Shloka 39
Yuga-Lakṣaṇa and Varṣa-Pramāṇa Inquiry (युगलक्षण–वर्षप्रमाण–प्रश्न)
न तत्र राजा राजेन्द्र न दण्डो न च दण्डिक: । स्वधर्मेणैव धर्मज्ञास्ते रक्षन्ति परस्परम्,राजेन्द्र! वहाँ न कोई राजा है, न दण्ड है और न दण्ड देनेवाला है। वहाँके लोग धर्मके ज्ञाता हैं और स्वधर्मपालनके ही प्रभावसे एक-दूसरेकी रक्षा करते हैं
na tatra rājā rājendra na daṇḍo na ca daṇḍikaḥ | svadharmeṇaiva dharmajñās te rakṣanti parasparam ||
Sañjaya said: “O lord of kings, in that realm there is no king, no punitive rod, and no wielder of punishment. Those people, being knowers of dharma, protect one another solely through the power of adhering to their own rightful duties.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Social harmony can arise not only from external coercion (daṇḍa) but from internalized dharma: when people know righteousness and follow their own duties (svadharma), they naturally safeguard one another without needing a ruler or punitive enforcement.
Sañjaya is describing to Dhṛtarāṣṭra an ideal condition/realm where governance by punishment is unnecessary because the inhabitants are dharma-knowing and maintain order through self-regulation and mutual responsibility.