Shloka 40
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
चरेयुर्नाश्रमे धर्म यथोक्त विधिमाश्रिता: । न विद्यां प्राप्तुयात् कश्चिद् यदि दण्डो न पालयेत्
careyur nāśrame dharmaṃ yathokta-vidhim āśritāḥ | na vidyāṃ prāpnuyāt kaścid yadi daṇḍo na pālayet ||
Jika daṇḍa tidak ditegakkan, manusia tidak akan hidup dalam disiplin āśrama dan menjalankan dharma menurut aturan śāstra; bahkan tak seorang pun akan mampu meraih vidyā (ilmu).
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna argues that daṇḍa—lawful punitive authority—is necessary to sustain dharma in society: without enforcement, people will not adhere to prescribed disciplines (āśrama-dharma), and even the pursuit of learning (vidyā) collapses due to disorder.
Within the Śānti Parva’s discussion on governance and moral order, Arjuna speaks to emphasize the practical necessity of daṇḍa: he links the king’s enforcement of rules to the functioning of religious-social life and the possibility of education.