Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 21
Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्
अशास्यानपि शास्त्येष रक्षोबन्धुषु राजसु । सृष्ट: प्रथमतश्नण्डो ब्रह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिना
aśāsyān api śāsty eṣa rakṣo-bandhuṣu rājasu | sṛṣṭaḥ prathamataś caṇḍo brahmaṇā brahma-vādinā ||
Kaṇva dit : «Cette arme farouche met au pas même ceux qui sont au-delà de tout redressement : des rois dont la conduite les apparente aux rākṣasas. À l’origine, elle fut façonnée par Brahmā, connaisseur et proclamateur de la vérité sacrée. Ainsi peut-elle dompter jusqu’aux souverains indociles, bride imposée à la puissance sans loi.»
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and punishment (daṇḍa) are ethically justified when used to restrain incorrigible, lawless rulers; legitimate authority is grounded in dharma and, here, symbolically in a divine/sacred origin.
Kaṇva describes a formidable weapon—likened to a fierce bow—saying it was first created by Brahmā and is capable of disciplining even rākṣasa-like kings, emphasizing its role as a check on tyrannical power.