Shloka 53
Kardama Muni’s Penance, Viṣṇu’s Darśana, and the Arrangement of Devahūti’s Marriage
न यदा रथमास्थाय जैत्रं मणिगणार्पितम् । विस्फूर्जच्चण्डकोदण्डो रथेन त्रासयन्नघान् ॥ ५२ ॥ स्वसैन्यचरणक्षुण्णं वेपयन्मण्डलं भुव: । विकर्षन् बृहतीं सेनां पर्यटस्यंशुमानिव ॥ ५३ ॥ तदैव सेतव: सर्वे वर्णाश्रमनिबन्धना: । भगवद्रचिता राजन् भिद्येरन् बत दस्युभि: ॥ ५४ ॥
na yadā ratham āsthāya jaitraṁ maṇi-gaṇārpitam visphūrjac-caṇḍa-kodaṇḍo rathena trāsayann aghān
Jika Engkau tidak menaiki kereta kemenangan bertatah permata itu untuk menakuti para pendosa, tidak menggelegar dengan dentang busur-Mu yang dahsyat, dan tidak berkeliling laksana matahari sambil memimpin bala tentara besar—hingga bumi bergetar oleh injakan mereka—maka, wahai Raja, semua batas dharma varṇa-āśrama yang ditetapkan Bhagavān akan dihancurkan para perampok.
It is the duty of a responsible king to protect the social and spiritual orders in human society. The spiritual orders are divided into four āśramas — brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa — and the social orders, according to work and qualification, are made up of the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras. These social orders, according to the different grades of work and qualification, are described in Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, for want of proper protection by responsible kings, the system of social and spiritual orders has now become a hereditary caste system. But this is not the actual system. Human society means that society which is making progress toward spiritual realization. The most advanced human society was known as ārya; ārya refers to those who are advancing. So the question is, “Which society is advancing?” Advancement does not mean creating material “necessities” unnecessarily and thus wasting human energy in aggravation over so-called material comforts. Real advancement is advancement toward spiritual realization, and the community which acted toward this end was known as the Āryan civilization. The intelligent men, the brāhmaṇas, as exemplified by Kardama Muni, were engaged in advancing the spiritual cause, and kṣatriyas like Emperor Svāyambhuva used to rule the country and insure that all facilities for spiritual realization were nicely provided. It is the duty of the king to travel all over the country and see that everything is in order. Indian civilization on the basis of the four varṇas and āśramas deteriorated because of her dependency on foreigners, or those who did not follow the civilization of varṇāśrama. Thus the varṇāśrama system has now been degraded into the caste system.
FAQs
This verse portrays the righteous ruler as one who publicly restrains and frightens the sinful through strength and authority, thereby protecting dharma.
The imagery highlights royal competence and deterrence—symbols of a kṣatriya’s responsibility to maintain order and safeguard the innocent.
Uphold dharma by responsibly using one’s authority—at home, work, or society—to stop harmful behavior while remaining principled.