Shloka 25
मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः
Determination of the Means to Liberation
वित्रास्यमाना: सुकृतो न कामादधघ्नन्ति दुष्कृतीन् । सुकृतेनैव राजानो भूयिष्ठं शासते प्रजा:
vitrāsyamānāḥ sukṛto na kāmād adhaghnanti duṣkṛtīn | sukṛtenaiva rājāno bhūyiṣṭhaṃ śāsate prajāḥ ||
Humatsena dit : «Quand on fait naître chez les hommes la crainte du châtiment, ils se tournent vers la bonne conduite ; ainsi, le but de la peine est d’établir le dharma par la dissuasion, non d’ôter la vie. Les rois ne tuent pas les méchants par simple désir personnel. Les meilleurs souverains, le plus souvent, gouvernent longtemps leurs sujets par la vertu elle-même — par les bonnes actions et une conduite droite, civilisée.»
हुमत्सेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment (daṇḍa) is primarily a tool of deterrence meant to generate fear that turns people toward righteous conduct; it is not meant for cruelty or killing driven by a ruler’s personal desire. Ideal kings rule mainly through their own virtue and good governance rather than frequent violent penalties.
In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on rājadharma, Humatsena explains the ethical rationale behind royal punishment: fear of penalty reforms behavior, so the king’s aim should be moral order and long-term stability, achieved chiefly through good conduct and just administration rather than arbitrary executions.