Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
भिक्षुका: प्राड्विवाकाश्व मौहूर्ता दैवचिन्तका: । कोशो मित्राणि धान्यं च सर्वोपकरणानि च
bhikṣukāḥ prāḍvivākāś ca mauhūrtā daivacintakāḥ | kośo mitrāṇi dhānyaṃ ca sarvopakaraṇāni ca ||
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ນັກບວດຂໍທານ, ນັກກົດໝາຍຜູ້ຮູ້ຫຼາຍ, ນັກໂຫລາສາດ, ແລະຜູ້ພິຈາລະນາເທວະ; ຄັງຫຼວງ, ມິດສະຫາຍ/ພັນທະມິດ, ຄັງເຂົ້າ, ແລະເຄື່ອງມືຊັບພະຍາກອນທຸກຢ່າງ—ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ກໍຖືກນັບເປັນອົງປະກອບທີ່ຫຼ້ຽງດູອານາຈັກ. ໃນທັດສະນະການປົກຄອງນີ້ ລັດເປັນດັ່ງຮ່າງກາຍມີອະວະຫຼາຍ; ແຕ່ ດັນຑະ (daṇḍa) ແມ່ນເຄື່ອງມືຫຼັກ ເພາະເປັນວິທີທີ່ກໍ່ໃຫ້ເກີດ ແລະຮັກສາລະບຽບໃນທຸກສ່ວນ.»
भीष्म उवाच
The verse situates various social specialists and material resources—legal experts, astrologers/diviners, treasury, allies, provisions, and equipment—as essential supports of the kingdom, within a broader rājadharma framework where the state is viewed as an organism whose stability ultimately depends on daṇḍa (lawful discipline/punishment) to maintain order.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he continues enumerating the elements that uphold a polity—both personnel and resources—clarifying how governance relies on coordinated ‘limbs’ of the state and the regulating force of authority.