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Ksatriyas are the arms of the universal form

Expressions researched:
"arm division is the ksatriya" |"arms, that is ksatriya" |"arms—ksatriya" |"ksatriya is the arm" |"ksatriya is the arms" |"ksatriya means this portion, arm" |"ksatriya the arms" |"ksatriya, the bahu, the arms"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The leg division is the śūdra, the belly division is the vaiśya, and the arm division is the kṣatriya, and the head division is the brāhmaṇa. So these divisions are now lost.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Actually if we want to establish Vedic civilization, then we must follow strictly the principles of Vedas as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. And if it is practiced, then daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. That is required. Daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. There must be the four divisions. Just like we have got four divisions in our body: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. The leg division is the śūdra, the belly division is the vaiśya, and the arm division is the kṣatriya, and the head division is the brāhmaṇa. So these divisions are now lost. Actually, there is no kṣatriya, no brāhmaṇa. Maybe there are some vaiśyas and śūdras. So suppose if your whole body there is only belly and leg, then what is the body? If you have no head and no arm, then how it is? What kind of body it is? So therefore, in the social order of the present day, there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya. Only there are some few vaiśyas and śūdras. So therefore there is chaos all over the world.

The arm division is the kṣatriya, gives you protection. As soon as somebody is going to attack you, immediately, automatically you spread your hands.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

The brain division is the brāhmaṇa, and the arm division is the kṣatriya, gives you protection. As soon as somebody is going to attack you, immediately, automatically you spread your hands. Kṣatriya. Kṣat means injury. In Hindu it is called kṣatra. So kṣat trāyate. A kṣatriya's business is one who can save you from being injured by others. That is kṣatriya.

That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the brāhmaṇa is the facial part of the universal form of the Lord, the kṣatriya is the arms of the universal form, the vaiśyas are the belly of the universal form of the Lord, and the śūdras, they are the legs of the universal form of the Lord.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

And Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that actual constitutional position of living entity is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), that living entity is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, part and parcel. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body. What is the business of this finger? It is to serve this, serve this body always. I want, "Mr. Finger, please come here." "Oh, yes." He will do(?). And everything, part and parcel means to serve the whole. That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the brāhmaṇa is the facial part of the universal form of the Lord, the kṣatriya is the arms of the universal form, the vaiśyas are the belly of the universal form of the Lord, and the śūdras, they are the legs of the universal form of the Lord.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like in this body there are the same brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa is the head, the brain, and the kṣatriya the arms, and vaiśya the belly , and śūdras is the legs.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So formerly there was no meetings of the śūdras. The meeting was held about, amongst the brāhmaṇas, saintly persons, to consider how people will remain happy, how their spiritualistic life will be advanced. Therefore the brāhmaṇas were the heads, and others, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas and śūdras, they used to take instruction from the brāhmaṇas, for their livelihood. That was very good system. That is natural. Just like in this body there are the same brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa is the head, the brain, and the kṣatriya the arms, and vaiśya the belly , and śūdras is the legs.

So if everyone says that "Original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter. Not that a brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and kṣatriya is the arm of Kṛṣṇa, and vaiśya is the belly of Kṛṣṇa, and śūdra is the leg of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So, so in this way our proposition is that if we want perfection, then in whatever position we are, either I am a brāhmaṇa, or I am a kṣatriya, or I am a vaiśya, or I am a śūdra—it doesn't matter, if we simply take this vow, that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything... A śūdra is also a, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the cause of the śūdras. You should not hate anyone, because everyone is born of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu. It doesn't matter in what form the living entity is there, but Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the father, He is the father. So either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or mleccha, yavana, or white, black, European, American—anyone—he should know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life.

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ
avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito
yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam
(SB 1.5.22)

So if everyone says that "Original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter. Not that a brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and kṣatriya is the arm of Kṛṣṇa, and vaiśya is the belly of Kṛṣṇa, and śūdra is the leg of Kṛṣṇa. But do we distinguish that "Here is Kṛṣṇa's mouth, or head; all the flowers should be offered here, not to the leg"? Do we make any such distinction? When we worship Kṛṣṇa, rather, our first duty is to offer to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says that śūdra, in Bhāgavata says, śūdra is the leg. So there may be distinction of profession, occupation, caste, creed, color... It doesn't matter. But if everyone tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that "The original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," then there is life... Life is perfect.

Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required.
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that... You can say that "There is no need of kṣatriya; let there be all śūdras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brāhmaṇa must be there, the kṣatriya must be there, the vaiśyas must be there and the śūdras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business. He must see that the kṣatriyas, those who are kṣatriya spirited, they are being trained up as kṣatriya. The brāhmaṇas are being trained up as brāhmaṇa. Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.

So brāhmaṇa means this portion, head, brain. And kṣatriya means this portion, arm. And vaiśya means this portion, belly. And śūdra means this, leg. So no part is unimportant.
Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

Just try to understand the ideal government during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time. Not only Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the kings. Rājarṣayaḥ. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. They were all great ṛṣis, although they were kṣatriyas. Brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, they used to guide the general people. The high caste means who would guide the people nicely. The brāhmaṇa by their Vedic knowledge, perfect knowledge, paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. By high learning, they would... They were not interested for capturing the government. No. They had no time. But there was consulting body. Even Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja's time, there was consulting body, all the kings. The brāhmaṇas and the ṛṣis, they would form a consulting body and give advice to the king: "My dear king, do like this.' And they will abide. Just like head. Head. Head gives the instruction to the arms. Not the arm gives instruction to the head. Head. Brain. Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ. So brāhmaṇa means this portion, head, brain. And kṣatriya means this portion, arm. And vaiśya means this portion, belly. And śūdra means this, leg. So no part is unimportant.

