Shloka 2

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच दण्ड: शास्ति प्रजा: सर्वा दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति । दण्ड: सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्म विदुर्बुधा:,अर्जुन बोले--राजन्‌! दण्ड समस्त प्रजाओंका शासन करता है, दण्ड ही उनकी सब ओरसे रक्षा करता है, सबके सो जानेपर भी दण्ड जागता रहता है; इसलिये विद्वान पुरुषोंने दण्डको राजाका धर्म माना है

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | daṇḍaḥ śāsti prajāḥ sarvā daṇḍa evābhirakṣati | daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti daṇḍaṃ dharma vidur budhāḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „O König, daṇḍa—der Stab der Herrschaft—zuchtigt alle Untertanen; daṇḍa allein schützt sie nach allen Seiten. Selbst wenn die Menschen schlafen, bleibt daṇḍa wach. Darum wissen die Weisen: Der Strafstab ist das Dharma des Königs—seine rechtmäßige Pflicht zu regieren.“

Word by Word

अर्जुनःArjuna

उवाचsaid

दण्डःthe rod (punishment/royal authority)

शास्तिrules / chastises

प्रजाःsubjects, people

सर्वाःall

दण्डःthe rod (punishment/authority)

एवindeed, alone

अभिरक्षतिprotects (on all sides)

दण्डःthe rod (punishment/authority)

सुप्तेषुamong those asleep / when (people) are asleep

जागर्तिkeeps awake, is vigilant

दण्डम्the rod (punishment/authority)

धर्मम्duty, law, dharma

विदुःknow, consider

बुधाःthe wise

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

King (rājan, addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that daṇḍa—lawful punishment and the coercive authority of the state—is essential to uphold dharma: it restrains wrongdoing, protects society, and must remain vigilant even when individuals are careless or asleep. Hence, administering daṇḍa rightly is a central duty of the king.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on righteous rule and social order, Arjuna addresses the king and emphasizes that effective governance depends on daṇḍa: it governs all subjects, safeguards them, and functions as the ever-watchful instrument through which royal duty (rāja-dharma) is maintained.