Shloka 19
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
भिन्दंश्छिन्दन् रुजन् कृन्तन् दारयन् पाटयंस्तथा । घातयन्नभिधावंश्व दण्ड एव चरत्युत
bhindaṁś chindan rujan kṛntan dārayan pāṭayaṁs tathā | ghātayann abhidhāvaṁś ca daṇḍa eva caraty uta ||
Daṇḍa bergerak ke mana-mana—membelah, memotong, menimbulkan derita, menetak, mengoyak, merobek, bahkan sampai membunuh. Demikianlah hukuman itu sendiri tanpa henti mengejar para pelanggar dan menegakkan tatanan dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That daṇḍa—punitive authority—must actively operate to restrain wrongdoing; it is portrayed as an ever-moving force that protects dharma by deterring and correcting offenders.
In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and dharma, he personifies punishment as something that ‘runs everywhere,’ describing its harsh actions to emphasize how royal justice pursues and subdues criminals to maintain order.