Shloka 41
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
ईश्वर: पुरुष: प्राण: सत्त्वं चित्तं प्रजापति: । भूतात्मा जीव इत्येवं नामश्रि: प्रोच्यतेडष्टभि:
īśvaraḥ puruṣaḥ prāṇaḥ sattvaṁ cittaṁ prajāpatiḥ | bhūtātmā jīva ityevaṁ nāmaśriḥ procyate ’ṣṭabhiḥ ||
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: ຫຼັກແຫ່ງການລົງໂທດແລະການປົກຄອງຂອງກະສັດ (ດັນດະ) ຖືກເອີ້ນດ້ວຍນາມ 8 ປະການ—ອີສະວະຣະ (ພຣະເຈົ້າ), ປຸຣຸສະ (ບຸກຄົນ), ປຣານະ (ພະລັງຊີວິດ), ສັດຕະວະ (ຄຸນທີ່ຄໍ້າຈຸນ), ຈິດຕະ (ໃຈ), ປຣະຊາປະຕິ (ເຈົ້າແຫ່ງສັດທັງປວງ), ພູຕາດມັນ (ອັດຕາພາຍໃນສັດ), ແລະ ຊີວະ (ປະຈຸບັນຊີວິດ). ການເອີ້ນເຊັ່ນນີ້ ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າ ດັນດະບໍ່ແມ່ນຄວາມຮຸນແຮງລ້ວນໆ ແຕ່ເປັນພະລັງທີ່ຄໍ້າຈຸນຊີວິດ ແລະສ້າງລະບຽບ ເພື່ອຍົກຊູທໍາມະເມື່ອນໍາໃຊ້ຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Daṇḍa (the coercive power of rule and punishment) is presented as a dharmic, life-sustaining principle with cosmic and psychological dimensions. By giving it eight exalted names, the text teaches that punishment is not merely retribution but a force meant to preserve order, protect beings, and support righteous conduct when exercised with restraint and discernment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and dharma after the war, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on statecraft and moral rule. Here he explains the nature of daṇḍa by listing its eight traditional appellations, elevating the concept from a political tool to a principle tied to life, mind, and cosmic order.