Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.51.31

vayam tu purusha-vyaghra

aikshvakah kshatra-bandhavah

mucukunda iti prokto

yauvanasvatmajah prabho

SYNONYMS

vayam -- we; tu -- on the other hand; purusha -- among men; vyaghra -- O tiger; aikshvakah -- descendants of Ikshvaku; kshatra -- of kshatriyas; bandhavah -- family members; mucukundah -- Mucukunda; iti -- thus; proktah -- called; yauvanasva -- of Yauvanasva (Mandhata, the son of Yuvanasva); atma-jah -- the son; prabho -- O Lord.

TRANSLATION

As for ourselves, O tiger among men, we belong to a family of fallen kshatriyas, descendants of King Ikshvaku. My name is Mucukunda, my Lord, and I am the son of Yauvanasva.

PURPORT

It is common in Vedic culture that a kshatriya will humbly introduce himself as kshatra-bandhu, a mere relative in a kshatriya family, or in other words a fallen kshatriya. In ancient Vedic culture, to claim a particular status on the basis of one's family relations was itself indicative of a fallen position. Kshatriyas and brahmanas should be given status according to their merit, by their qualities of work and character. When the caste system in India became degraded, people proudly claimed to be relatives of kshatriyas or brahmanas, though in the past such a claim, unaccompanied by tangible qualifications, indicated a fallen position.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari