Shloka 72
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
असेरेवं प्रमाणानि परिपाल्य व्यतिक्रमात् । स विसृज्याथ पुत्र स्वं प्रजानामधिपं तत:
aserevaṁ pramāṇāni paripālya vyatikramāt | sa visṛjyātha putra svaṁ prajānām adhipaṁ tataḥ ||
Bhishma said: “Therefore, when the people transgress dharma, one should preserve these established measures and, as required, apply the punishments validated by the sword so that dharma is protected.” Having thus instructed him, the world-guardians dismissed their son—Manu, the lord and protector of the subjects. Thereafter, for the safeguarding of the people, Manu entrusted that sword to Kṣupa; from Kṣupa it passed to Ikṣvāku, and from Ikṣvāku Purūravas received that weapon.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When dharma is violated by the populace, the ruler must uphold established standards of justice and apply proportionate punishment (daṇḍa), even by force if necessary, to protect social order and dharma.
The Lokapālas commission and send forth Manu as the protector of the people; Manu then entrusts the sword of punishment to Kṣupa, from whom it is transmitted to Ikṣvāku and then to Purūravas, marking a lineage of royal authority and enforcement.