Shloka 27
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
यदा निवर्त्यते पापो दण्डनीत्या महात्मभि: । तदा धर्मो न चलते सद्भूतः शाश्वत: पर:,जब महामनस्वी राजालोग दण्डनीतिके द्वारा पापीको पाप करनेसे रोकते रहते हैं, तब सत्सस््वरूप परमोत्कृष्ट सनातन धर्मका हास नहीं होता है
yadā nivartyate pāpo daṇḍanītyā mahātmabhiḥ | tadā dharmo na calate sadbhūtaḥ śāśvataḥ paraḥ ||
Indra sprach: „Wenn die Bösen durch die gerechte Politik der Strafe, getragen von großgesinnten Herrschern, vom Unrecht abgehalten werden, dann wankt Dharma — seiner Natur nach wahr, ewig und erhaben — nicht und verfällt nicht.“
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma remains stable in society when rulers (or noble authorities) actively restrain wrongdoing through daṇḍanīti—just, principled punishment and enforcement. Ethical order is protected not only by personal virtue but also by fair governance.
Indra is speaking within the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājanīti (royal duty and statecraft), explaining that when great-souled rulers prevent sinners from committing sin through disciplined punishment-policy, the supreme and eternal Dharma does not decline.