Shloka 14
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाभारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वमें द्रौपदीवाक्यविषयक चौदहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
na cchittvā paramarmāṇi nākṛtvā karma duṣkaram | nāhatvā matsyaghātīva prāpnoti mahatīṃ śriyam ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Sin golpear las vulnerabilidades vitales de otros, sin emprender obras duras y difíciles, y sin matar a muchos seres vivos—como hacen los matadores de peces—nadie alcanza una gran prosperidad. El verso muestra que el éxito mundano suele estar enredado con la violencia y la acción implacable, planteando una sobria tensión ética dentro del discurso sobre la realeza y el gobierno.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a hard-edged observation about worldly prosperity: great wealth is commonly gained through ruthless measures—hurting others at their vulnerable points, performing harsh deeds, and causing widespread harm—thereby highlighting the ethical cost that often accompanies political and material success.
In the Shanti Parva’s discussion of rajadharma (the duties and realities of rulership), Vaiśampāyana reports a maxim that reflects the pragmatic, sometimes grim logic of power and acquisition, using the analogy of fish-slayers to underscore the violence implicit in certain forms of gain.