Kshatriya

For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya

Kshatriya (Template:Lang-hi, kṣatriya from Template:Lang-sa, kṣatra) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. Traditionally, the ruling or military class belonged to the Kshatriya varna. Lord Ram was a Kshatriya.

In ancient Vedic society, a person's varna was assigned based on aptitude (guna), conduct (karma), and nature (swabhava). Over the years, these groups became hereditary.

Etymology

In Sanskrit, it is derived from kšatra, meaning "dominion, power, government" from a root kšī "to rule, govern, possess". Old Persian xšāyaθiya ("emperor") and xšaθra ("realm") are related to it, as are the New Persian words šāh ("emperor") and šahr ("city", "realm"). The term denotes aristocratic status.

In the early Vedic civilization, the warrior caste was called rājanya or kšatrīya. The former was an adjectival form of rājan "ruler, king" from a root rāj "to rule", cognate to the Latin rex "king" and the German Reich "empire". In Persia, the satraps, or "kshathrapava", were the governors, or "protectors", of the Persian Empire's provinces.

Holy warriors

File:RadheShyam07.jpg

Lord Sri Krishna with Radha. Krishna, a Kshatriya by birth, is considered an avatar of Vishnu. In the Bhagavad Gita he taught Arjuna about the duty of a Kshatriya.

(duty/justice), their subjects and livestock. They were sanctioned by holy scriptures to govern. The noble king is regarded as a Dharma Raja (Just Ruler)

The Rig Veda states:

praja arya jyotiragrah'. RV, VII. 33.17

People ruled by Aryans (nobles) are led by the Divine light. King Rama of Ayodhya is considered the greatest of the Dharma Rajas:

arya sarva samascaiva sadaiva priyadarsanah

Noble who worked for the equality of all, was dear to everyone. Rama is also considered an avatar of Vishnu. The Ramayana states:

Like the ancient monarch Manu, father of the human race,

Dasaratha ruled his people with a father's loving grace,

Symbol of Kshatriya

In the initiation rituals, the nyagrodha (Ficus Indica or India Fig/banyan tree) danda, or staff, is assigned to the Kshatriya class.

The nyagrodha or banyan tree, (not to be confused with the Peepul Ficus Religiosus or Sacred Fig), with its hanging branch like roots which turn into trunks and can grow to cover acres, was regarded as resembling the Kshatriya. The nyagrodha is the kshatra power of trees, and the Kshatriya is the kshatra power [among humans], for the Kshatriya dwells fastened to the kingdom, and is supported [by it]. The nyagrodha is fastened to the ground by its downward growths, and supported [by it].

(Aitereya Brahmana, 7.31; see also Satapatha Brahmana 5.3.5.13)

"The staff made of this wood is given to the Kshatriya initiate with a mantra imparting physical vitality or ojas".

(Reflections on Resemblance, Ritual, and Religion; Brian K. Smith)

In the Manu Smriti, or Laws of Manu, the Kshatriya caste is given the Varna (Color) red, to symbolize strength, passion and valor.

Origin

Excerpted from Katha Kalpataru, an ancient treatise from the Vedas:

The Universe, in Hindu mythology, came into being through the yawn of the Adi-Purusha, the eternal One Being.

He then felt it necessary to monitor the universe. So, he created Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, entrusting them with the preservance and re-creation. These two were the two sides of the same coins, a replica of HIM. The primary job now was that of procreation. Lord Vishnu created Brahma from his navel, an incarnation of none other than Lord Shiva.

Brahma, the procreator, then set about his task of creating the universe. He created the celestial bodies - earth, mountains, water, air and ether - known in Hinduism as Panch Maha Bhuta. He then created Sapta Rishis, seven wise sages who would take ahead the task of infusing life on the earth. An eighth rishi Narad was born, who declared that he was not interested in procreation and renounced his life for the propagation of Knowledge and Bhakti. The seven sages started with what their Father had ordered them. They came to be Known as Prajapatis - propagators of the divine human race. Rishi Kashyap grew to be wiser than the rest and Brahma married him off to Daksh Prajapati's two daughters - Diti and Aditi. Diti turned out to be a scheming and jealous woman always trying to belittle and outdo virtuous Aditi. This quality in her gave rise to a human race with the same inherent qualities and they came to be known as Daityas. Virtuous Aditi gave birth to equally virtuaous and illustrious sons and they came to be known as Adaityas. Sun and Indra were born of Aditi. Hence Sun God is also known as Aditya.

When Brahma was involved in the job of procreation due to toil and perspiration, a negative energy emanated from him. This negative energy took form of Rakshasas - Madhu and Kaitabha, evil and inhuman souls. They started torturing Brahma himself. Brahma appealed to Lord Vishnu who readily appeared and killed both of them. He explained to Brahma that when a poistive energy is utilised negative energy also emanates and that a specialist race of humans be created to protect the entire human race from time to time. Brahma acting on this advice sat down for meditation. At the end of the day four kinds of energies for human races were formed out of Brahma's body. Brahmins at dawn, Kshatriyas at Noon, Vaishyas at dusk and Shudras at night. Kindly note that these were the Varnas (colors) and not 'caste' as now thought of today. Usually this is told as Brahmins fron the head, ending with Shudras from the feet. In the RigVed the varnas were not rigid and were related to ones actions.

The Brahmins were called so for their inherent knowledge, Kshatriyas for the martial and law & order qualities, Vaishyas for being traders and Shudras for doing menial jobs. Varna meant the colour of the skin. The Brahmin varna was reddish as the sky before dawn, Kshatriya varna as the Sun at noon, Vaishya as the evening sky and Shudra the colour of night sky. Gradually, the Varna system caught hold of Indian Sub Continent and each varna did its job as per guidelines of Brahma. Brahmins and Kshatriyas were the upper castes and Vaishyas and Shudras the lower castes. Both, Brahmins and Kshatriyas were allowed to study the Vedas. Kshatriyas (pronounced as shatria) also studied the ancient martial arts which were eventualy carried by Buddhist monks like Bodhiharma (a Kshatriya) to China and Japan.

The Brahmins later, said the Vedas granted them superiority thus suppressing the Vaishyas and Shudras, depriving them of the right to knowledge. Like Adam and Eve, and the slaves of the american south the lower castes were denied the knowledge of good and evil. Only told what their masters wanted them to know, like the slaves of the American south a Shudra could be killed for learning to read.

Theology

In Vedic theology, Manu is considered the law-giver and progenitor of humanity. He had over 50 sons. Manu was both king and priest and his children (and thus all of humanity) are considered highborn. Due to the eventual differences in occupations, people ended up in different jātis and caste. Those who studied the Vedas became known as Brahmins, those who practiced trade became Vaishya, those who labored became Sudra, and those who took up martial arts became Kshatriyas. The word Arya means "noble" and was initially only used for kings and kshatriyas as it is related to the word "Aristocracy".
Panchjanya, meaning five people, is the common name given to the five most ancient Vedic kshatriya tribes. It is supposed they are all descendants of the Turvasu, Yadu, Puru, Anu and Druhyu. For example, Yadav is descended from the Yadu; Paurav is descended from the Puru; etc.
Kshatriyas were created from the arms of God, priests from his mouth, merchants from his abdomen and laborers from his legs. This was interpreted as meaning that no one caste is more important than the other and that society cannot survive without all parts working together.

Vedic Origin

In modern India, caste is inherited. Most of the Kshatriya communities claim descent from Surya, Chandra, or Agni. The Surya descendants claim descent from Sun Dynasty (Suryavansh). Rama also belonged to this dynasty. Maharaja Agrasen also belonged from the same descent. The Chandra descendants claim descent from Lunar Dynasty (Chandravansh). Krishna also born in this dynasty. Yaduvanshi Kshtriyas consider him as an ancestor. This is based on the writings of the Rig Veda and other Puranas. Great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and Raghuvamsa also support it.

Two camps exist about the importance of these texts. One camp is similar to the literalists of the Christian faith who believe that their holy texts are verbatim documentation of real people, events and dates and that modern society is descended from them. The other camp believes that the holy texts are not meant to be taken literally and should be used symbolically as examples of the proper way to live.

Those who believe the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas were verbatim documents feel that modern Kshatriyas are descended from the Vedic Kshatriyas. The reason for the controversy is that we do not have any physical evidence of their existence. There are no bones, forts, weapons, coins, monuments, pictures etc. discovered to state unequivocally that they existed.

File:StandingBuddha.JPG

Siddhartha Gautama was born into a Hindu Kshatriya family

What historians generally agree on is that from around 1000 BC onwards we have archeological, literary, and artistic evidence of the communities that existed in India. Gautama Buddha and Mahavira are two Kshatriya sages who made a lasting impression on the world.

Jain Origin

According to Jainism, Rishabh, the first Tirthankar founded three varnas namely Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Later, Bharat, eldest son of Rishabh, and the first Chakravarti founded the Brahmin varna in the absence of Rishabh. They will promote inequality in people”

According to Jain and Buddhist literature, Kshatriyas are nothing but those who own a farm, i.e. farmers.

Four varnas came into existence namely Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas and Shudras. Here you can see that the Brahmins got the second position, not the first in the four varnas.

Kshatriya Clans:

All the kshatriyas are descendants of Rishabh, the first Jain Tirthankar. This fact is clearly stated in many Hindu puranic literature like Bhagwat Purana, Brahma Purana, Vishnu Purana etc.

