Shloka 78

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

दण्डेन नीयते चेदं दण्डं नयति वा पुनः । दण्डनीतिरिति ख्याता त्रीललॉकानभिवर्तते

Transliteration

daṇḍena nīyate cedaṃ daṇḍaṃ nayati vā punaḥ | daṇḍanītir iti khyātā trīl lokān abhivartate ||

Translation

ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଏହି ଜଗତ ସନ୍ମାର୍ଗରେ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରିତ ହୁଏ; କିମ୍ବା ରାଜା ଏହି ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରାନୁସାରେ ପ୍ରଜାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଦଣ୍ଡବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ସ୍ଥାପନ କରନ୍ତି। ତେଣୁ ଏହି ବିଦ୍ୟା ‘ଦଣ୍ଡନୀତି’ ନାମରେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ; ଏହାର ବ୍ୟାପ୍ତି ତ୍ରିଲୋକରେ ବିସ୍ତୃତ।

Word by Word

• दण्डेन: by punishment/rod (authority)
• दण्डेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नीयते: is led/regulated
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (नयति)
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इदम्: this (world/order)
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डम्: punishment/rod
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नयति: leads/applies
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (नयति)
• Form: Present, Active, Third, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• पुनः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• दण्डनीतिः: policy/science of punishment (statecraft)
• दण्डनीतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डनीति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ख्याता: known/called
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (ख्यात)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रीलोकान्: the three worlds
• त्रीलोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिलोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभिवर्तते: pervades/extends over
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते) with अभि-
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• daṇḍa
• daṇḍanīti
• three worlds (triloka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.