Category:Arjuna As a Ksatriya
Theme Analysis
The concept of occupational duty, or varṇāśrama-dharma, is central to the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that human society is scientifically divided into functional classes, and Arjuna belonged to the kṣatriya class—the royal administrators and warriors. The primary duty of a kṣatriya is to maintain justice and protect the innocent, which frequently requires the use of military force. A true kṣatriya is strictly forbidden to refuse a legitimate challenge to battle. Therefore, when Arjuna proposed abandoning the fight to live peacefully by begging—a lifestyle meant only for brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs—he was committing a severe breach of his religious duty.
Lord Kṛṣṇa's response to Arjuna's hesitation was swift and uncompromising. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that Kṛṣṇa did not praise Arjuna's nonviolent compassion. Instead, He chastised Arjuna for exhibiting cowardice, explicitly calling his behavior anārya-juṣṭam (befitting a non-Aryan). Kṛṣṇa warned Arjuna that if he abandoned his duty out of bodily affection for his grandfather Bhīṣma and teacher Droṇa, he would become an unworthy son, lose his glorious reputation, and pave a royal road to hell. The ultimate lesson of the Bhagavad-gītā is not the renunciation of action, but the purification of action. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that Arjuna did not change his social position after hearing Kṛṣṇa's instructions; he remained a householder and a military general, but he fought strictly for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, thereby achieving the highest perfection of life.
- The Prescribed Duty: As a kṣatriya, Arjuna was obligated by Vedic law to fight for justice and protect religious principles; he could not legitimately refuse a challenge to battle.
- The Illusion of Nonviolence: Arjuna's desire to act nonviolently and beg for a livelihood was a deviation from his prescribed duty, born of material affection rather than spiritual enlightenment.
- The Aryan Standard: Lord Kṛṣṇa heavily chastised Arjuna, stating that neglecting one's occupational duty out of cowardice is characteristic of a non-Aryan.
- Perfection in Action: Spiritual perfection is achieved not by artificially changing one's social order, but by executing one's natural occupational duties purely for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Arjuna As a Kṣatriya - The Duty of a Vedic Warrior.
Pages in category "Arjuna As a Ksatriya"
The following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total.
A
- A brahmana can serve the Lord by using his intelligence, and the ksatriya can serve the Supreme Lord by using his military arts, just as Arjuna served Krsna. Arjuna was a warrior; he had no time to study Vedanta or other highly intellectual books
- A ksatriya is not supposed to refuse to battle or gamble when he is so invited by some rival party. Under such obligation, Arjuna could not refuse to fight because he was challenged by the party of Duryodhana. BG 1972 purports
- Although Arjuna was a ksatriya, he was deviating from his prescribed duties by declining to fight. This act of cowardice is described as befitting the non-Aryans. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna appears to have even forgotten the moral codes for a ksatriya. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna as a ksatriya should not abandon his duty out of fear that his grandfather and teacher - Bhisma and Drona - will die in the battle. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna did not know whether he should fight and risk unnecessary violence, although fighting is the duty of the ksatriyas, or whether he should refrain and live by begging. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna is a great warrior, fighter, and for a ksatriya to kill one is not very difficult task
- Arjuna is a ksatriya, and as such he is participating in the varnasrama-dharma institution. It is said in the Visnu Purana that in the varnasrama-dharma, the whole aim is to satisfy Visnu. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder ksatriya. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was a householder Ksatriya and was fighting for the interest of the Lord and as such he was the first Acarya in the parampara line
- Arjuna was a ksatriya, a fighter. He was a householder, not even a sannyasi, not a renouncer - but these are not qualifications to understand Krsna
