The history of Rāmacandra is that His father wanted to retire, Daśaratha, Mahārāja Daśaratha. And he decided to enthrone Lord Rāmacandra and retire. So everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way.
Sometimes Mahārāja Daśaratha was suffering from what is called whitlow, some trouble in the finger? And this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said: "My dear Śarmiṣṭhā, if you want some benediction from me, I can give you." And she replied that, "I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now."
So just one day before Lord Rāmacandra's coronation, she approached her husband, Mahārāja Daśaratha, and reminded him, "My dear husband, you promised to give me some benediction, and I told you that I shall ask you when I require it."
Mahārāja Daśaratha said: "Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?" She said: "Yes." "And what is that?" She said that, "Rāmacandra cannot be seated on the throne. My son should be, Bhārata." Oh, he was surprised. It is a big demand. So he said: "All right. That will be done. Your son."
Because formerly, the . . . not only formerly; even up to date there are many kṣatriya kings in India, they have more than one wife. And they are . . . there is rivalry between different wives. So the same thing. Human psychology is same. Even two million years ago the same mentality was there, and she asked that "My son should be the king, not Rāmacandra." Rāmacandra happened to be the son of Kauśalyā, the elder queen.
So Mahārāja Daśaratha agreed and called for Rāmacandra. "My dear boy, your . . ." She asked also . . . she was very diplomatic. She wanted that Rāmacandra go to forest for fourteen years. The idea was political that, "The king may agree to install my son just now. Now, after a few days, this Rāmacandra may come with His army, and there may be some difficulty to continue the kingdom." So she wanted that Rāmacandra should go to the forest and she (He) should not come back till the end of fourteen years from this day.
So Mahārāja Daśaratha agreed, because he was kṣatriya. Just see the promise. A kṣatriya never goes back from the promise, never refuses any challenge. If a kṣatriya is challenged by somebody that, "I want to fight with you," oh, he cannot refuse. This is kṣatriya spirit. He cannot say that, "I am now busy."
Suppose somebody comes to you that, "I want to fight with you." You may say: "What nonsense fight? I have no time. We are in the temple." But a kṣatriya cannot deny that. A kṣatriya at once must accept, "Oh, yes. Come on." And the weapon should be, if he has no sword or weapon, he should be supplied weapon and fight. This is kṣatriya spirit. They were highly charitable and chivalrous, and keeping promise, and with a great tendency for ruling over. They shall rule over. Administrators. Their business . . .
There are different prescription for different classes of men for their livelihood. The brahmins, they can pull on their livelihood by six ways: paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. (SB 5.17.11 purport).
Six. And they must be qualified with twelve high qualities. We have many times discussed. Out of that qualification, truthfulness is the first item for a brahmin. A kṣatriya may speak lies. That is allowed, because he has to be diplomat, politician. But a brahmin, oh, he's not allowed to speak lie. This is the system, caste system or varṇāśrama system.
Everyone was trained. Because these four classes of men are required in a society. For proper upkeep of society, one class of men must be very intelligent, highly qualified, with all good qualities. They must be trained in that way, ideal character, so that people can see and follow them. Therefore brahmin were taken to so much respect, because they're ideal character, learned and godly, knows the science, spiritual science. Therefore they're held in high estimation and topmost of the society.