Sanatana dharma part7 28424 K Rajaram IRS VDN Kanchi Mutt
Kshatriya Dharma:
1 Dushtaanaam shasana adraajaa shishtaanaam paripalanaat,
Praapnotyabheepsitaan lokaan varna samsthaakaro nripah/
(Dushta shaasana and shishta paalana or punishing the evil and safeguarding
the virtuous are the fundamental duties of a Ruler, says Vishnu Purana!)
Manu Smriti presents a good deal about the Kshatriya Dharma although
considering the prevalent age of democracy when the Prajas are stated to be
Raajas, these Kshatriya Dharmas suffer from current relevance and sound
archaic. All the same, the Dharmas are being mentioned for the sake of the
record:
2 Kings should execute Vratams in favour of Indra, Surya, Vayu, Yama,
Varuna, Chandra, Agni and Prithivi. Just as Indra enables good rains for
four months a year, Kings by performing Indra vrata most sincerely must
help his subjects keep happy with normal rains. Just as Sun God by the
power of his rays collects taxes from his Subjects for eight months a year
by the blessing of the Arka Vrata that a King performs. By bringing about
happiness to his Subjects in his Kingdom, the King should perform Maruta
Vrata and have the Subjects blessed with even temperature always! The King
should execute YamaVrata to seek blessings to his Subjects so that those
who are virtuous as also otherwise be treated at the time of death just as
the King should like to treat the Subjects equitably at the time of their
punishment or reward! The King also should perform Vaaruna Vrata to bestow
restraint to him to deal with his Subjects without favour or fear! The King
must also perform Chandra Vrata so that the King might be imbibed of
natural equanimity and fulfilment towards his Subjects! Also a King must
perform Agneya Vrata to the Agni Deva deal with his subordinates with
appropriate harshness as and when required. Having detailed the concerned
Vratams, a Kshatriya for sure should be fully aware of the following
instruction of Manu:
3 Yathaa sarvaani bhutaani dharaadhaarayate samam, Tathaa sarvaani
bhutaani bibhratah Parthiva Vratam/
(A kshatriya by birth should pay high consideration in favour of the son
of one ‘s own teacher, servant, provider of knowledge, Dharmatmas, the one
with high practice of Shuchi or Cleanliness of Body and Mind; a very near
and dear companion, a person of moral courage and physical support,
provider of wealth, an extremely docile and virtuous Sadhu and a Teacher-
these are the ones a Kshatriya needs to always stand by and depend!)
K Rajaram IRS 28424
*4 Vaishya Dharma: *
Pashunaam rakshanam daanam ijyaadhyayanamevacha,Vanik patham kusheedam cha
Vaishyasya krishi mevacha/
(Manu Smriti is quoted again: Vaishya dharmas include pashu rakshana,
daana, puja, adhyayana, business, and trading)
5 In sum *Parashara *Maharshi aptly describes:
Kshatriyopi krushim krutvaa dwijam devaampujayet, Vaihyah anyastathaakuryat
krishi vaanijya shilpikaan/ Chaturnaamapi varnaamsha dharma sanaatanah/
(Kshatriyas display their industriousness, valour and courage and serve
Brahmanas for their involvement and dedication in Deva Pujas; Vaishyas earn
out of their trading and business skills and so do the other class of
Society due to their ability in crafts. *Thus, the Four Varnas are engaged
in their own respective duties as their contributions to the Society as per
their own prescribed Dharmas!)*
*6 Common Dharmas to all Varnas: *
1Kshamaa 2satyam 3damah 4shoucham 5daanamindriya 6samyamah, 7Ahimsaa 8Guru
shushrushaa9 tirthaanusaranam dayaa/ 10Aarjavam lobha shunyatvam11 Deva
Brahmmana pujanam,12 Asabhyasuyaacha tathaa 13 Dharmah saamaany uchyate/
(Common Dharmas, irrespective of Varnas as prescribed by Vishnu Maharshi
include 1 truthfulness, 2 patience, 3 control of emotions, 4 cleanliness of
body and mind,5 disposition of charity,6 self-control,
7 non-violence, 8 service to teachers, 9 visits to Tirtha Places, 10
kindness and generosity, 11 straightforwardness, 12 broad-mindedness and 13
worship of Brahmanas and Devas)
*7 Grihastha Dharmas: *
Grihastu dayaa yukto dharmameva anuchintayet, poshya vargaartha
siddhyartham nyaayavartaa su buddhiman/
(Parashara states that Grahastan or house holders should be always engaged
in compassion, just conduct and observance of virtue as also the upkeep of
the family members on the path of worthy upbringing, training and justice)
8 Nyaayopaarjita vittena kartavyam hyata rakshanam, Anyaayena tu yo jeevat
sarva karma bahishkrutah/
(The Grihastha is never ever to deviate from the practice of living
with *well-earned
money* within his means and maintain his family with uprightness being
aloof of undeserving temptations of life)
9 Vivaahena pitrunarchan yagjnardevaam stathaatitheen annairmuneemscha
svaadyaayairapatyena prajapateem, Balinaahiva bhutaani vatsalyenaakhilam
jajat, Prapnoti purusholokaan nijakarma samarjitaan/ Bhikshaa
bhujantuyekechit parivraabrahmachaarinah, Tepyatraiva pratishthante
gaarhasthyam tenavaiparam, Yastu samyak karotyevam grihastah param vidhim,
Svadharma bandhamuktosao lokaanaapnotyanutamaan/
