Shloka 70

बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account

On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics

Devanagari script

विभज्य दण्डं रक्ष्यास्तु धर्मतो न यदृच्छया । दुर्वाचा निग्रहो दण्डो हिरण्यबहुलस्तथा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

vibhajya daṇḍaṁ rakṣyāstu dharmato na yadṛcchayā |

durvācā nigraho daṇḍo hiraṇyabahulastathā ||

Translation

ভীষ্ম বললেন—দণ্ড পৃথকভাবে নির্ধারণ করে ধর্মানুসারে প্রজার রক্ষা করতে হবে, খেয়ালখুশি মতো নয়। কঠোর বাক্যে তিরস্কার করে দমন করা ‘বাগ্দণ্ড’; আর প্রচুর স্বর্ণ আদায়কারী দণ্ড ‘অর্থদণ্ড’।

Word by Word

• विभज्य: having apportioned / after dividing
• Type: Verb
• Root: विभज् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• दण्डम्: punishment
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रक्ष्याः: to be protected / should be protected
• रक्ष्याः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: यत् (भाव्य/कर्तव्य), स्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• धर्मतः: according to dharma / lawfully
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• यदृच्छया: by whim / arbitrarily
• यदृच्छया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दुर्वाचा: by harsh speech / with abusive words
• दुर्वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वाच्/दुर्वाचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचन

• निग्रहः: restraint / suppression
• निग्रहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दण्डः: punishment
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हिरण्यबहुलः: abounding in gold (i.e., heavy fine)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्य-बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: so / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Punishment (daṇḍa) must be applied discriminately and in conformity with dharma, not according to personal whim. Even non-physical measures—stern verbal censure and heavy monetary fines—are legitimate forms of restraint when used justly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous rule, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on statecraft: how a king should protect the people by administering penalties proportionately and lawfully, emphasizing that governance must be principled rather than arbitrary.