Second – The Kshatriyas

Those, who establish a place for exchange of goods and services (a Kshetra) and protect all the people therein according to Dharma.

Civilization in India is generally considered as a scientific one, based on a monarchy supported by an aristocracy in which anyone can be given a high position by the monarch, even a kingship under the suzerainty of the monarch. After all new territories or kingdoms were being conquered or established all the time and the monarch could reward his favourites or generals with a kingship under his suzerainty, thus gaining not only additional revenues but also, the protection of a buffer state.

There is a great deal of responsibility and risk in ruling, even ruling poorly. Not everyone wants to take up such responsibility or risk.

The Monarch / King needed trusted advisors to give him true and the best advice. Such advisors must therefore have no wealth or trade, other than the money gifted to them by the King. Any property gifted by the King would only be for the lifetime of the recipient and would revert back to the King there after. The advisors or Brahmins enjoy a life of learning and are bound by ‘Dharma’ and their own interests and that of their families to put that learning to use to the benefit of the King. So also, those amongst them who served the Nobles and even the rest of the citizens.

Unlike in other civilizations, the Kings in India were not despots, they saw themselves as bound by Dharma and as caretakers and protectors of everything and every person in their kingdom.

As the Rulers of the Society and the leaders of the armies, their Dharma called on them to protect their subjects, and their properties, from enemies, and to ensure the Rule of Law within their kingdoms. They were also, called upon to dispense justice and resolve disputes within their citizens either directly or through the feudal hierarchy below them and were helped in this by advice from the Brahmins.

Having military power, they could easily become autocratic dictators if some constraints were not also, laid on them. Such constraints arose from the requirement that they exercise their power only in consonance with the concept of Raj Dharma as determinant by the Raj Guru, the Brahmin advisor.

In case they strayed from Dharma, the Raj Guru would be compelled to guide them back to the right path in his own interest, because otherwise the troubled subjects would seek guidance from their own Brahmin guides who would then act against the Raj Guru to bring his advice back in consonance with Dharma or otherwise to even ostracize him. Ostracism from his Varna / Class was a penalty no one could really live with, in those times.

This is a self regulating methodology that helped keep the Society in order.

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