Shloka 8
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
नित्यमुद्यतदण्डस्य भृशमुद्विजते नर: । तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि दण्डेनैव प्रसाधयेत्,“जो सदा दण्ड देनेके लिये उद्यत रहता है, उससे प्रजाजन बहुत डरते हैं, इसलिये समस्त प्राणियोंको दण्डके द्वारा ही काबूमें करे
nityam udyatadaṇḍasya bhṛśam udvijate naraḥ | tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni daṇḍenaiva prasādhayet ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Seseorang yang sentiasa bersiap untuk menjatuhkan hukuman (daṇḍa) amat ditakuti oleh rakyat. Oleh itu, segala makhluk hendaklah dipelihara dalam tertib melalui hukuman semata-mata—yakni dengan penggunaan daṇḍa secara berdisiplin dan berwibawa sebagai alat pemerintahan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes the political-ethical role of daṇḍa: fear of punishment restrains wrongdoing, so a ruler maintains order by applying disciplined coercive authority. The verse highlights deterrence and regulation as essential tools of rāja-dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on principles of kingship and social control, explaining how subjects respond to a ruler who is constantly ready to punish and why governance relies on daṇḍa to keep society orderly.