Shloka 52
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
एवं पर्याकुले लोके वितथैर्जर्जरीकृते । तैस्तैन्ययिर्महाराज पुराणं धर्ममाचर
evaṁ paryākule loke vitathair jarjarīkṛte | tais tair nyāyair mahārāja purāṇaṁ dharmam ācara ||
ಮಹಾರಾಜನೇ! ಈ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಲೋಕವೆಲ್ಲ ಸುಳ್ಳು ವ್ಯವಹಾರಗಳಿಂದ ವ್ಯಾಕುಲವಾಗಿ, ದಂಡದಿಂದ ಜರ್ಜರಗೊಂಡಿದೆ. ನೀವು ಕೂಡ ಆ ಆ ನ್ಯಾಯಮಾರ್ಗಗಳನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಾಚೀನ ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸಿರಿ।
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a society destabilized by falsehood and corrupt practice, a ruler should re-establish order by adhering to sound principles of justice (nyāya) and by practicing the time-tested, ancient dharma rather than improvising expedient but unethical measures.
The speaker addresses a great king and urges him to respond to a world thrown into turmoil by deceit: the remedy proposed is governance grounded in nyāya and the restoration of purāṇa-dharma (the old, authoritative moral order).