Shloka 35
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
चातुर्वर्ण्यप्रमोदाय सुनीतिनयनाय च । दण्डो विधात्रा विहितो धर्मार्थो भुवि रक्षितुम्
cāturvarṇya-pramodāya sunīti-nayanāya ca | daṇḍo vidhātrā vihito dharmārtho bhuvi rakṣitum ||
Arjuna berkata: “Demi kesejahteraan dan keharmonian empat golongan masyarakat, dan untuk membimbing manusia dengan dasar pemerintahan yang baik serta tingkah laku yang benar, Sang Pencipta telah menetapkan tongkat hukuman—sebagai alat dharma—agar dunia terpelihara.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate punitive authority (daṇḍa) is presented as divinely ordained and dharma-oriented: its purpose is not cruelty but protection, moral governance, and the maintenance of social harmony and order.
In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on governance and dharma, Arjuna speaks about the necessity of daṇḍa (punishment/royal coercive power), asserting that the Creator established it to safeguard the world and to guide society through sound policy.