Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 43

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् । दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्

śauryaṃ tejo dhṛtirdākṣyaṃ yuddhe cāpyapalāyanam | dānamīśvarabhāvaśca kṣātraṃ karma svabhāvajam

Translation

Bravery, boldness, fortitude, promptness, not flying from battle, generosity and lordliness are the duties of the Kṣatriyas, born of nature.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

śauryam

prowess

tejaḥ

splendour

dhṛtiḥ

firmness

dākṣyam

dexterity

yuddhe

in battle

ca

and

api

also

apalāyanam

not fleeing

dānam

gift

īśvarabhāvaḥ

of a lord, the nature

ca

and

kṣātram

belonging to the Kshattriya

karma

action

svabhāvajam

own-nature-born

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Fortitude: that by which upheld one is not subject to depression under any circumstances whatever. Promptness: the performing, without confusion, of duties which present themselves quite unexpectedly and demand ready action. Not flying from battle: not turning away from the foes. Lordliness: exercise of ruling power over those who are to be ruled.