FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.26

अहो तेज: क्षत्रियाणां मानभङ्गममृष्यताम् । बालोऽप्ययं हृदा धत्ते यत्समातुरसद्वच: ॥ २६ ॥
aho tejaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṁ
[aho tejah kshatriyaanaam]
māna-bhaṅgam amṛṣyatām
[maana-bhangam amrishyataam]
bālo ’py ayaṁ hṛdā dhatte
[baalo ’py ayam hridaa dhatte]
yat samātur asad-vacaḥ
[yat samaatur asad-vachah]
aho — how surprising it is tejaḥ — power kṣatriyāṇām — of the kṣatriyas māna-bhaṅgam — hurting the prestige amṛṣyatām — unable to tolerate bālaḥ — only a child api — although ayam — this hṛdā — at heart dhatte — has taken yat — that which sa-mātuḥ — of the stepmother asat — unpalatable vacaḥ — words.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho tejaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṁ
aho
how surprising it is
tejaḥ
power
kṣatriyāṇām
of the kṣatriyas
māna-bhaṅgam amṛṣyatām
māna-bhaṅgam
hurting the prestige
amṛṣyatām
unable to tolerate
bālo ’py ayaṁ hṛdā dhatte
bālaḥ
only a child
api
although
ayam
this
hṛdā
at heart
dhatte
has taken
yat samātur asad-vacaḥ
yat
that which
sa-mātuḥ
of the stepmother
asat
unpalatable
vacaḥ
words.
How wonderful are the powerful kṣatriyas! They cannot tolerate even a slight infringement upon their prestige. Just imagine! This boy is only a small child, yet harsh words from his stepmother proved unbearable to him.

The qualifications of the kṣatriyas are described in Bhagavad-gītā. Two important qualifications are to have a sense of prestige and not to flee from battle. It appears that the kṣatriya blood within the body of Dhruva Mahārāja was naturally very active. If the brahminical, kṣatriya or vaiśya culture is maintained in a family, naturally the sons and grandsons inherit the spirit of the particular class. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, the saṁskāra, or the reformatory system, is maintained very rigidly. If one fails to observe the reformatory measures current in the family, one is immediately degraded to a lower standard of life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
What power of the kṣatriyas who are unable to tolerate a slight to their pride! Though only a boy, he has taken the unkind words of his stepmother seriously.
Nārada marvels at the kṣatriya spirit: even a small boy can't tolerate slight to his honor. Healthy sense of dignity is part of how some souls are wired; cultural training is sometimes louder than age.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is my own sense of honor working as fuel for higher action, and where is it just ego?
  • Whose 'kṣatriya' energy in my circle should I respect rather than try to flatten?
📝 My note

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