Shloka 77
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
दण्डेन सहिता होषा लोकरक्षणकारिका । निग्रहानुग्रहरता लोकाननुचरिष्यति,“दण्ड-विधानके साथ रहनेवाली यह नीति सम्पूर्ण जगत्की रक्षा करनेवाली है। यह दुष्टोंके निग्रह और साधु पुरुषोंके प्रति अनुग्रहमें तत्पर रहकर सम्पूर्ण जगतमें प्रचलित होगी
daṇḍena sahitā hy eṣā nītir lokarakṣaṇakārikā | nigrahānugraharatā lokān anucariṣyati ||
Kebijakan pemerintahan ini, bila disertai dendaṇḍa (tongkat hukuman), menjadi pelindung dunia. Dengan tekun mengekang yang jahat dan menganugerahi yang berbudi, ia akan berjalan di seluruh masyarakat dan menertibkan rakyat.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective and ethical governance (nīti) must be supported by daṇḍa—measured punitive authority—so that society is protected through two complementary duties: restraining wrongdoers (nigraha) and supporting the virtuous (anugraha).
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the king on how order is maintained: policy becomes truly world-protecting when it is backed by enforceable discipline, applied firmly against the wicked and benevolently toward the good.