The brāhmaṇa is to be considered the mouth of the Virāḍ-rūpa Bhagavān, the universal form of the Lord; kṣatriya, the bāhu, the arms; and vaiśya, the belly; and śūdra, the leg. So they are meant for cooperation, not that simply falsely becoming proud that "I am brāhmaṇa. You are śūdra." No.
Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

Everyone wants something. That is required. So long the body is there, we must have to eat, we must have to sleep, we require sense gratification and protection or security. This is required. But the Vedic civilization was very simplified, simplified. A class of ideal men, the brāhmaṇa, they are ideal. They are simply assimilating the Vedic knowledge and guiding others—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—how to live peacefully. The kṣatriya, they are meant for giving protection to the people, security. And the vaiśya is meant for producing food. And śūdra, because they cannot do anything independently, they must serve these three masters: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So this is very scientific.

So if there is no ideal class of men, who will guide? If everyone is engaged as śūdra to work hard for technology, then who will give the guidance? A brainless society.

mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ
puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha
catvāro jajñire varṇā
guṇair viprādayaḥ pṛthak

This is the division. The brāhmaṇa is to be considered the mouth of the Virāḍ-rūpa Bhagavān, the universal form of the Lord; kṣatriya, the bāhu, the arms; and vaiśya, the belly; and śūdra, the leg. So they are meant for cooperation, not that simply falsely becoming proud that "I am brāhmaṇa. You are śūdra." No. The brāhmaṇa is equally important than the śūdra, though both of them are required.

So these brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, they are also parts and parcels, the same position. Brāhmaṇa is the head, kṣatriya is the arm, vaiśya is the belly, and the śūdras... But everything is required.
Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

When these classes of men forget that we are all parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as soon as they neglect... Always remember: being parts and parcel, our duty is to serve the Supreme. The same example: the finger, hand, being part and parcel of body, is always engaged in the service of the whole. So these brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, they are also parts and parcels, the same position. Brāhmaṇa is the head, kṣatriya is the arm, vaiśya is the belly, and the śūdras... But everything is required. If you want to keep up your body in sound condition of... Any part of the body is important. Comparatively, the head is most important. But other parts, you cannot say they are not important. But when there is competition, that "I am the most important. You are nothing," or "I am something. You are nothing," in this way we forget to serve the whole, and that becomes the cause of our falldown.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like in your body there must be the head, there must be the arms, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. By comparative study head is more important than the leg. But leg is also required. You cannot do without leg. Similarly, brāhmaṇa is the head, kṣatriya is the arms, vaiśya is the belly and śūdra is the leg.
Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:

Guest (1): So in order to understand what is God one has to leave his family and come to some...

Prabhupāda: Why do you surmise like that? You do not know what is God. Why do you surmise your proposal?

Guest (1): No, I mean, ah...

Prabhupāda: Now why you are asking this question? You know, I've explained, that one has to become brāhmaṇa. There are still there are many brāhmaṇas, those who are with children. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He had no children, He was family man. Nityānanda Prabhu was family man, and Advaita Prabhu was family man. They're all brāhmaṇas, family men, but they knew what is God. The real thing is to know God. Not to, because everything is allowed. These eight, four varṇas and four āśramas. There is no such thing that one has to become, to come to this form of life or that form of life. So varṇāśramācaravatā. You must execute the varṇāśrama-dharma. Then you'll understand. It doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, that is a cooperation. Just like in your body there must be the head, there must be the arms, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. By comparative study head is more important than the leg. But leg is also required. You cannot do without leg. Similarly, brāhmaṇa is the head, kṣatriya is the arms, vaiśya is the belly and śūdra is the leg. So as much I require my head so much I require the leg also. But the leg must do the leg's duty and the head must do the head's duty. Then it is perfect.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

The varṇa and āśrama I've already explained. Just like for maintenance of the whole body there are different parts: the brain, the arm, the belly, and the leg. Similarly, varṇāśrama means the head—brāhmaṇa; the arms—kṣatriya; the belly—vaiśya; and the leg—śūdra. So by nature these divisions are there.
Conversation with Seven Ministers of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian (1): Please permit...

Prabhupāda: Your question is?

Indian (1): Yes, varṇāśrama, I wanted to, Swamiji...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Varṇāśramācāra-vatā. The varṇa and āśrama I've already explained. Just like for maintenance of the whole body there are different parts: the brain, the arm, the belly, and the leg. Similarly, varṇāśrama means the head—brāhmaṇa; the arms—kṣatriya; the belly—vaiśya; and the leg—śūdra. So by nature these divisions are there. Varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means social divisions, and four āśrama, spiritual division. So apart from spiritual division, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa, the social division must be observed. The brain must be there. Brāhmaṇa. Everything must be there. Not only the brain. The arms also required—military department or kṣatriya department. Yuddhe cāpy apalayanam(?). The kṣatriyas are so brave, they don't go away from fighting field, battlefield. Just like Arjuna was trying to become nonviolent. Immediately Kṛṣṇa chastised him, kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam anārya-juṣṭam akīrti-karam. So everything is required. It is not that everyone should become brāhmaṇa. Neither it is possible that everyone should be able to become brāhmaṇa. It is not so easy thing. But a class of brāhmaṇa must be maintained. A class of brāhmaṇa must be there as ideal to consult with them. Similarly, a class of kṣatriya must be there, a class of vaiśya must be there. This is called varṇāśrama. For the peaceful execution of material life these things are required, division.

Page Title:Ksatriyas are the arms of the universal form
Compiler:Matea, Alakananda
Created:03 of Nov, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=9, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:11