Shloka 77

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

दण्डेन सहिता होषा लोकरक्षणकारिका । निग्रहानुग्रहरता लोकाननुचरिष्यति,“दण्ड-विधानके साथ रहनेवाली यह नीति सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌की रक्षा करनेवाली है। यह दुष्टोंके निग्रह और साधु पुरुषोंके प्रति अनुग्रहमें तत्पर रहकर सम्पूर्ण जगतमें प्रचलित होगी

Transliteration

daṇḍena sahitā hy eṣā nītir lokarakṣaṇakārikā | nigrahānugraharatā lokān anucariṣyati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “This policy of governance, when joined with the rod of punishment, becomes a protector of the world. Devoted to restraining the wicked and showing favor to the virtuous, it will operate throughout society and keep the people in order.”

Word by Word

दण्डेनby/with punishment (rod of law)

सहिताaccompanied/associated (with)

एषाthis

लोक-रक्षण-कारिकाcausing/providing protection of the world

निग्रह-अनुग्रह-रताdevoted to restraint and favor (punishment and grace)

लोकान्worlds/people

अनुचरिष्यतिwill move about / will prevail / will be practiced

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

daṇḍa (punitive authority)

nīti (policy/statecraft)

loka (the people/world)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective and ethical governance (nīti) must be supported by daṇḍa—measured punitive authority—so that society is protected through two complementary duties: restraining wrongdoers (nigraha) and supporting the virtuous (anugraha).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the king on how order is maintained: policy becomes truly world-protecting when it is backed by enforceable discipline, applied firmly against the wicked and benevolently toward the good.