Shloka 34

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

सर्वो दण्डजितो लोको दुर्लभो हि शुचिर्जन: । दण्डस्य हि भयाद्‌ भीतो भोगायैव प्रवर्तते,सारा जगत्‌ दण्डसे विवश होकर ही रास्तेपर रहता है; क्योंकि स्वभावत: सर्वथा शुद्ध मनुष्य मिलना कठिन है। दण्डके भयसे डरा हुआ मनुष्य ही मर्यादा-पालनमें प्रवृत्त होता है

Transliteration

sarvo daṇḍajito loko durlabho hi śucir janaḥ | daṇḍasya hi bhayād bhīto bhogāyaiva pravartate ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “The whole world is kept in check by punishment; truly, a person who is naturally pure is hard to find. It is out of fear of punishment that people restrain themselves and proceed along the path of proper conduct, turning toward regulated enjoyment rather than lawless impulse.”

Word by Word

सर्वःentire/whole

दण्डजितःsubdued/controlled by punishment

लोकःworld/people

दुर्लभःrare/hard to find

हिindeed/for

शुचिःpure

जनःperson

दण्डस्यof punishment

हिindeed/for

भयात्from fear

भीतःafraid

भोगायfor enjoyment

एवonly/indeed

प्रवर्ततेacts/engages (in conduct)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

daṇḍa (punishment/royal discipline)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes