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 ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Sans frapper les points vitaux d’autrui, sans entreprendre des actes rudes et difficiles, et sans tuer quantité d’êtres vivants—à l’image des tueurs de poissons—nul n’obtient une grande prospérité. Le vers rappelle que la réussite mondaine s’entrelace souvent avec la violence et l’implacable dureté, ouvrant une grave tension éthique au cœur du discours sur la royauté et le gouvernement.
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.