The clan of Rishabh was called Ikshwaku and is thus the clan of all khsatiyas. Later two branches of this clan came into existence. First was Suryawanshi which was named after Adityayash (Ark kirti), the elder son of Bharat and the Grand Son of Rishabh and second Somvansh named after Somyash, the elder son of Bahubali. (Bahubali was younger brother of Bharat and son of Rishabh)

Later Suryavansh was divided into 36 clans and Somvansh was divided into 60 clans. Thus the total number of Kshatriya clans became 96

Establishments and assimilation

In ancient times there was mobility between varnas, as people learned new skills and changed their actions and occupation. Historians believe that the Hindu caste system became rigid around 1000 BC. Prior to this, the nomadic tribes of ancient India did not have a fixed caste system. They initially assigned roles based on an individual’s aptitude and ability. This was necessary in order to ensure the tribe's survival. The stronger members of the tribe became the warriors and were given higher status in society, as they were more important to the survival of the tribe at the time. As the tribes became more familiar with farming they built up surpluses and settled. This more sedentary and leisurely lifestyle shifted the people's focus to accumulating wealth and finding a meaning to life. Priests began to take the preeminent role in society as they ensured spiritual salvation. This led to society forming a more rigid social system where position was determined by birth rather than merit. Thereafter, those in the more powerful classes enforced this caste system to remain in power, a pattern also exhibited by the nobles of Europe. During the Epic Age people began to question these institutions.

Many historical rulers came from other castes what what, or were descended from non-Hindu foreign conquerors, and were either granted de facto Kshatriya status by virtue of the power they held, or they created fictionalized family histories to connect themselves to past Kshatriya rulers. For instance, the Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Pahlavas, Paradas, etc were foreign invaders from the northwest, but were assimilated into the Indian community as Kshatriyas.

Non-Orthodox Kshatriyas

The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (sutra 4.1.168-175) attests that the Kamboja and Gandhara were very important Kshatriya kingdoms of Uttarapatha during or prior to Paninian times (500 BC). See more on ancient Kamboja Kshatriyas.

The Manusmriti, written about 200 AD states that the Sakas (Scythians), Yavanas (Ionian, Indo-Greeks), Kambojas (Central Asians), Paradas (Sinkiang), Pahlavas (Persians), Kiratas (Nepal, Assam), Dravidas,Thevar (Tamil), and Daradas were originally noble Kshatriyas but were relegated to the Barbaric (Vrishala) status due to their neglect of the Brahmanas as well as due to their non-observance of the sacred Brahmanical codes (X/43-44).

Anushasanaparava of the Mahabharata also views the Sakas, Kambojas and the Yavanas etc. in the same light. Patanjali in his Mahabhasya regards the Sakas and Yavanas as pure Sudras (II.4.10).
The Vartika of the Katyayana informs us that the kings of the Sakas and the Yavanas, like those of the Kambojas, may also be addressed by their respective tribal names.
The Mahabharata also associates the Sakas, Yavanas, Gandharas (Northwest India), Kambojas (Pamir-Badakshan), Pahlavas, Tusharas, Sabaras, Barbaras, Dravidas, Boyars etc.. and addresses them all as the Barbaric tribes of Uttarapatha.
In another verse the epic groups the Shakas, Kambojas and Khashas together and state them as the tribes from Udichya, i.e. north division (5/169/20).
The Kishkindha Kanda of the Ramayana locates the Sakas, Kambojas, Yavanas and the Paradas in the extreme north-west beyond the Himavat (i.e. Hindukush) (43/12) in the Shakadvipa, adjoining the land of Uttarakurus.
The Udyogaparava of the Mahabharata (5/19/21-23) tells us that the composite army of the Kambojas, Yavanas and Sakas had participated in the Mahabharata war under the supreme command of Sudakshina Kamboja. The epic repeatedly applauds this composite army as being very fierce and wrathful. Some verses of Mahabharata also attest that the Tusharas or Tukharas were also included in the Kamboja division (e.g.: MBH 6.66.17-21; MBH 8.88.17). ' Tocharians
Puranic accounts attest that the Dravidas are Kshatriyas and are said to be descendants of the sons of Vishwamitra. Like the Kambojas, Sakas, Yavanas, Daradas, Khashas etc, the Dravidas were recorded as Kshatriyas who no longer were initiated into the sacred thread due to their neglect of the Brahmanas as well as due to their non-observance of the sacred Brahmanical codes.

Suryavanshi Kshatriyas

The Suryavanshi lineage is one of the three lineages into which the Kshatriya caste of Hindus is divided, the other two races being the Chandravanshi (descended from Chandra, the Hindu Moon God) or descendant from the Lunar Dynasty, and the Agnivanshi, descended from Agni, the Hindu Fire God. All present-day Suryavanshis also claim descent from the Hindu God Rama, who was himself born into a Suryavanshi dynasty.

