages of the Aryan civilization devised a classification system for human society to facilitate proper governance. According to this system, the human body, along with its sense organs, symbolizes a metaphorical field cultivated and harvested through material experiences—a representation of the labor class, or ‘sudra.’ When labor is performed efficiently and productively, enabling smooth interactions with the world, it embodies the essence of the ‘Vaishya’ or business class. The hands, serving to protect this field of existence, represent the warrior class, or ‘Kshatriya.’ Lastly, providing moral and spiritual guidance akin to the brain’s function, lies the ‘Brahmin’ class.
In ancient India, each of these classes, or ‘varnas,’ was accorded equal respect, with their respective duties recognized and honored. However, over time, due to societal ignorance, many of these virtues became lost or diluted within each class or caste. This hierarchical structure, delineated in verse 12 of the Purusha Suktam in the Rig Veda—the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text—provided a framework for societal organization and function.
In the evolutionary journey of every individual, elements of these four castes manifest in varying degrees. One who solely identifies with the physical body, perceiving themselves as merely a corporeal entity, exists in a state akin to the ‘sudra’ or ‘kayastha.’ Similarly, those predominantly engaged in intellectual or material pursuits align with the ‘Vaishya’ state. This constitutes a significant portion of humanity.
Yet, those who transcend these lower states exhibit traits of the ‘Kshatriya,’ exerting self-discipline and engaging in inner battles against their own senses to ascend to higher realms of consciousness. Ultimately, the pinnacle is reached by those who recognize themselves as pure souls, inseparable from the entirety of existence—a state emblematic of the ‘Brahmin.
O Devotee, do not waver after coming this far in meditation fighting like a Kshatriya. There is nothing more auspicious for you right now than to win this righteous battle with the sense-desires and its forces.