Shloka 121
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
“माता, पिता, भाई, स्त्री तथा पुरोहित कोई भी क्यों न हो, जो अपने धर्ममें स्थिर नहीं रहता, उसे राजा अवश्य दण्ड दे, राजाके लिये कोई भी अदण्डनीय नहीं है” ।।
mātā pitā bhrātā strī tathā purohito yo 'pi syāt, yaḥ svadharme na tiṣṭhati taṁ rājāvaśyaṁ daṇḍayet; rājñaḥ kṛte na kaścid adaṇḍanīyaḥ.
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sama ada ibu, bapa, saudara, isteri, atau bahkan pendeta keluarga—sesiapa pun yang tidak teguh dalam dharma dirinya, raja pasti harus menghukumnya. Demi keadilan, tiada seorang pun berada di luar kuasa raja untuk menghukum.” Demikianlah, dalam Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva, berakhirlah bab ke-121, mengenai hakikat hukuman (daṇḍa).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s duty of punishment (daṇḍa) must be impartial: even close relatives and respected figures like a priest are not exempt if they deviate from dharma. Justice is presented as a public obligation that overrides private attachment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duties (rājadharma), Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about governance. Here he emphasizes that maintaining social and moral order requires the ruler to discipline wrongdoing without favoritism.