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.
The next, the administrator, administrator class, kṣatriya. They were trained how to kill. The kṣatriyas were allowed to hunt in the forest to learn the art of killing, because that was necessity for the kṣatriyas. Kṣatriyas, if . . . if the king, if he finds somebody is doing wrong, he can immediately chop off his head if he likes. The king was so powerful. And it is not that if there was some war, it is not that the president or the king shall sit down comfortably at home and ordinary soldiers will go and lay down their life. No.
Formerly, the king or the head of the state, he should first of all go there in the fight. You see in the picture, the chief men of the fighting in the Kurukṣetra, both sides, they were arrayed, this side, that side, with their chariot. Not that the head man, the chief man, or the commander is taking shelter back side, protecting himself, and poor soldiers are (chuckles) thrown into the fighting. No. These were kṣatriya spirit. And it is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, kṣatriya, fighting men.