Shloka 78
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
दण्डेन नीयते चेदं दण्डं नयति वा पुनः । दण्डनीतिरिति ख्याता त्रीललॉकानभिवर्तते
daṇḍena nīyate cedaṃ daṇḍaṃ nayati vā punaḥ | daṇḍanītir iti khyātā trīl lokān abhivartate ||
दंडाने हा जगत् सन्मार्गावर नेला जातो; अथवा राजा या शास्त्रानुसार प्रजांमध्ये दंडव्यवस्था प्रस्थापित करतो. म्हणून ही विद्या ‘दंडनीती’ म्हणून विख्यात आहे; तिचा विस्तार त्रैलोक्यात आहे.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Social order is maintained when authority applies daṇḍa (punishment/discipline) in accordance with śāstra; this principled administration of punishment is called daṇḍanīti, a foundational element of rājadharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma explains to Yudhiṣṭhira why the science of governance is termed daṇḍanīti: it guides the world by enforcing discipline and enables the king to establish lawful restraint among subjects.