Bhagavad Gita 2.31

[Paramananda das]

Text 31

sva-dharmam api caveksya na vikampitum arhasi dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo ’nyat kshatriyasya na vidyate

Translation

Considering your specific duty as a kshatriya, you should know that there is no better for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Out of the four orders of social administration, the second order, for the matter of good administration, is called kshatriya. Ksat means hurt. One who gives protection from harm is called kshatriya (trayate—to give protection). The kshatriyas are trained for killing in the forest. A kshatriya would go into the forest and challenge a tiger face to face and fight with the tiger with his sword. When the tiger was killed, it would be offered the royal order of . This system has been followed even up to the present day by the kshatriya kings of Jaipur state. The kshatriyas are specially trained for challenging and killing because religious violence is sometimes a necessary factor. Therefore, kshatriyas are never meant for accepting directly the order of sannyasa, or renunciation. Nonviolence in politics may be a diplomacy, but it is never a factor or principle. In the religious law books it is stated:

ahavesu mitho ’nyonyam jighamsanto mahi-ksitah yuddhamanah param shaktya svargam yanty aparan-mukhah yajnesu pasavo brahman hanyante satatam dvijaih samskritah kila mantrais ca te ’pi svargam avapnuvan

“In the battlefield, a king or kshatriya, while fighting another king envious of him, is eligible for achieving heavenly planets after death, as the brahmanas also attain the heavenly planets by sacrificing animals in the sacrificial fire.” Therefore, killing on the battlefield on religious principles and killing animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved. The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the gradual evolutionary process from one form to another, and the kshatriyas killed on the battlefield also attain the heavenly planets as do the brahmanas who attain them by offering sacrifice.

There are two kinds of sva-dharmas, specific duties. As long as one is not liberated, one has to perform the duties of his particular body in accordance with religious principles in order to achieve liberation. When one is liberated, one’s sva-dharma—specific duty—becomes spiritual and is not in the material bodily concept. In the bodily conception of life there are specific duties for the brahmanas and kshatriyas respectively, and such duties are unavoidable. Sva-dharma is ordained by the Lord, and this will be clarified in the Fourth Chapter. On the bodily plane sva-dharma is called varnashrama-dharma, or man’s steppingstone for spiritual understanding. Human civilization begins from the stage of varnashrama-dharma, or specific duties in terms of the specific modes of nature of the body obtained. Discharging one’s specific duty in any field of action in accordance with the orders of higher authorities serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Because the soul cannot be destroyed, you should not fear killing. And considering from the point of view of your particular duties (since there is nothing better than fighting for dharma), you should not fear. That is the relation of the two verses.

Macmillan version:

Chapter 2. Contents of the Gita Summarized

TEXT 31

sva-dharmam api caveksya na vikampitum arhasi dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyat ksatriyasya na  vidyate

SYNONYMS

sva-dharmam--one's own  religious principles; api--also; ca--indeed; aveksya--considering; na--never; vikampitum--to hesitate; arhasi--you deserve; dharmyat--from religious principles; hi--indeed; yuddhat--than fighting; sreyah--better  engagements; anyat--anything else; ksatriyasya--of the ksatriya; na--does not; vidyate--exist.

TRANSLATION

Considering your specific duty  as a ksatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than  fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

PURPORT

Out of the four orders of social  administration, the second order, for the matter of good administration, is  called ksatriya. Ksat means hurt. One who gives protection from  harm is called ksatriya (trayate--to give protection). The ksatriyas are trained for killing in the forest. A ksatriya would  go into the forest and challenge a tiger face to face and fight with the tiger  with his sword. When the tiger was killed, it would be offered the royal order  of . This  system is being followed even up to the present day by the ksatriya kings  of Jaipur state. The ksatriyas are specially trained for challenging and  killing because religious violence is sometimes a necessary factor. Therefore, ksatriyas are never meant for accepting directly the order of sannyasa or renunciation. Nonviolence in politics may be a diplomacy, but it is never  a factor or principle. In the religious law books it is stated:

ahavesu mitho 'nyonyam jighamsanto mahi-ksitah yuddhamanah  param saktya svargam yanty aparan-mukhah yajnesu pasavo brahman  hanyante satatam dvijaih samskrtah kila mantrais ca te 'pi svargam  avapnuvan

