Shloka 1
Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka
Book 14, Chapter 43
>> ह््न हि कमी त्रिचत्वारिशो<् ध्याय: चराचर प्राणियोंके अधिपतियोंका
brahmovāca | manuṣyāṇāṃ tu rājanyaḥ kṣatriyo madhyamo guṇaḥ | kuñjaro vāhanānāṃ ca siṃhaś cāraṇyavāsinām ||
Brahmā bersabda: “Wahai para maharṣi! Di antara manusia, pemegang dharma pemerintahan adalah Kṣatriya; padanya terutama tampak guṇa pertengahan, rajas. Di antara tunggangan dan kendaraan, gajah yang utama; dan di antara penghuni rimba, singa yang paling unggul.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse correlates social function with innate temperament: the Kṣatriya, tasked with rule and protection, is marked by rajas—the energetic, assertive guṇa. It also illustrates a broader principle that each domain has a natural ‘foremost’ exemplar, suggesting an ordered cosmos where excellence is context-specific and tied to dharma.
A didactic discourse is underway in which Brahmā speaks, describing characteristics of beings and their governing principles. This verse begins a set of comparisons: it identifies the Kṣatriya’s dominant guṇa and names the elephant and lion as preeminent within their respective categories.