Shloka 39
Yuga-Lakṣaṇa and Varṣa-Pramāṇa Inquiry (युगलक्षण–वर्षप्रमाण–प्रश्न)
न तत्र राजा राजेन्द्र न दण्डो न च दण्डिक: । स्वधर्मेणैव धर्मज्ञास्ते रक्षन्ति परस्परम्
na tatra rājā rājendra na daṇḍo na ca daṇḍikaḥ | svadharmeṇaiva dharmajñās te rakṣanti parasparam ||
قال سانجيا: «يا سيّد الملوك، في ذلك الإقليم لا ملكَ ولا عصا للعقاب ولا مُنفِّذَ للعقوبة. فأهلُه عارفون بالدارما، يحمون بعضَهم بعضًا بقوة التزام كلٍّ منهم بواجبه الحقّ وحده.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Social harmony can arise not only from external coercion (daṇḍa) but from internalized dharma: when people know righteousness and follow their own duties (svadharma), they naturally safeguard one another without needing a ruler or punitive enforcement.
Sañjaya is describing to Dhṛtarāṣṭra an ideal condition/realm where governance by punishment is unnecessary because the inhabitants are dharma-knowing and maintain order through self-regulation and mutual responsibility.