"In the battlefield,  a king or ksatriya, while fighting another king envious of him, is  eligible for achieving heavenly planets after death, as the brahmanas  also attain the heavenly planets by sacrificing animals in the sacrificial  fire." Therefore, killing on the battlefield on religious principles and the  killing of animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts  of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved.  The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the  gradual evolutionary process from one form to another, and the ksatriyas  killed in the battlefield also attain the heavenly planets as do the brahmanas who attain them by offering sacrifice. There are two kinds of sva-dharmas, specific duties. As long as one is not liberated, one has to  perform the duties of that particular body in accordance with religious  principles in order to achieve liberation. When one is liberated, one's sva-dharma--specific duty--becomes spiritual and is not in the material  bodily concept. In the bodily conception of life there are specific duties for  the brahmanas and ksatriyas respectively, and such duties are  unavoidable. Sva-dharma is ordained by the Lord, and this will be  clarified in the Fourth Chapter. On the bodily plane sva-dharma is called varnasrama-dharma, or man's steppingstone for spiritual understanding.  Human civilization begins from the stage of varnasrama-dharma, or  specific duties in terms of the specific modes of nature of the body obtained.  Discharging one's specific duty in any field of action in accordance with varnasrama-dharma serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya: Visnuswami Sridhara Swami's Commentary Arjuna is being instructed that he should not hesitate in carrying out his as a warrior.  Just because there is no destruction for the eternal soul. He should without  hesitation slay these miscreants who have perpetrated heinous offences. Arjuna  stated in chapter one, verse thirty- one that he saw no benefit in slaying  kinsman. That argument is now nullified because for a ksatriya there is no  better fight than for the sake of righteousness which is in conformity with the  Vedic scriptures.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya: Madhvacarya There is no commentary for this verse.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya: Ramanuja Ramanuja's Commentary The virtuous war the Supreme Lord Krishna is instructing Arjuna about would  be recorded in the Mahabharata as the Battle of Kuruksetra. Because it involves  such great sacrifices of life it should be regarded as within the of a ksatriya's  legitimate duties the same as a Agnisomiyam which is the performance of  sacrifice to Agni and Soma. Understanding that it is to his merit as a ksatriya to fight this battle Arjuna can have no cause for regret.  According to the ksatriya code of ethics no infringement has been enacted  by Arjuna or his brothers the Pandava's and so dharma or righteousness is  with them. There is no action more meritorious for a ksatriya then to  fight for righteousness. The qualities to be found in a ksatriyaare  heroism, exuberance, determination, resourcefulness, bravery in battle,  generosity and leadership. That those slain in battle obtain illustrious  heavenly bodies and win other rewards in heavenly spheres has already been  mentioned.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya: Nimbaditya Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary Having established the fact that it is not intelligent to lament about the  soul of any living entity, Lord Krishna subsequently responds to Arjunas  supplication of what is in his highest good with the word svadharmam or  principles of righteousness. Not only considering the nature of the soul but  one's duty is indicated here as well. Lord Krishna is emphasising this to Arjuna  so that he will follow his duty as a ksatriya and act like a warrior. For to act  contrary and hesitate or waver is not in accordance with ksatriya code according  to Vedic scriptures and such a deviation by Arjuna would be considered an act of  unrighteousness. What then is duty? Righteousness is duty which is not separate  from those who are righteous. For a ksatriya there is nothing more welcome then  the oppurtunity to fight a battle to protect righteousness. As it is stated in  Yagnavalkya that the steps taken in warfare are as sacrifices themselves for  those who do not turn their backs from battle even though wounded. It is to be  understood that Arjunas previous lamentations such as feeling sympathy for his  relatives in battle arrayed against him, his body shaking and his hair standing  on end, his mind reeling and his are all unfavorable to him in executing  his duty and thus are not appropriate in this situation.

"Duties Of The Body And Soul"

73/09/01 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.31
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Devotee:

sva-dharmam api caveksya na vikampitum  arhasi dharmyaddhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyat ksatriyasya na vidyate [Bg.  2.31]

"Considering your specific duty as a ksatriya, you should know that  there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and  so there is no need for hesitation."

Prabhupada: Sva-dharmam. Sva means "own." And  dharmam means "occupation." Dharma means occupation and... (to Pradyumna:) You  finished?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupada: Sva  means "own." Sva-dharmam: "one's own occupation." So according to Vedic  civilization, everyone has his own sva-dharma. This has been misinterpreted by  the rascals. Sva-dharma means anyone can discover his own religious principle.  Yato mata tato patha. Whatever you think is religious principle, that's all  right. This is going on. But that is not the meaning. Sva-dharma means "own  occupation." Actually dharma means which you cannot give up. Dhr-dhatu. You have  to capture it; to keep your existence you must capture it.

