Shloka 36
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
विधाताने दण्डका विधान इस उद्देश्यसे किया है कि चारों वर्णोके लोग आनन्दसे रहें, सबमें अच्छी नीतिका बर्ताव हो तथा पृथ्वीपर धर्म और अर्थकी रक्षा रहे ।।
daṇḍakāḥ vidhātānena etad-uddeśena kṛtāḥ yat caturṇāṁ varṇānāṁ lokā ānandena tiṣṭheyuḥ, sarveṣu sad-nīti-vyavahāraḥ syāt, tathā pṛthivyāṁ dharmārthayoḥ rakṣā bhavet. yadi daṇḍān na bibhyeyur vayāṁsi śvāpādāni ca, adyuḥ paśūn manuṣyāṁś ca yajñārthāni havīṁṣi ca.
秩序を定める者は、罰の杖――ダンダ（daṇḍa）――をこの目的のために立てた。すなわち、四つの身分の人々が安らかに暮らし、万人のうちに善き行いと正しい政道が行き渡り、地上においてダルマ（dharma）とアルタ（artha：世俗の繁栄）がともに護られるためである。もし鳥や猛獣がダンダを恐れぬなら、家畜のみならず人間さえ食らい、さらに祭祀ヤジュニャ（yajña）のために備えられた供物ハヴィス（havis）までも食い尽くすであろう。
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment (daṇḍa), as a principle of governance, is justified as a protective force: it sustains social peace, enables ethical conduct (nīti), and safeguards both dharma (moral order) and artha (public welfare). Without deterrence, the strong would prey upon the weak and even sacred institutions like sacrifice would be endangered.
In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on kingship and order, the speaker explains why the institution of punishment was established. A concrete example is given: if animals and birds did not fear chastisement, they would freely ravage herds, harm people, and consume sacrificial offerings—showing how daṇḍa functions as a necessary restraint in society.