- Arjuna was a ksatriya, and this conduct was not expected from him (to lament unnecessarily like a sudra). Lord Krsna, however, can dissipate the lamentation of the ignorant man, and for this purpose the Bhagavad-gita was sung by Him. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was a military man, and born of the nature of the ksatriya. Therefore his natural duty was to fight. But, due to false ego, he was fearing that by killing his teacher, grandfather and friends, there would be sinful reactions. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was hesitating to fight, "How can I kill my nephew, my brother, my grandfather," and so on, so on. So Krsna was instructing him that, - It is your duty. As a ksatriya, when there is battle, you should fight. You should not deviate from your duty
- Arjuna, although he was fighter, Arjuna did not change his position. He did not become a brahmana. After hearing Bhagavad-gita it is not that he gave up his profession as a ksatriya and went to Himalaya to become a brahmana, meditation
- Arjuna, the ksatriya, was refusing to fight despite being directly ordered by the Supreme Lord. He was thus chastised by the Lord as belonging to a non-Aryan family. Anyone who is advanced in the devotional service of the Lord certainly knows his duty
- Aryan civilization means this Vedic civilization. Just like Arjuna, a ksatriya, belonged to the Aryan civilization, and because he was denying to fight, Krsna accused him, "Oh, this is just like non-Aryans." Anarya-justam, non-Aryans
- As a ksatriya, Arjuna belonged to the Vedic culture, and it behooved him to continue to follow its principles. BG 1972 purports
- As a ksatriya, he requires a kingdom for his subsistence, because the ksatriyas cannot engage themselves in any other occupation. But Arjuna has had no kingdom. BG 1972 purports
H
- He (Arjuna) wanted to become nonviolent in the discharge of his specific duty. For a ksatriya to be in the battlefield and to become nonviolent is the philosophy of fools. BG 1972 purports
- He (Arjuna) was a fighter. His duty as a ksatriya, his duty is to fight. But he fought for Krsna. Similarly, everyone can perform his duty. That is also enjoined in the SB
- He (Arjuna) was saintly by character, and therefore he wanted to deal with them (the aggresors) in saintliness. This kind of saintliness, however, is not for a ksatriya. BG 1972 purports
- He said, yadrcchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavrtam: Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but it is a great opportunity for you. Because as a ksatriya, if you kill these cheaters and rogues, that will be a great achievement for you
- Here Krsna is addressing Arjuna, anarya: non-Aryan. - You are ksatriya. Your service is now required to fight with persons who have created injustice. So what is this, that you are denying to fight
I
- If he (Arjuna) abandoned the battle (of Kuruksetra), he would not only neglect his specific duty as a ksatriya, but he would lose all his fame and good name and thus prepare his royal road to hell. BG 1972 purports
- In Arjuna's discharge of duties as a ksatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. BG 1972 purports
- It is the custom - according to ksatriya fighting principles - that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, in such an enigmatic position, decided he would not fight if he were attacked by the enemy. BG 1972 purports
K
- Karna was equal to Arjuna, and therefore Arjuna was in crisis when fighting with Karna. It was felt by Arjuna, and therefore Karna was killed even by crooked means. Such are the engagements of the ksatriyas
- Krsna did not encourage him that you should stop fighting. Rather Arjuna was trying to stop fighting. Krsna said, - No. You are ksatriya. You cannot stop fighting
- Krsna said to Arjuna: "This is not for the Aryan. You are ksatriya, you are meant for fighting for justice, and you are denying to fight? Oh, this is not good. This kind of proposal, cowardice, can be proposed by the anarya
- Krsna says (to Arjuna) that - Don't try to imitate the business of a sannyasi or a Brahmin. You are ksatriya. You . . . your duty is to fight, so you should follow your own prescribed duty. Don't try to imitate others
T
- The first-class example of this type of man (who does not act for sense gratification, since he is situated in his occupational duties) is Arjuna. Arjuna was a ksatriya, and his occupational duty was to fight
- The Lord further tells Arjuna that as a ksatriya he cannot give up his fighting, but if Arjuna fights remembering Krsna, then he will be able to remember Him at the time of death. BG 1972 Introduction