Shloka 73
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
मनु: प्रजानां रक्षार्थ क्षुपाय प्रददावसिम् | क्षुपाज्जग्राह चेक्ष्वाकुरिक्ष्वाकोश्व पुरूरवा:
manuḥ prajānāṃ rakṣārthaṃ kṣupāya pradadāv asim | kṣupāj jagrāha cekṣvākur ikṣvākoś ca purūravāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Demi melindungi segala makhluk, Manu mengurniakan pedang itu kepada Kṣupa. Daripada Kṣupa, Ikṣvāku menerimanya, dan daripada Ikṣvāku, Purūravas pula mewarisinya. Maksudnya: apabila rakyat melanggar dharma, pemerintah hendaklah, menurut kadar yang wajar, menggunakan hukuman yang disahkan oleh pedang (kuasa paksaan) untuk memelihara dharma dan tertib masyarakat; maka alat disiplin diraja itu pun diperturunkan melalui susur galur raja-raja.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is preserved not only by moral instruction but also by measured royal enforcement (daṇḍa). When dharma is violated, the ruler must apply proportionate punishment to protect society and uphold order.
Bhishma recounts a lineage-story of royal authority: Manu hands over the sword (symbol of punitive power) to Kṣupa; it then passes to Ikṣvāku and onward to Purūravas, illustrating the inherited duty of kings to protect subjects through just discipline.