Shloka 38
त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
भृगुर्ददावृषिभ्यस्तु दण्डं धर्मसमाहितम् । ऋषयो लोकपालेभ्यो लोकपाला: क्षुपाय च
bhṛgur dadāv ṛṣibhyas tu daṇḍaṃ dharmasamāhitam | ṛṣayo lokapālebhyo lokapālāḥ kṣupāya ca ||
ວາສຸຫາໂຣມາ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພຣຶກຸ (Bhṛgu) ໄດ້ຝາກ ‘ດັນຑະ’ ໄມ້ແຫ່ງການລົງໂທດ ທີ່ຕັ້ງຢູ່ໃນທຳມະຢ່າງໝັ້ນຄົງ ໃຫ້ແກ່ບັນດາຣິສີ. ຣິສີທັງຫຼາຍສົ່ງຕໍ່ໃຫ້ແກ່ ຜູ້ພິທັກໂລກ (Lokapāla) ແລະຜູ້ພິທັກໂລກກໍມອບໃຫ້ ກະສຸປະ (Kṣupa). ນີ້ແມ່ນການພັນລະນາການສືບທອດອຳນາດອັນຊອບທຳ ເພື່ອປົກປ້ອງທຳມະອັນລະອຽດ ແລະລະບຽບແຫ່ງສັງຄົມ.
वसुहरोम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate power to punish (daṇḍa) is not mere force; it must be dharma-grounded and transmitted through rightful custodians (sages, cosmic guardians, and kings). Authority is ethical only when it protects order and subtle righteousness rather than serving personal desire.
Vasuharoma recounts a lineage of custody: Bhṛgu gives the dharma-aligned daṇḍa to the ṛṣis; they pass it to the lokapālas; the lokapālas pass it to Kṣupa. The verse situates royal governance within a sacred, regulated chain of responsibility.