Mahabharata 7.69.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 69, Shloka 2
द्रोणेन दुर्योधनस्य कवचबन्धनम् — Drona’s Mantra-Bound Armor for Duryodhana
यत्नतः प्रथितेत्यूचु: सर्वानभिभवन् पृथु: । क्षतान्नस्त्रास्यते सर्वानित्येवं क्षत्त्रियोड$भवत्
yatnataḥ prathiteti ūcuḥ sarvān abhibhavan pṛthuḥ | kṣatān nas trāsyate sarvān ity evaṃ kṣattriyo 'bhavat ||
نارد نے کہا— “مہارشیوں نے اعلان کیا تھا: ‘یہ اپنی کوشش سے مشہور ہوگا اور سب پر غالب آئے گا۔’ اسی لیے وہ ‘پرتھو’ کہلایا۔ انہوں نے یہ بھی کہا: ‘یہ ہمیں ہر طرح کی چوٹ اور نقصان (کْشَت) سے بچائے گا’؛ اسی معنی کے سبب وہ ‘کْشَتریہ’—یعنی نقصان سے محافظ—کے نام سے معروف ہوا۔”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links rightful kingship to two ideals: personal effort that earns renown through overcoming adversaries, and the ethical duty of protection—defending people from injury. The title ‘kṣatriya’ is presented as meaningful because it implies safeguarding others from harm.
Nārada reports what sages proclaimed about a ruler: he would become famous by his exertion and by subduing all opponents, hence the name Pṛthu; and because he would protect people from ‘kṣata’ (injury), he is called ‘kṣatriya.’ The passage functions as an etymological and moral explanation of royal titles.
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