(Once wedded, a house holder should take up the responsibility of
satisfying Pitru devatas; Devatas by yagjnas and sacrifices, bhojanaadi
facilities to Atithis, by svaadhyaya make Rishis happy, by progeny with
Prajapati, Bhutas by Balis, and the entire Society with rapport and good
will. By observing these duties, a householder would certainly attain
higher lokas. Grihasthashrama is ideally blessed to help the begging
Parivrajakas to satisfy their hunger as also help Brahmacharis, besides
performing their own duties and finally reach high lokas) Grihashramaat
10 paro dharmo naasti naasti punah punah, Sarva tirtha phalamtasya
yayoktam yatsu paalayet/ *(Vyaasa Smriti* adds further dimensions to
Grihasti Dharma:
This truism needs to be stressed again and again that there could be no
better dharma as evidenced in Grihastha Ashrama; those who observe Ashrama
Dharmas with conscience are rewarded with the fruits of Sarva Tirtha
Darshana)
11 Guru bhakto bhrutya poshi dayaavaannasuyakah, nityajapi cha homi cha
Satyavaadi jitendriyah/ Swaadaro yasya santosha para daaraa nivartanam/
Apavaadopi no yasya tasya tirthaphalam gruhe/(Those Grihastis who pay
great attention to Gurus, followers, servants and dependents, are of kindly
disposition, without being quarrelsome and non-complaining, observing Nitya
gayatri Japa homam, being satyavaadis or highly truthful, self-restrained
of his physical limbs, fully contented with his own wife and respectful to
other females, and of impeccable character and reputation would reap the
fruits of Sarava Tirtha Darshana even being stable in one‘s own residence)
12 Pratishrayam paada shoucham Brahmanaancha tarpanam, na paapam
samprushyatasya balim bhikshaam dadaati yah/
(Those grahastan who invite Brahmanas, wash their feet, offer
‗neeraajana ‘while standing with esteem and serve bhojanam and satisfy them
along with other services would be completely unreachable for any kind of
sins!)
13 Paadodakam paada ghritam Deepa Mannam pratishrayaam, yo dadaati
brahmanebhyo nopasarpatitam Yamah/
(Those grihastis who wash the feet of Brahmanas with water and ghee, offer
deepa, anna, and respectful hospitality shall be indeed be out of bounds
even of Yama dharma Raja)
14 Yat phalamkapilaa daane kartikyam jyeshtha pushkare, tatphalam Rishayah
shreshthaa vipraanaam paadashouchane// Svagatena agnayahpreetaa aasanena
Shatakratuh, Pitarah paada shouchenaannaa- dyena Prajapatih/
/(The punya that would accrue from Pushkara Tirtha Snaana and Go daana on a
Kartika Pournami day would approximate the ‗paada prakshaalana‘ or cleaning
the feet of an Atithi Brahmana Vidvan! The Grahastan welcoming a Brahmana
Atithi would have pleased Agni deva, the guest being seated comfortably
would have made Indra happy too! Pitru devas would have been delighted and
Prajapati himself would have been contented by Brahmana Bhojana!)
15 Maataa Pitrou poaram tirtham Ghangaa gaavo visheshitaah, Brahmanaat
parama tirtham na bhutam na bhavishyati/
( Any house holder would normally consider his parents as Punya Tirthas
and especially so in the case of cows; but Brahmana as the Atithi is the
Parama tirtha as never in the past nor in the future!) Any person might as
well stay in one‘s own home if only his physical parts and mental faculties
are controlled utmost; indeed his own house is as good as Kurukshetra,
Naimisha and Pushkar Tirthas!
16 Varnaam ashramaanaan chatur varnasya bho Dvijaah, Daanadharmaan
pravikshyaami yathaa vyaasena bhaashitam/
The utmost moral that anyone of the Chatur Varnas should follow and observe
that Vyasa Maharshi emphasises is that one‘s own home be considered as any
Tirtha, provided he or she could control one‘s own faculties*!) Vyasa
Smriti* also stresses:
17 Nityam svaadhyaya sheelasyaat nityam yagjnopaveetivaan,
Satya vaadee jitakrodho Brahma bhuyaaya kalpate/
Sandhyaasnaana rato nityam Brahma yagjna paraayanah,
Anasuyah mridurdaantah grihastah pretyavardhate/
Veeta raaga bhaya krodhah lobhamohavivarjitah,
Saavitri japya niratah shraaddhakrunmuchyate grihee/
Maataa Pitorhite yokto go braahmana hiteratah,
Yajyaacha Deva Bhaktascha Brahma loke maheeyate/
(Nitya Svaadhyaya, Nitya Yagnopaveetham, Nitya Sathya bhashana and Nitya
shanti vratha are the principal qualities of a noble house holder. He
should be devoid of ‗raaga bhaya krodhas ‘or free from
*desires-fears-angers*; he should be ever interested in performing Savitri
Vrata, and be dutiful in Shraddha Karmas so as to qualify himself for
attaining salvation. He must be dutiful to his parents, cows, guests; be in
the regular habit of performing ‗Satkarmas ‘or Acts of Virtue such as
Shradddhas etc. to qualify for Brahma Loka)
18 Manu Smriti observes too similarly:
Shuti smrityuditam dharmamanutishthan hi Maanavah, Iha keerti mavaap -noti
pretyachaanuttamaam gatim/
Those who dutifully observe the principles enunciated on Veda Shastras do
fulfil their aspirations and glory, besides accomplishing the Upper Worlds!)
K RAJARAM IRS 28424
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