So because we have got body and soul, two  different things, we are combination, body and soul. That is already explained  very nicely in so many ways. So actually sva-dharma means the occupation of the  soul. Because in the material condition we do not understand what I am -- whether I am this body or I am soul. Mostly people they do not know that one is  soul, not this body. Body is the dress or outward covering, external covering.  Subtle covering and gross covering. But so long one is in the bodily concept of  life, so one has got different occupational duty according to the conception of  the body. So the nature is being conducted by three modes of nature. Therefore,  according to one's nature there is occupational duty. That is scientific  division. At the present moment there is no such division. Therefore gradually  people are degrading to the lowest -- ignorance, sudra. They are taking to the sudra  principles. Yesterday I was presented with a paper, Indian government scheme to  help people starting small-scale industries, and government is ready to help.  (aside:) You sit cross-legged, not like that. All of you. So a small industry,  there are so many motor parts, so many other parts. About 200, 300 items,  government is ready to help a small industry. But the government does not know  or the leaders do not know that to engage people in such industrial means to bring them to  the sudra platform. Sudra platform. Every government is encouraging people how  to become sudra. But actually, the human society must be divided into four  parts. Four divisions: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. Just like in our  body there is division. The head department, the arms department, the belly  department and the leg department. You cannot say, "Let there be only leg  department. There is no use of head and arms and belly." Will that go on nicely?  If your body, you cut off all other parts and simply keep the legs, will that be  very nice ?  Leg is required. But if you keep the body only by the legs, then this kind of  body is dead body. Any part of the body. Especially the head. If you cut off the  head then the body is altogether dead. You can cut off the arms, you can cut off  the legs, but it is very difficult to cut off the belly also. Then it will be  dead.

So, sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means the division,  ksatriya division of the society. The brahmana division, the ksatriya division,  the vaisya division and the sudra division. Everything is required. It is not  that sudra is not required. Sudra is required, but if you make propaganda simply  to make people sudras, then who will give direction? If there is no head, who  will give the direction? So a ksatriya, ksatriya has got a very difficult task  to see. Ksatriya means government, the governing division. So the governing  division has got a very important duty to see that everyone is following his  duty. The brahmana is following his duty, a ksatriya is following his duty,  vaisya is following the duty, and sudra... That is, government's duty is... Just  like in India nowadays it has become a secular government. Secular government  means impartial to any religious system. But the government should not be so  callous that in religious principle, let people do whatever he likes. No. The  government cannot do so. You can say that "You are Hindu; you execute your own  system of religion. You are Muslim; you can execute your system of religion. You  are Christian; you follow your system of religion. You are Buddhist; you follow  your system of religion." But the government cannot be callous that whatever  they may follow or whatever they may not do, and government is neutral. No.  Anyone, if he is professing himself that "I am Hindu," then it is the  government's duty to see whether he is actually executing the Hindu principles  of religion. That is secular state. If you are calling himself Muslim, then it  is government's duty to see that whether actually you are following the Muslim  principles of religion. If you are a Christian, it is the government's duty is  to see that you are following the Christian principle of religion. Not that  callous, "You can do whatever you like." No. Ksatriya's duty is to see. The  king, government's duty is to see. Similarly, if one is claiming that he is a  brahmana, it is the government's duty to see whether he's strictly following the  brahmana principles: samo damas titiksa, arjavam, whether he is strictly  following how to become self-controlled, how to remain always pure, clean, suci.  Brahmanas' another name is suci, always cleansed. Similarly arjavam, simplicity.  Brahmana's life should be very simple. They should not imitate the ksatriyas and  the vaisyas and the sudras. So this principle, whether one is actually following  the brahminical principle...

