The Hindu religion has always managed to fascinate the world. As more and more people try to explore the various Hinduism beliefs and ideologies, many interesting concepts are not completely well understood. One of them is the origin and history of the four varnas of the Hindu society. The second out of these four varnas is Kshatriya, the ruling class and the military.
Kshatriya comes from the Sanskrit word Kshatra, which means authority and power.
Blessed with valor and strength, the role of this varna was to rule the society in times of peace and protect it by fighting in times of war.
Initially, the selection of a person in the Kshatriya varna was based on his guna (qualities), karma (actions), and swabhava (nature). However, later, as society evolved, it slowly became hereditary, meaning that only those born in Kshatriya families were considered to be part of the varna.
Once upon a time, a lot of energy managed to get released from the body of Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe). While some of this energy was positive, some was negative. It was out of this negative energy that two rakshasas (demons), Madhu and Kaitabh, were born. Upon being tortured by them, Lord Brahma sought the help of Lord Vishnu (the preserver of the universe). Lord Vishnu agreed to help and killed both demons. After this, he explained that the release of positive energy in the universe will always be accompanied by the release of negative energy, which is why a special sect of humans must be created to protect mankind from the tortures of the latter.
Hearing this, Lord Brahma sat for meditation, and by the end of the day, four varnas were created. Brahmanas were born at dawn. The Kshatriyas were created at noon. The Vaishyas were created in the evening. The Shudras were created at night.
Each varna had different duties associated with them. While the Brahmanas were assigned to study sacred texts like the Vedas and the Upanishads, the Kshatriyas were supposed to rule and protect mankind. The Vaishyas were the traders and merchants and were expected to do business. People in the final sect of Shudras were expected to be farmers and artisans.
The Rig Veda, however, tells a very different story of the origin of the Kshatriya varna. According to this highly revered sacred text of the Hindu religion, the head of Lord Brahma was where the Brahmanas emerged from, while the Kshatriyas were created from his arms. The Vaishyas emerged from his legs and the Shudras from his feet.
While each varna was a classification of the human society, there were lineages within these varnas as well. There were 4 lineages that came under the Kshatriyas.
1. Suryavanshi - They were the descendants of Surya Dev, the Sun God. One of the most widely-known and worshiped kings of this lineage was Lord Rama.
2. Chandravanshi - The Chandravanshis claimed to be the descendants of Chandra Dev, the Moon God. The Yaduvanshis were part of this clan. The most worshiped and beloved Kshatriya of the Lunar Dynasty is Lord Krishna himself.
3. Agnivanshi - The lineage of the Agnivanshis is said to have descended from Agni Dev, the Fire God widely worshiped in the Hindu religion. Narsimha Varman, the Pallava king, was a famous Agnivanshi Kshatriya.
4. Nagavanshi - Also called the Serpent dynasty, according to Hinduism beliefs, this lineage was born from Naga Dev, the Serpent God.
Created to be rulers and soldiers, Kshatriyas were meant to fulfill their destiny of governing the society and maintaining order. Not only did they have to rule, but they also had to do it according to the mandate of the holy scriptures. They could, however, always seek counsel of the priests in their courts.
When serving as soldiers, they were supposed to wage war against those who threatened the security of the inhabitants of their land.
Being rulers and soldiers, the Kshatriyas needed to possess qualities like strength, courage, and a certain degree of aggression. Brahmanas, on the other hand, had a peaceful and spiritual nature. Hence, their duty in society was to study the sacred texts of the Hindu religion and spread their teachings instead of ruling.
A staff or a danda made out of the wood of the Nyagrodha Tree is usually considered to be their symbol. When a Kshatriya assumes his role in society, he is presented with this staff and a mantra.
As per Hinduism beliefs, the four varnas of the Hindu religion were the four pillars of the society, and each of them had an important role to play. The Hindu Kshatriya community was just as valuable as the other three varnas. By governing and fighting, they ensured that law and order prevailed in the society and people stayed protected from attacks by the enemy.
From leaders to fighters, the role of the Kshatriya varna has been huge and their contribution has been immense, and glimpses of it continue to be visible in the modern Hindu society.
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