Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 6: The Residents of Ayodhyā
Text 1.6.19

क्षत्रं ब्रह्ममुखं चासीद्वैश्याः क्षत्रमनुव्रताः।
शूद्राः स्वधर्मनिरतास्त्रीन्वर्णानुपचारिणः ॥

kṣatraṁ brahma-mukhaṁ cāsīd vaiśyāḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ
śūdrāḥ sva-dharma-niratās trīn varṇān upacāriṇaḥ

kṣatram = the kṣatriya community; brahma-mukham ca āsīt = accepted the brāhmaṇas as their leaders; vaiśyāḥ = the vaiśyas; kṣatram = to the kṣatriyas; anuvratāḥ = were obedient to; śūdrāḥ = the śūdras; sva-dharma-niratāḥ = were absorbed in their specific duties; trīn = the higher three; varṇān = varṇas; upacāriṇaḥ = of serving.

The kṣatriya community accepted the brāhmaṇas as their leaders. The vaiśyas were obedient to the kṣatriyas. The śūdras were absorbed in their specific duties of serving the higher three varṇas.

Mukha [in this context] means “a leader” [10]. The kṣatriyas carried out the orders of the brāhmaṇas.

[10] mukhaṁ... upāya-pradhānayoḥ (Yādava).