So here Krsna is pointing out that "As a  ksatriya you must follow your principle, ksatriya principle." What is ksatriya  principle? Ksatriya principle is that dharmyaddhi yuddhat, dharmyaddhi yuddhac  chreyo 'nyat ksatriyasya na vidyate. Ksatriya must be always prepared, and if  required, to fight also, whether people are keeping their own principle of  religion. That is ksatriya's duty. He, if (a) brahmana is bluffing people, that  "I am brahmana," but he is acting as a sudra, immediately ksatriya should point  out and offer him fight, "Why you are cheating people? Why you are cheating  people?" Similarly, a ksatriya is declaring himself that "I am ksatriya," but  he's acting as a sudra, it is the ksatriya's or the government's duty, that,  "Why you are cheating people?" So a ksatriya's business is always prepared to  fight. Fight means that to see that everyone is acting nicely. Because if you  are not acting nicely, and if I say that "You are not acting nicely," you'll be  angry. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye. Because if one is actually  brahmana, he must act as a brahmana. So if somebody says that "You are declaring  yourself as brahmana but you are not following the brahmana principle," he will  be angry. But a ksatriya's duty is that if he is angry, he should be punished  immediately. He should be punished immediately. Ksatriya's yuddhac, dharmyaddhi  yuddhat. He should challenge. Challenging means yuddha, fight.

So ksatriya cannot be nonviolent. It is not  possible. Violence is also required to keep the social system strictly in order.  Just like the government has violence department, the police department, the  military department. That is required to keep up the society in order. So here  Krsna says that "You are ksatriya; your duty is to fight." Dharmyaddhi yuddhat.  "This fight arranged by Me in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, because it is  sanctioned by Me, it is dharma-yuddha, it is religious fighting." It is not the  political diplomats declaring war to keep the people in ignorance. No. It is  sanctioned by Krsna. Whatever is sanctioned by Krsna, that is dharma. Dharma,  the explanation of dharma I have several times given you. Dharmam hi saksad  bhagavat-pranitam: Whatever God sanctions, that is dharma. So God, Krsna  personally has sanctioned this Battle of Kuruksetra. So therefore it is dharma,  dharma-yuddha religious fight. It is not ordinary fighting of the diplomats and  the politicians. It is dharma-yuddha. Therefore He says, dharmyaddhi yuddhac  chreyo 'nyat ksatriyasya na vidyate: "You are ksatriya. You are fighting for the  sake of religious system. That is the, your first-class duty."  Sreyah.

So a ksatriya... These four principles must be  there in the society, brahmana, ksat... The brahmana will not be required to  fight. A brahmana will not be required to work like sudra. A brahmana will not  be required to work like vaisya. Therefore brahmana can beg. Pathana pathana  yajana yajana dana pratigrahah. This is brahmana's business. He must be good  scholar in Vedic literature and he must teach others. Not that "I have learned  everything; I'll not teach anything." No. Brahmana must be well-versed in the  Vedic literature and he must preach also, make others also brahmana, pathana  pathana. Not that "I have become brahmana. So there is no need of others  becoming brahmana. There will be competition." Just like in India they have  become very much afraid that I am making Europeans and Americans brahmanas, so  they are very much against me. They come to fight with me. In Hyderabad they  came to fight. "Sir, you are making brahmanas, these Europeans and Americans?  This is not good." "And why not?" So we had some discussion. So actually it is  not that brahmana is made by birth. Brahmana means, catur-varnyam maya srstam  guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. By quality and work. Similarly, everything, by  quality and work. This is confirmed by Narada Muni.

yasya yal laksanam proktam pumso  varnabhivyanjakam yad anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB  7.11.35]

Yad anyatra. If the brahminical qualities are visible, manifest,  elsewhere. Elsewhere, may be he's sudra, may be candala. Tat tenaiva vinirdiset.  So you, one should accept him as brahmana. Similarly, if one is born in brahmana  family but his qualities are like sudra, tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. He  should be accepted as sudra. This is the injunction given by Narada Muni. Not  ordinary person. Tat tenaiva vinirdiset. And upon this the greatest authority of  comment on Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sridhara Svami, he has commented that janma,  birth, is not the chief requisition to become...sama-damadi. One must be  qualified with samo damas titiksah suci. Then he should be  accepted.

So it is the duty of the ksatriya...  Unfortunately, the so-called government men, they are also sudras. The so-called  priests, they are also sudras. The so-called vaisyas, they are sudras. The whole  world is now full of sudras. So you cannot expect anything very nice in this  situation because everything is being conducted by sudras. So Krsna is advising  Arjuna that "This fight is not ordinary fight. It is dharma-yuddha, and you  should accept it, you should not hesitate. After all, the soul is never killed.  It is the duty, it is the duty of different dharma." Sva-dharma, sva-dharma  means so long one is in the bodily concept of life, this sva-dharma means this  brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. This is sva-dharma. And Arjuna belonged to  the ksatriya; therefore his sva-dharma, his occupational duty, is to fight. So,  and real sva-dharma is spiritual sva-dharma. In the spiritual. So when you go  deep into the matter, when you understand that "I am not this body; I am soul,"  then that is real sva-dharma. And what is the occupation of that sva-dharma?  That is to be engaged in the service of the Lord. Jivera svarupa haya  nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Actually that is sva-dharma. Every  soul is eternally servant of Krsna. That is spiritual sva-dharma. And material  sva-dharma means this brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra.

