Shloka 71
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
व्यड्भता च शरीरस्य वधो वानल्पकारणात् । असेरेतानि रूपाणि दुर्वारादीनि निर्दिशेत्
vyāḍbhatā ca śarīrasya vadho vānalpakāraṇāt | aseretāni rūpāṇi durvārādīni nirdiśet ||
ビーシュマは言った。「刑には、身体を損なう断罪に及ぶものがあり、また—罪因が重大であれば—命を奪う断罪に及ぶものもある。抗し難く、避け難いこれらの強制の刑罰は、明確に布告されねばならぬ。万民をダルマに従って守り、恣意の偏りを許してはならない。罪人は、譴責と辛辣な言葉によって（言罰）、重い財の徴収によって（財罰）、身体の毀損によって（身罰）、そして大罪が求めるときは処刑によって（命罰）抑えよ。この四つを民に知らせ、正しく知られ、釣り合いの取れた規律によって秩序を保て。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment (daṇḍa) must be dharma-based, proportionate to the offense, and publicly known. A ruler should protect all subjects impartially and restrain wrongdoing through graded penalties—verbal censure, monetary fines, corporal punishment, and, for major crimes, execution.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on statecraft: how a king should maintain order by prescribing and announcing clear categories of punishment, ensuring deterrence and fairness rather than arbitrary rule.