शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् ।
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
शूरवीरता, तेज, धैर्य, प्रजाके संचालन आदिकी विशेष चतुरता, युद्धमें कभी पीठ न दिखाना, दान करना और शासन करनेका भाव ये सबकेसब क्षत्रियके स्वाभाविक कर्म हैं ॥
English
Valor, radiance, firmness, quick skill, never fleeing in battle, generosity, and leadership are the natural duties of a warrior.
What this verse means
A warrior’s natural duties include courage, steadiness, skill, generosity, and refusing to run from battle.
Context & commentary
Krishna is still explaining how human work fits different natures. After describing the duties of thinkers, he names the qualities that belong to warriors: courage, strength, steadiness, skill, generosity, and standing firm in battle.
Why this verse still matters
A parent walks into a tense school meeting and stays calm while everyone expects defensiveness. The verse points to that kind of steadiness: meet pressure with courage, not retreat.
The takeaway
Your role asks for courage, not comfort.
Word-by-word translation
शौर्यम् (valor) / तेजः (radiance) / धृतिः (firmness) / दाक्ष्यम् (skillfulness) / युद्धे (in battle) / च (and) / अपि (also) / अपलायनम् (not fleeing) / दानम् (generosity) / ईश्वरभावः (leadership / lordliness) / च (and) / क्षात्रम् (of a warrior) / कर्म (duty) / स्वभावजम् (born of nature)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation, which contains 78 verses.