ato hy anyonyam atmanam

 brahma ksatram ca raksatah

raksati smavyayo devah

 sa yah sad-asad-atmakah

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

That is why the brahmanas and ksatriyas protect each other, as well as themselves; and the Lord Himself, who is both the cause and effect and is yet immutable, protects them through each other.

 

Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

The entire social structure of varna and asrama is a cooperative system meant to uplift all to the highest platform of spiritual realization. The brahmanas are intended to be protected by the ksatriyas, and the ksatriyas also are intended to be enlightened by the brahmanas. When the brahmanas and ksatriyas cooperate nicely, the other subordinate divisions, the vaisyas, or mercantile people, and the sudras, or laborer class, automatically flourish. The entire elaborate system of Vedic society was therefore based on the importance of the brahmanas and ksatriyas. The Lord is the real protector, but He is unattached to the affairs of protection. He creates brahmanas for the protection of the ksatriyas, and ksatriyas for the protection of the brahmanas. He remains aloof from all activities; therefore, He is called nirvikara, “without activity.” He has nothing to do. He is so great that He does not perform action personally, but His energies act. The brahmanas and ksatriyas, and anything that we see, are different energies acting upon one another.

 

Although individual souls are all different, the Superself, or Supersoul, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Individually one’s self may differ from others in certain qualities and may engage in different activities, such as those of a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya, but when there is complete cooperation among different individual souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Supersoul, Paramatma, being one in every individual soul, is pleased and gives them all protection. As stated before, the brahmanas are produced from the mouth of the Lord, and the ksatriyas are produced from the chest or arms of the Lord. If the different castes or social sections, although apparently differently occupied in different activities, nevertheless act in full cooperation, then the Lord is pleased. This is the idea of the institution of four varnas and four asramas. If the members of different asramas and varnas cooperate fully in Krsna consciousness, then society is well protected by the Lord, without doubt.

 

In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that the Lord is the proprietor of all different bodies. The individual soul is the proprietor of his individual body, but the Lord clearly states, “My dear Bharata, you must know that I am also ksetra-jña.” Ksetra-jña means “the knower or proprietor of the body.” The individual soul is the proprietor of the individual body, but the Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the proprietor of all bodies everywhere. He is the proprietor not only of human bodies but of birds, beasts and all other entities, not only on this planet but on other planets also. He is the supreme proprietor; therefore He does not become divided by protecting the different individual souls. He remains one and the same. That the sun appears on top of everyone’s head when at the meridian does not imply that the sun becomes divided. One man thinks that the sun is on his head only, whereas five thousand miles away another man is thinking that the sun is only on his head. Similarly, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is one, but He appears to individually oversee each individual soul. This does not mean that the individual soul and the Supersoul are one. They are one in quality, as spirit soul, but the individual soul and Supersoul are different.