Shloka 54
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
यश्न वेदप्रसूतात्मा स धर्मो गुणदर्शन: । धर्मप्रत्यय उद्दिष्टो यथाधर्म कृतात्मभि:
yaś ca vedaprasūtātmā sa dharmo guṇadarśanaḥ | dharmapratyaya uddiṣṭo yathādharma kṛtātmabhiḥ ||
Bhishma bersabda: Apa yang hakikatnya tersingkap dari Weda disebut Dharma. Dharma niscaya menampakkan sifat-sifatnya sendiri—yakni hasil yang membawa kebaikan. Karena itu, orang-orang yang berperilaku suci menetapkan hukuman yang berlandaskan kepercayaan pada Dharma, untuk dijalankan sesuai Dharma itu sendiri.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is rooted in Vedic revelation and is self-validating through its visible fruits; hence social discipline and punishment should be grounded in dharmic conviction and applied strictly in accordance with Dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous rule and conduct, Bhishma explains to Yudhishthira the basis of Dharma and why the wise prescribe danda (punishment) not as mere force but as a dharma-based instrument of order.