Shloka 42
न प्रेष्या वचन कुर्युर्न बाला जातु कर्हिचित् | न तिछेद् युवती धर्मे यदि दण्डो न पालयेत्
na preṣyā vacanaṁ kuryur na bālā jātu karhicit | na tiṣṭhed yuvatī dharme yadi daṇḍo na pālayet ||
「統治と処罰の力（ダンダ、daṇḍa）が保たれなければ、召使いは主人の命に従わず、子らは決して父母に服さず、若い女もまた自らのダルマに安住しない。社会と道徳の秩序は、法にかなう規律を一貫して維持することに依る、とこの偈は説く。」
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharma in society is sustained by daṇḍa—effective, consistent enforcement of rightful authority. Without it, obedience collapses across relationships (servant–master, child–parent, and household moral discipline), leading to disorder.
Within the Shanti Parva’s discussions on rājadharma (the duties of rule), the speaker presents a reasoning chain: if governance and punishment are not maintained, basic social bonds and duties fail. It is an argument for the necessity of disciplined administration to protect dharma.