Shloka 40
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
एवंप्रयोजनश्वैव दण्ड: क्षत्रियतां गत: । रक्षन् प्रजा: स जागर्ति नित्यं स्ववहितो$क्षर:
evaṁprayojanaś caiva daṇḍaḥ kṣatriyatāṁ gataḥ | rakṣan prajāḥ sa jāgarti nityaṁ svavahito'kṣaraḥ ||
ດັ່ງນັ້ນ «ດັນດະ» ຜູ້ມີເປົ້າໝາຍແທ້ໆແມ່ນການຄຸ້ມຄອງ ໄດ້ຮັບສະພາບແລະຕໍາແໜ່ງຂອງກະສັດຊັ້ນກະສັດຮົບ (ກະສັດຕຣິຍະ). ມັນຄຸ້ມຄອງປະຊາຊົນ ແລະຕື່ນຢູ່ເຝົ້າລະວັງເປັນນິດ; ເພາະເປັນອະມະຕະ ຈຶ່ງຢືນຢັນຢ່າງໝັ້ນຄົງໃນໜ້າທີ່ຂອງຕົນ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that daṇḍa (lawful punishment/royal authority) is fundamentally for protection, not cruelty. When properly established, it embodies the Kṣatriya’s role: constant vigilance to safeguard the people and uphold order as an enduring principle of governance.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma explains to Yudhiṣṭhira the nature of kingship and statecraft. Here he personifies daṇḍa as an ever-watchful guardian that takes on the Kṣatriya-function—protecting the subjects through vigilant enforcement of dharma.