Shloka 20
Vyavahāra-Śuddhi and Rājadharma: Clean Administration, Counsel, and Proportional Punishment
Chapter 86
अपराधानुरूपं च दण्डं पापेषु धारयेत् । वियोजयेद् धनैर््रद्धानधनानथ बन्धनै:,तत्पश्चात् अपराधियोंको अपराधके अनुरूप दण्ड देना चाहिये। अपराधी धनी हो तो उसको उसकी सम्पत्तिसे वज्चित कर दे और निर्धन हो तो उसे बन्दी बनाकर कारागारमें डाल दे
aparādhānurūpaṃ ca daṇḍaṃ pāpeṣu dhārayet | viyojayet dhanair āḍhyān adhanān atha bandhanaiḥ ||
Dijo Bhishma: El castigo debe imponerse en proporción a la falta, especialmente en los casos de maldad. Si el culpable es rico, debe separársele de su riqueza (mediante multa o confiscación); si es pobre, debe ser contenido con ligaduras—retenido bajo custodia o encarcelado. Así, la justicia ha de ser correctiva y proporcionada, no arbitraria.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment (daṇḍa) must be proportionate to the offence (aparādha-anurūpa). The ruler should apply suitable penalties: financial deprivation for the wealthy and custodial restraint for the poor, aiming at fair and effective justice.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on how a king should administer justice, specifying practical modes of punishment depending on the offender’s means.