Khatri - often sited as the true and original members of the Aryan Kshatriya caste from the area of Punjab, orginating from Aryan invasion from Central Asia. The only group to have ever mixed with them were the Greco-Bactrians.
Kachwaha
Sisodia

Chandravanshi Kshtriya's

The Chandravanshi lineage is one of the three lineages into which the Kshatriya caste of Hindus is divided, the other two being the Suryavanshi, (descended from Surya - god of the sun), and the Agnivanshi, (descended from Agni - god of fire). According to legend, the Chandravanshis are descended from Chandra,in the Lunar Dynasty or the Hindu Moon God.

The Yaduvanshi lineage is the major branch of the Chandravanshi lineage. The Yaduvanshis claim descent from the Hindu God Krishna, who in turn was born into a Chandravanshi dynasty. Chandela Rajput dynasty who built Khajuraho were Chandravanshis. The Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri also traced their ancestry back to the Chandravanshi or "lunar branch".

Agnivanshi Kshtriya's

The Agnivanshi are people belonging to the Agnivansha. According to legend, they are descended from Agni, the Hindu God of Fire. The Agnivanshi lineage is one of the three lineages into which the Kshatriya caste of Hindus is divided, the other two races being the Suryavanshi (descended from Surya, the Hindu Sun God) and the Chandravanshi, descended from Chandra, the Hindu Moon God.

Kshtriya's Clan

The three major traditional branches of Kshatriya varna are Chandravanshi (claiming descent from Chandra), Suryavanshi (claiming direct descent from Ramachandra and descent from Surya) and Agnivanshi (claiming descent from Agni).

Some clans of Gujjars, Dhangars, Jats, Marathas, Kurmis, Rajputs, Lohanas, and other groups in modern India claim descent from the Suryavanshi lineage.

patidar

Several Indian dynasties including the Chandela Rajputs and the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri claimed descent from the Chandravanshi lineage (or "lunar branch"). The Yaduvanshi lineage is the major branch of the Chandravanshi lineage. The Yaduvanshis claim descent from Krishna, who in turn was born into a Chandravanshi dynasty. Several Indian castes such as Yadavs, Gujjars of Bhati Clan, the Jats of Mathura/Bharatpur and the Jadaun Rajputs claim descent from the Yaduvanshi lineage.

The major dynasties that claimed descent from Agnivanshi lineage include Pratiharas, Chauhans, Solankis, and Paramaras were actually of Gurjar origin^[1] Dr. K. Jamanadas also states that the Pratihara clan of Rajputs descended from the Gujjars, and this "raises a strong presumption that the other Rajput clans also are the descendants from the Gurjaras or the allied foreign immigrants".^[2]

Some Kshatriyas claim descent from the Nāga or the "serpent dynasty", and are called Nagavanshi. Some of the castes or clans that claim Nagavanshi descent include some sections of Nair caste of Kerala, such as the Nambiars. Some of the Jat gotras such as Takshak, Bachak, Karkotaka, Kaliramna etc. claim descent from Nagavanshi lineage.^[3]

The Ahom kings of Assam claimed descent from Indra (identified with Khunlung) and Syama (a low-caste woman), and called themselves Indravanshi (or Indravamsa) Kshatriyas.

The Brahmavansha lineage descends from the Brahmavanshi king Chulki.

The Vayuvanshi are another Kshatriya clan although not much is known about the clan.

The Nagavanshi (or Nagabanshi) are another Kshatriya faction that are popular for ruling Chhotanagpur.

The Rexulvanshis are popular for being the kings of Surguja.

The alien hordes that didn't follow Hindu customs or traditions (Shakas, Kushans, Indo-Greeks, Hunas and Parthians) were stated as Vratya Kshatriyas in Manusmriti.^[4]

Outside the Indian subcontinent

About 40 percent of the total population of Bali comprises Balinese Kshatriyas. Balinese Hinduism has a caste system and is heavily influenced by the Vedas. Balinese people are of mixed, Polynesian, Aryan and Dravidian descent.

The Balamon Hindu Cham people of Vietnam consist of 70% Kshatriyas (pronounced in Vietnamese as "Satrias"). Although Balamon make up only 25% of the overall Cham population (the other 75% are Muslims or Cham Bani). These Balamon Kshatriyas claim to be the descendants of the Champa Empire.

References

^ Rose, Horace Arthur (1990). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services. p. 300. ISBN 8120605055. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |couathors= ignored (help)
^ Jamanadas, K. "Rajput Period Was Dark Age Of India". Decline And Fall Of Buddhism: A tragedy in Ancient India. New Delhi: Bluemoon Books. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
^ Ram Swarup Joon: History of the Jats, Rohtak, India (1938, 1967)
^ Magumdar, Raichaudhry. Notes of IGNOU Delhi University, Allahabad University, BHU, JNU, Jamia Milia Islamia (Irfan Habib).