History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.66

v4.c62.66

The word ‘rājan’ is derived in the Nirukta (II. 3) from the root ‘rāj’ to shine, but the Mahābhārata (Śānti 59. 125) likes to say that the king is styled ‘rājā’ since he keeps all people contented, that is, it derives the word ‘rājan’ from the root ‘rañj’. Great poets like Kālidāsa (Raghu IV. 12) follow the Mahābhārata in this, as also in deriving the word ‘kṣatriya’ from ‘kṣata’ and the root ‘trai’, meaning one who protects from wound and injury (Śānti 59. 126 and Raghu-vaṁśa II. 53). Bṛ. quoted in the Rāja. Dh. K. (I. p. 5) appears to derive the word both from ‘rāj’ and ‘rañj’ (balena caturaṅgena yato rañjayati prajāḥ । dīpyamānaḥ sa vapuṣā tena rājābhidhīyate).