Bhagavad Gita 18.43
Spoken by Krishna · Verse 43 of 78
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर् दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्य् अपलायनम् । दानम् ईश्वरभावश् च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥
śauryaṃ tejo dhṛtir dākṣyaṃ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam | dānam īśvara-bhāvaś ca kṣātraṃ karma svabhāva-jam ||
Kṣatriya dharma: bravery, vigor, fortitude, skill, not-fleeing-battle, generosity, lordly bearing — born of svabhāva.
Word by word (3)
- śauryaṃ tejo dhṛtir dākṣyaṃ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam
- — bravery/heroism (śaurya), vigor/energy/majesty (tejas), fortitude/steadiness (dhṛti), skillfulness/dexterity (dākṣya = from dakṣa = clever/able), and also (ca api) not-fleeing/not-running-away (apalāyanam = a + palāyana = non-flight) in battle (yuddhe) — five martial qualities
- dānam īśvara-bhāvaś ca kṣātraṃ karma svabhāva-jam
- — generosity (dānam), lordliness/the quality of being a master/ruler (īśvara-bhāva = lord-nature), and (ca) — these are the kṣātra-karma (Kṣatriya-duty) born of svabhāva (one's own nature)
- īśvara-bhāva
- — lordly-nature/the quality of being a ruler; the Kṣatriya's natural svabhāva includes not just martial prowess but the governing consciousness — the natural capacity to command, protect, and take responsibility for others; this is not ego-arrogance but the natural bearing of one born to leadership; contrast with brāhmaṇa's ānṛśaṃsya (gentleness) and śama (serenity)
Bravery, vigor, fortitude, dexterity, and also not fleeing from battle, generosity and lordliness — these are the duties of Kṣatriyas, born of their own nature.
A modern analogy
Kṣatriya dharma is the dharma of the protector-ruler: courageous in facing danger (śaurya), energetic and imposing (tejas), steady under pressure (dhṛti), skillful in action (dākṣya), refusing to flee even in difficult battles (apalāyanam), generous with resources (dāna), and carrying the natural bearing of leadership (īśvara-bhāva). Arjuna's entire journey in the Gita is about reconnecting with this svabhāva.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Bravery, boldness, fortitude, promptness, not flying from battle, generosity and lordliness are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of nature. [1]
Prowess, boldness, fortitude, dexterity, and also not flying from battle, generosity and sovereignty are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of their own nature. [4]
MISSING from index. [9]
Bravery, energy, firmness, skill, not flying away from battle, liberality, the bearing of a ruler, these are the duties of Kshatriyas, born of their proper nature. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Tāmasic karma: begun from delusion, ignoring consequences, waste, injury to beings, and one's own capacity.
Endued with pure buddhi, regulating self with dhṛti, renouncing sense-objects, setting aside rāga-dveṣa —
Brāhmaṇa dharma: śama, dama, tapas, purity, forbearance, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, faith — born of svabhāva.
Tamas — born of ignorance — deludes all beings and binds through carelessness, laziness, and sleep.
The fruit of sattvic action is pure; the fruit of rajas is pain; the fruit of tamas is ignorance.
Arjuna sees his own people ready to die — and his body breaks before his mind can argue.
Verse 43 of 78 · back to Chapter 18