Shloka 26
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
दशधर्मगतेभ्यो यद् वसु बह्मल्पमेव च । तदाददीत सहसा पौराणां रक्षणाय वै,मत्त, उन््मत्त आदि जो दस- प्रकारके दण्डनीय मनुष्य हैं, उनसे थोड़ा या बहुत जो धन दण्डके रूपमें प्राप्त हो, उसे पुरवासियोंकी रक्षाके लिये ही सहसा ग्रहण कर ले
daśa-dharma-gatebhyo yad vasu bahv-alpam eva ca | tad ādadīta sahasā paurāṇāṁ rakṣaṇāya vai ||
Bhishma said: Whatever wealth—whether much or little—is obtained as a fine from those ten classes of persons who have fallen into punishable misconduct, it should be taken without delay, solely for the protection and security of the townspeople. The king’s coercive power is thus framed as a duty of guardianship, not as personal gain.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment and fines are justified only as instruments of public protection: wealth taken from offenders should be promptly directed to safeguarding the community, not to the ruler’s private benefit.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on statecraft: when fines are collected from certain punishable categories of people, the king should take that wealth immediately and use it for the security of the citizens.