Shloka 2

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच दण्ड: शास्ति प्रजा: सर्वा दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति । दण्ड: सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्म विदुर्बुधा:

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | daṇḍaḥ śāsti prajāḥ sarvā daṇḍa evābhirakṣati | daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti daṇḍaṃ dharma vidur budhāḥ ||

Translation

अर्जुन म्हणाला—राजन्! दंड सर्व प्रजांचे शासन करतो; दंडच सर्व बाजूंनी त्यांचे रक्षण करतो. सर्वजण झोपले तरी दंड जागा असतो; म्हणून ज्ञानीजन दंडालाच राजाचा धर्म मानतात.

Word by Word

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दण्डः: the rod (punishment/royal authority)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शास्ति: rules / chastises
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वाः: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दण्डः: the rod (punishment/authority)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, alone
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिरक्षति: protects (on all sides)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

• दण्डः: the rod (punishment/authority)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुप्तेषु: among those asleep / when (people) are asleep
• सुप्तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• जागर्ति: keeps awake, is vigilant
• Type: Verb
• Root: जागृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दण्डम्: the rod (punishment/authority)
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: duty, law, dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विदुः: know, consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• King (rājan, addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that daṇḍa—lawful punishment and the coercive authority of the state—is essential to uphold dharma: it restrains wrongdoing, protects society, and must remain vigilant even when individuals are careless or asleep. Hence, administering daṇḍa rightly is a central duty of the king.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on righteous rule and social order, Arjuna addresses the king and emphasizes that effective governance depends on daṇḍa: it governs all subjects, safeguards them, and functions as the ever-watchful instrument through which royal duty (rāja-dharma) is maintained.