Therefore the sva-dharma changes. Sva-dharma  changes as soon as one is elevated to the spiritual platform. That is explained  in the Bhagavad-gita. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26].  Who? Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. One who is engaged in devotional service. A  devotee's position is transcendental. He has no, no more sva-dharma in the  bodily concept of life. Because he's neither brahmana, neither ksatriya, nor  vaisya nor sudra. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, "I am not a brahmana, I am not a  sudra, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a brahmacari, I am not a sannyasi." In this  way He negativated all the eight items because sva-dharma means varnasrama  dharma. Varna and asrama. Four castes: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. And  four spiritual order: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. So  Caitanya Mahaprabhu denied, that "I am not this, I am not this, I am not that, I  am not that." Then what you are? Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah  [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya  20.108-109]. Gopi-bhartuh means this maintainer of the gopis, Krsna.  Gopi-bhartuh. Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayoh. "I am the servant of the servant of  the servant of the servant who is engaged in the service of the lotus feet of  Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]."

So this is... Those who are in Krsna  consciousness, those who have decided to serve Krsna only, they are no longer in  the categories of sva-dharma, the bodily sva-dharma, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya,  sudra, or brahmacari, vanaprastha. He is transcendental. That is confirmed in  every sastra. So so far we are concerned, Krsna conscious, so long our bodily  concept of life is not completely eradicated, we must follow the sva-dharma of  the body. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, ity adi. But when actually  advanced, that is maha-bhagavata. We should not imitate that, but our process is  the more we advance in Krsna consciousness, we become transcendental to this  bodily concept of life, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. But Krsna  says:

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa  gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg.  14.26]

So anyone who engages himself without any reservation to the service of  the Lord, he is not within the category of these eight varnasrama-dharma. He's  transcendental. Sa brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. So as a Krsna consciousness person,  he can act like anything by the order of Krsna. He can act as a brahmana, he can  act as a sudra, because his main business is to carry out Krsna's order. He's no  longer within the category of this sva-dharma. So Krsna asking Arjuna, that "If  you are thinking in the bodily concept of life, then also..." Means "First of  all, when I have ordered, I have sanctioned, you can work it beyond the bodily  concept of life. But if you are thinking still that you are in the bodily  concept of life, then, as a ksatriya, it is your duty to fight." Krsna is trying  to put Arjuna in the dilemma, "This way or that way, you must have to fight. If  you think that you are not in bodily concept of life, then it is My order, ‘You  must fight.' If you think that you are in bodily concept of life, then you are a  ksatriya, you must fight. Both ways you have to fight." This is Krsna's  conclusion.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with  permission.

comment: The real duty of every member of  ISKCON is not only to follow 4 regs and chant minimum 16 rounds and so many other instructiones given by Srila Prabhupada but also to distribute Srila Prabhupadas books ,this is not a part time occupation but the real dharma of every single member of ISKCON :

In SB 7.9.44 purport Srila Prabhupada writes:  "Rather, every member of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is interested in going door to door to try to convince people about the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the teachings of Lord Caitanya. That is the purpose of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be fully convinced that without Kṛṣṇa one cannot be happy. Thus the Kṛṣṇa conscious person avoids all kinds of pseudo spiritualists, transcendentalists, meditators, monists, philosophers and philanthropists."

for us this vers reads:

"Considering your specific duty as a member of ISKCON , you should know there is no better engamgement for you than distributing Srila Prabhupadas books, so there is no need for hesitation "

.

[Paramananda das]

Just a small note, there has not been any tigers faced by Ksatriyas since before the britsh occupation as far as I have researched ,so Srila Prabhupada  states in Gita 2.31   this goes on to  present day is not a fact,  the fact is Rajastan hardly has any tigers left and few are found in some national parks like  http://www.startadventure.net/sariska-tiger-reserve-rajasthan.htme it is however an example how ksatiyas in Rajastan used to be great warriors

,so the example is still valid , but for preachers ,this is a small things that should also be known...do not expect to see the king of Jaipure fighting tigers in Sariska tigers National park , he is properly sitting watching Olympics or Indian cricket team on Indian TV and going for darshan of Radha Govindaji