Shloka 9
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
वाचा दण्डो ब्राह्मणानां क्षत्रियाणां भुजार्पणम् | दानदण्डा: स्मृता वैश्या निर्दण्ड: शूद्र उच्चते
vācā daṇḍo brāhmaṇānāṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ bhujārpaṇam | dāna-daṇḍāḥ smṛtā vaiśyā nirdaṇḍaḥ śūdra ucyate ||
ব্রাহ্মণদের দণ্ড হলো বাক্য—তিরস্কার ও নিন্দা। ক্ষত্রিয়দের দণ্ড হলো বাহুবলে সেবায় নিয়োজিত করা। বৈশ্যদের দণ্ড অর্থদণ্ড—জরিমানা—বলা হয়েছে। শূদ্রকে ‘নির্দণ্ড’ বলা হয়; তার সংশোধন সেবায় নিয়োগেই সীমিত।
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse outlines a graded theory of punishment (daṇḍa) tied to social roles: Brahmins are corrected primarily through verbal censure, Kshatriyas through enforced service/labor, Vaishyas through financial penalties, and Shudras are described as not receiving formal punitive penalties beyond being made to serve—presented as a traditional schema of discipline and social regulation.
In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on dharma and governance, Arjuna speaks about how punishment should be applied differently across social classes, summarizing a remembered rule of daṇḍanīti (policy of punishment) as part of a broader ethical discussion.